Zenit St Petersburg are in the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup despite losing the second leg 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen.
Bulykin goal restores pride for Bundesliga outfit
Zenit St Petersburg are through to the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup despite losing the second leg 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen courtesy of a 4-2 aggregate win.
The Russian outfit were all but through to the semis following a sensational 4-1 first leg success in Germany and although they were off the pace in the return leg they did just enough to avoid an unlikely comeback.
Leverkusen made a bright start to the contest and wasted a glorious chance to pull a goal back when Russian Dmitri Bulykin found Zenit keeper Viatcheslav Malafeev with a first-time effort after a fine through-ball by captain Bernd Schneider.
Bulykin did find the back of the net on 18 minutes when he guided home Gonzalo Castro's fine cross at the back post to restore pride and bolster hopes of a comeback.
Leverkusen continued to set the pace and create the better of the chances for the remainder of the half, but the Bundesliga outfit were unable to build on their 18th minute advantage.
Purpose
Zenit emerged from the half-time interval with more purpose about their game, although Andrei Arshavin's left-footed effort that took a nick off Hans Sarpei's foot was comfortable for Rene Adler.
The home side should have been back on level terms in the 70th minute, but Igor Denisov's shot only found the outside of the near post upright following an inventive flick-on from Arshavin.
Zenit should have equalised with five minutes remaining, but Anatoli Tymoschuk could only find Adler with a tame penalty after Viktor Faitzulin was adjudged to have been brought down in the box.
Despite slipping to defeat it mattered little for Zenit and coach Dick Advocaat who are now through to the semi-finals where they will face the winners of Bayern Munich or Getafe.
