Zenit beat Rangers to lift UEFA Cup

Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg won their first European silverware when second-half

goals from Igor Denisov and Konstantin Zyrianov secured a 2-0 victory over Rangers in the UEFA Cup final on Wednesday.

Denisov slotted home after 72 minutes and fellow midfielder Zyrianov sealed victory with a close range effort in stoppage time at the City of Manchester stadium to secure the trophy for Zenit in their first European final.

It was the second UEFA Cup success by a Russian side in four seasons following CSKA Moscow's triumph in 2005.

Rangers supporters had travelled south from Glasgow in their thousands, easily outnumbering the Zenit fans inside the stadium and thronging the city centre to watch on big screens.

Defeat ended their quest for an unlikely quadruple with the Scottish League Cup winners still contesting the league title and lining up in the Scottish FA Cup final later this month.

Zenit failed to reproduce their impressive demolition of competition favourites Bayern Munich in the semi-finals but their attacking qualities, honed by Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, were too much for a spirited Rangers side.

Zenit gave an early demonstration of their counter-attacking prowess when captain Anatoly Tymoschuk robbed a hesitant Brahim Hemdani in midfield and a swift break ended with Andrei Arshavin shooting narrowly wide.

Rangers quickly settled though and Zenit's Victor Fayzulin made a well-timed interception to clear Jean-Claude Darcheville's dangerous cross into the goalmouth in a decent opening for both sides.

The Russian side enjoyed plenty of possession with Tymoschuk at the heart of some intricate passing moves. Fayzulin headed over an Arshavin cross, then Alexander Anyukov tested Rangers

goalkeeper Neil Alexander with a rasping drive.

Rangers were content to soak up the pressure, showing little attacking intent of their own as Zenit probed away with Arshavin a menacing presence on the left flank.

Walter Smith's side conceded only two goals in eight games en route to the final and their organised defence held firm.

Zenit's Turkish forward Fatih Tekke, handed a place up front by Advocaat in place of suspended striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, was given no opportunity to gain from a succession of Arshavin crosses into the danger area.

Rangers were the first to threaten after the break when they at last created a clear opening, Darcheville getting ahead of his marker to fire a low shot that was parried by Vyacheslav Malafeev.

In the ensuing scramble Rangers were adamant they should have been awarded a penalty by Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt when Barry Ferguson's flick appeared to strike the arm of Denisov.

Rangers were pushing further forward but in doing so left themselves exposed to Zenit's swift counter-attacks which on 64 minutes nearly brought the breakthrough.

Alexander rushed out of goal to intercept a long clearance downfield but Arshavin was first to the ball. Rangers were fortunate to have two defenders alive to the danger and Sasa Papac got back to clear Arshavin's curling strike off the line.

Zenit finally found a way to beat Alexander when Denisov and playmaker Arshavin split the Rangers defence through the middle with the former slotting the ball home from eight metres.

Konstantin Zyrianov struck the post from close range a few minutes later before the midfielder kickstarted a Russian party by converting Tekke's cross deep into added time.

Dick Advocaat savoured Zenit St Petersburg's UEFA Cup triumph after a 2-0 win over Rangers secured a first European trophy for the Dutch coach.

"I have won championships but now winning the UEFA Cup I have almost everything," Advocaat told a news conference.

"Everybody expected it to be an easy game for us but it was harder than (against semi-final opponents) Bayern Munich who we were expected to lose against.

"Today it was more difficult because the expectation was on our side. But the players handled it well. We scored two brilliant goals and deserved to win."

Advocaat took over Zenit in June 2006 after stepping down as South Korea manager when his team were eliminated from the World Cup finals in Germany.

He previously led the Netherlands to the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup and the semi-finals of Euro 2004.

In a light-hearted news conference, Advocaat was asked if Russian teams with Dutch managers were jinxing British teams.

It was a reference to Guus Hiddink's success in guiding Russia to the Euro 2008 finals while England, who lost out to Croatia and Russia in their qualifying group, will not be in the

tournament starting on June 7 in Austria and Switzerland.

"I think it is time to try Dutch coaches in England, maybe it helps a little bit," replied Advocaat to much laughter.

Man-of-the-match Andrei Arshavin, a constant threat to Rangers and supplier of the incisive pass that put Igor Denisov through to break the deadlock after 72 minutes, said Zenit were made to work hard for their victory.

"Rangers played a good defensive game, we expected them to defend well and if we let a goal in first we might have had problems," he told reporters.

"We controlled the game from the start, we attacked more and when we scored first I knew we would win."

Rangers coach Walter Smith felt Zenit's opening goal came at a time when his side were putting the Russians under serious pressure for the first time in the match.

Rangers failed to test Zenit goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev until the second half but had two penalty claims turned down by Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt.

"I felt in the first half Zenit were the better side. In the second half we came into the game but we conceded at a bad time.

The (opening) goal changed the complexion of the game," said Smith, who said Arshavin was the difference between the sides.

"When you look at the man-of -the-match, we have not had someone who can do something a bit different. We have lacked someone to give us that extra bit of creativity."

Midfielder Konstantin Zyrianov sealed the victory from close range in stoppage time after a fine passing move at the City of Manchester stadium to spark Russian celebrations.

Smith refused to blame the defeat, which ended Rangers unlikely quest to win four trophies, on fatigue in a hectic season that will stretch to 68 games for the Ibrox side.

Rangers, already Scottish League Cup winners, are still contesting the league title and will line up in the Scottish FA Cup final later this month.

"It will be difficult to judge just how much the disappointment (of losing) takes out of us," added Smith.

"We have the opportunity, with four games to go, to win two (more)trophies."