Zenit dump Young Boys out
Zenit St Petersburg came from two goals down in the tie to reach the Europa League's last 16 via a 3-1 (4-3 aggregate) victory over Young Boys in an entertaining second leg.
The visitors led 2-1 from the first game and extended their lead via Ammar Jemal's close-range header, only for Danko Lazovic to equalise before half-time.
And that proved the turning point as Sergei Semak and Roman Shirokov struck in the second period to turn the tie around.
Young Boys started brightly and home keeper Viacheslav Malafeev was called into action by two early free-kicks, gathering Jemal's effort before parrying away another from Christoph Spycher.
Roman Shirokov provided Malafeev's opposite number Marco Wolfli with his first test, a close-range effort which was repelled by a sharp reflex save.
Malafeev was forced to parry away Mario Raimondi's corner after Henri Bienvenu's shot was deflected behind, with both teams seemingly of a mind that end-to-end attack was the way to combat freezing conditions.
And a shambolic breakthrough arrived when another Raimondi flag-kick was allowed to bounce in the six-yard box, Jemal arriving at the far post to nod his side in front on the night and seemingly in control of the tie.
The same players combined later in the half, Jemal this time heading over, before Zenit hit back four minutes before the interval. Lazovic seized on Roman Shirokov's pass and found the bottom corner of Wolfli's net from 12 yards.
And with seven minutes of the restart, the hosts were level in the tie. Igor Denisov crossed from the left and Semak sent a left-footed effort thumping into the roof of the net.
Young Boys' Francois Affolter blocked Danny's shot before Scott Sutter's effort at the other end rebounded to safety off Bruno Alves.
Luciano Spalletti's side continued to press and Aleksandar Lukovic's drive flashed over, though Raimondi curled a free-kick wide at the other end.
Wolfli denied Lukovic after Emiliano Dudar had blocked Zyryanov's original effort but the Russians' second-half dominance told decisively in the 76th minute.
Lukovic's left-wing cross picked out Shirokov at the far post and he side-footed into the roof of the net to put his side ahead in the tie for the first time since Nicolas Lombaerts' 20th-minute opener in last week's first leg.
Christian Schneuwly fired Bienvenu's free-kick wide and brother Marco was denied by Fernando Meira's clearance.
Malafeev then saved from Bienvenu and when he also gathered a header from rival keeper Wolfli, upfield for a last-gasp set-piece, the game was up for the Swiss side.
Zenit St Petersburg 3-1 Young Boys: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
