IT’S OVER TO Russia for the first of tonight’s Europa League games.
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Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Liverpool
Good afternoon. Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day but more importantly there are 16 Europa League last-32 first legs to attend to. First up, Liverpool travel to St Petersburg for a meeting with Russia’s current champions Zenit.
We’re just 15 minutes away from kick-off so here are the teams:
Zenit: Malafeev, Anuikov, Lombaerts, Luis Neto, Hubocan, danny, Shirokov, Denisov, Witsel, Karzhakov, Hulk. Subs: Zhevnov, Rodic, Lukovic, Faitzulin, Semak, Evseev, Djordevic.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Carragher, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Allen, Sterling, Suarez. Subs: Jones, Coates, Wisdom, Lucas, Shelvey, Borini, Suso.
Jordan Henderson and Luis Suarez gets us going but it’s the home side who attack first through Brazilian international Hulk before Glen Johnson clears for a corner.
They break through again and Pepe Reina has to be alert to save from Aleksandr Kerzhakov.
Not even two minutes have been played and Livepool have a great chance of their own. Suarez gets onto the end of a long diagonal ball, steps inside his marker but shoots just wide.
It’s 100 miles-per-hour at the moment.
Hulk runs unopposed through the middle and fires towards the bottom corner from 20 yards which Reina has to bat away. The former Porto star was given far too much room there.
Zenit now working the ball well in Liverpool’s half and holding onto position with a passage of tidy passing.
What. A. Chance. Nicolas Lombaerts plays a pass straight to Suarez, who runs through on goal and must score. He opts to go around Vyacheslav Malafeev, however, and overruns the ball.
Hulk or “The Hulk” as Trevor Welch has just referred to him, is causing all sorts of problems. First, he leaves Joe Allen for dead and steps inside Jamie Carragher, who adjusts his feet well to sweep the ball clear.
Moments later, the same player crashes a shot off the post after Axel Witsel’s cross is only half-cleared.
It’s not in great nick, to be fair.
Oh dear, Luis Suarez is again guilty of a glaring miss. Downing tees up Allen, whose cross is tipped to the back post where Raheem Sterling squares to the Uruguayan. He attempts to flick it home but misses the target.
Half-time: Zenit St Petersburg 0-0 Liverpool
The second half has just started. No changes on either side.
Glen Johnson runs at least 50 yards with the ball, nutmegs Lombaerts then sees his toepoke kept out by Malafeev. It would’ve made a superb individual goal.
First substitution of the evening – Danny is off for Sergei Semak. The Portuguese attacker picked up a knock in the first half and doesn’t look to have recovered.
Slovakian midfielder is the next man into referee Carlos Velasco Carballo’s book after pulling back Gerrard in midfield.
Then Liverpool break in numbers with Downing. The winger cuts inside and lets the ball run to the onrushing Suarez, but his first time effort is narrowly wide.
25 minutes on the clock and the deadlock has yet to be broken.
GOAL! Zenit St Petersburg 1-0 Liverpool (Hulk)
The home side are in front and it’s their danger man Hulk. The Brazilian lets fly from 25 yards with a shot that takes a slight deflection off Martin Skrtel on it way past Reina.
GOAL! Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Liverpool (Sergei Semak)
A second goal in quick succession and it’s the substitute Semak. Anyukov’s cross isn’t dealt with by Skrtel and Semak takes advantage of Johnson’s ball-watching to blast home.
It’s a case of chances not taken for Liverpool. They had several opportunities to secure an away goal or two but will face a considerable challenge at Anfield if the first leg finishes 2-0.
Lucas, meanwhile, has replaced Sterling.
A Suarez free-kick is pushed away and it’s eventually cleared after Henderson tries to recycle the ball.
Viktor Fayzulin on since the 82nd minute, shoots wide of the mark and we’re seconds away from the final whistle.
Full-time: Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Liverpool
