AEL had a one-goal advantage from last week’s game in Cyprus and Zenit managed to turn it around and qualify with a 3-0 win in Petrovsky stadium.
Zenit, starting without suspended Axel Witsel, asked for a penalty early at the 8th minute but Smolnikov was booked by the referee. Rondon’s header ten minutes later was the best scoring chance for Villas Boas’s team but went over the bar and the Blue-White-Sky-Blues kept the pressure on AEL’s posts (possession 71% – 29%) without success.
AEL was left down to ten men at the 25th minute as Danielzinho was shown two yellow cards in ten minutes and as the Cypriots managed to keep Hulk silent, Criscito’s shots were unsuccessful and half time was through without goals.
Kerzhakov was brought in for the second half (Smolnikov out) to help in solving the goal mystery, AEL defended massively and Rondon punished them at the 55′ minute with a close header. Zenit had the momentum, AEL couldn’t manage the pressure but luck (Danny’s header hit the goalpost) and Fegrouche was there denying the 2nd -qualifying- goal to the Russians.
The Gordian Knot was cut three minutes before the finale, as Danny took the rebound from Rondon’s header (Fegrouche was there again) and gave the qualifying ticket to Zenit!Kerzhakov scored another from the penalty spot a minute later and the Russians advanced to the play-off round of UEFA’s Champions League and will be in Nyon’s draw on Friday 8th of August.
