FT: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG 2-0 LIVERPOOL

Date: Thursday 14 February 2013
Kick Off: 17:00
Venue: Petrovsky Stadium, St Petersburg
Competition: UEFA Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Broadcast: ITV4, 16:30


LINKS

http://www.itv.com/itv4
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=189729


LIVE ARTICLE

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/189483


Liverpool suffered a disappointing defeat against Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday night which leaves them facing a battle to stay in the Europa League.

Zenit played well throughout the game and stamped their authority on the game in the opening minutes when Pepe Reina was forced to make two very good saves.

But Liverpool were not without chances of their own. Luis Suarez was particularly wasteful in front of goal and, worryingly, this seems to be becoming a trend as this has been the case for the last few games.

The game was quite even up until mid-way through the second half, when Zenit hit two blows in quick succession. Firstly, Hulk received the ball and unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards which flew into the top left corner. And three minutes later, Aleksandr Anyukov's low ball across the face of goal was not dealt with by Martin Skrtel, and substitute Sergei Semak slotted it in at the far post.

Liverpool brought on Lucas in place of Raheem Sterling, a move that implied that they were intent on damage limitation ahead of the second leg. The Reds will require a big performance this time next week at Anfield to stand a chance of making it through to the last 16.


LIVE SCOREBOARD

ZENIT ST PETERSBURG - 2
Hulk 69'
Semak 72'

LIVERPOOL - 0


PREVIOUS ROUND

Zenit St Petersburg
n/a (Third in UEFA Champions League Group C)

Liverpool
Winner of UEFA Europa League Group A


TEAMS

Zenit St Petersburg
16 Malafeev
2 Anyukov
13 Neto
6 Lombaerts
14 Hubocan
15 Shirokov
27 Denisov
28 Witsel
29 Hulk
11 Kerzhakov (Fayzulin 82')
10 Danny (Semak 54' )

Subs: 30 Zhevnov, 20 Fayzulin, 21 Rodic, 24 Lukovic, 25 Semak,
77 Dordevic, 94 Yevseyev.

Liverpool
25 Reina
2 Johnson
37 Skrtel
23 Carragher
3 Enrique
8 Gerrard
24 Allen
14 Henderson
19 Downing
7 Suarez
31 Sterling (Lucas 78')

Subs: 1 Jones, 16 Coates, 21 Lucas, 29 Borini, 30 Suso, 33 Shelvey, 47 Wisdom.


KEY UPDATES

17: LIVERPOOL BOOKING
Martin Skrtel receives a yellow card (1) for a foul on Roman Shirokov.

54: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG SUB
Danny is replaced by Sergei Semak due to injury.

59: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG BOOKING
Tomas Hubocan receives a yellow card (2) for a foul on Steven Gerrard.

69: GOAL - ZENIT ST PETERSBURG 1-0 LIVERPOOL
Hulk (5) receives the ball and unleashes a fierce shot from 25 yards that flies into the top left corner of the goal.

72: GOAL - ZENIT ST PETERSBURG 2-0 LIVERPOOL
Aleksandr Anyukov crosses the ball in and, after Martin Skrtel misses it, it finds Sergei Semak (4) at the far post and he slots it in from close range.

78: LIVERPOOL SUB
Raheem Sterling is replaced by Lucas.

82: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG SUB
Aleksandr Kerzhakov is replaced by Viktor Fayzulin.

83: ZENIT ST PETERSBURG BOOKING
Luis Neto receives a yellow card (1) for a foul on Luis Suarez.


LAST MATCHES

Zenit St Petersburg
Monday 10 December 2012
SOGAZ Russian Football Championship
Zenit St Petersburg 1-1 Anzhi Makhachkala

Liverpool
Monday 11 February 2013
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool 0-2 West Brom

Head to head
n/a


TOP SCORERS

Zenit St Petersburg
Aleksandr Kerzhakov - 11
Viktor Fayzulin - 5
Hulk - 5

Liverpool
Luis Suarez - 22
Steven Gerrard - 7
Jonjo Shelvey - 5