Champions League: Zenit earn a last-minute victory in five-goal thriller against Benfica

Zenit St. Petersburg scored a crucial last-minute goal to beat Portuguese side Benfica on home soil in the Champions League play-off first-leg match.

The Lisbon team opened the scoring after twenty minutes of play, when the Russians’ reserve goalkeeper Yury Zhevnov fumbled a shot from range, allowing striker Maxi Pereira to pounce on the ball and put it in the net.

The hosts responded with a spectacular strike by Russia international midfielder Roman Shirokov, whose volley from a cross sent the ball in the corner of the Benfica goal.

Zenit added another on 70 minutes, netting one of the best goals in the competition this season. Striker Kerzhakov chased down a loose ball and back-heeled it to Bystrov, who kept the ball in the air, sending it to Sergey Semak in front of goal. The former CSKA Moscow captain, with his back to the target, elegantly volleyed the ball into the net, also with his heel.

The victory was within reach, but another goalkeeping mistake allowed Benfica to equalise – this time Zhevnov blocked the ball into the path of Oscar Cardozo, who buried it in the net.

But a minute before the end the last twist in this game came: Roman Shirokov picked up the ball after an unsuccessful clearance and fired home from a tight angle: 3-2.