Zenit St Petersburg 2
Dundalk 1
Caoimhín Reilly reports from St Petersburg
ZENIT ST PETERSBURG qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League following their 2-1 win over Dundalk at the Petrovsky Stadium tonight – inflicting the first set of back-to-back European defeats in Stephen Kenny’s four years in charge.
The game was seen as the ultimate acid test for Dundalk – the lowest ranked team in the competition – up against a side who have been Champions League regulars in recent seasons.
Giuliano – the scorer of the winner in Tallaght – put Zenit ahead three minutes before the interval. Brian Gartland was caught in possession just shy of the half-way line by Aleksandr Kerzhakov, the striker passed to Giuliano who slotted to the net from 12-yards.
The Lilywhites found a stunning equaliser in the 52nd minute through Daryl Horgan, however. The winger, who was called into the Ireland squad yesterday, latchesdonto a wayward Zenit header and raced past two defenders before coolly slotting into the net for 1-1.
Giuliano’s sixth goal of the competition was decisive in the end though. The attacker bundled home 12 minutes from time after a spell of penalty area pinball as Dundalk tried – in vain – to clear to safety.
It was a cruel blow, but a goal the hosts merited.
The Dundalk manager called Zenit a “fantastic side” before the game and, yet again, the Dubliner was proved correct – only this time it was to the detriment of his team.
Zenit dominated the possession stakes with Giuliano pulling the strings, but failed to create anything meaningful until Oleg Shatov forced Gary Rogers into a good save after 18 minutes.
It was Dundalk who looked the better going forward, although those occasions were sporadic. John Mountney, Patrick McEleney and Horgan all had shots which yielded nothing, and Mountney could not have come much closer after watching his cross from the right strike the post.
From the midway point of the opening period, Zenit took control. They had 11 first-half shots, but found Rogers and Andy Boyle in no mood to concede.
The Dundalk keeper pulled off a terrific save from Giuliano when he looked set to score nine minutes before the break while Boyle, fresh from his international call-up, blocked several times from Aleksandr Kerzhakov and others.
Horgan’s goal seven minutes after half-time clearly shocked the home team, who immediately got back on the front foot.
Rogers had to pull off yet another excellent save from Mauricio before Nicolas Lombaerts shot went agonisingly off target.
Gartland went some way to making up for his earlier mistake with some excellent defending as Aleksandr Kokorin joined Kerzhakov through the middle.
Zenit’s quality told, however, with Giuliano popping up with the winner. The visitors did almost level heading into stoppage time when Patrick McEleney’s shot crashed off the bar. though.
But the Russians held out though for their second 2-1 win over Stephen Kenny’s men in the space of 14 days.
Despite the loss, the Lilywhites remain well in contention to progress from the group stages thanks to the stalemate in Alkmaar and although tonight’s defeat will disappoint Dundalk’s players and manager alike, they must pick themselves up for another titanic tussle with Cork City in Sunday’s FAI Cup Final.
ZENIT ST PETERSBURG: M Kerzhakov; Anyukov, Neto, Lombaerts (Zhirkov 86, Criscito; Witsel, Giuliano, Mauricio; Kokorin, A Kerzhakov (Djordjevic 90), Shatov (Mak 68).
DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Mountney (O’Donnell 46), Finn, Shields, McEleney (Shiels 83), Horgan; McMillan (Kilduff 62).
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