GOOOOOOOOOAL! A. KERZHAKOV MAKES IT 2-0! Rajkovic is furious, as the Russian striker steps up and rattles home a close-range free-kick! The ball went straight through the Maccabi wall, and their goalkeeper isn't happy whatsoever.
90'
N. Igiebor gets yellow.
Mak lifts a cross in from the right, which finds Zhirkov on the other flank, but a delivery from the ex-Anzhi man is cleared to safety. Zenit maintain their pressure, with Dzyuba having a half chance, but Maccabi defend well and Filipenko hoofs a good clearance away.
Witsel earns a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box, with Igiebor sliding in late. The Nigerian midfielder gets a booking that he can't really argue about.
88'
S. Yehezkel gets yellow.
Novoseltsev is caught very late by Jehezkel, with the Maccabi winger flying into a terrible tackle. His studs were raised, and that is a deserved booking.
87'
Only a few minutes remain for Maccabi to earn a valuable away point, with Igiebor wriggling away down the left. Jehezkel is fed to the byline and gets beyond Novoseltsev, but the Zenit right-back recovers brilliantly to make a good tackle. The away side get themselves a corner, which is half-cleared, but Dasa then shoots way over the crossbar.
85'
Igiebor goes close! Jehezkel swings in a cross from the left-hand side, but a glancing header from the Nigerian midfielder can only loop over the crossbar! Arveladze can't believe that the equaliser didn't just flash in there.
83'
E. Peretz gets yellow.
Peretz gets a booking for the away side, with the substitute already needing to watch his step.
Maccabi are still resiliently trying to push forward and cause some problems, but Lodygin hasn't had much to do in this half - and what jobs he has been asked to complete haven't been too taxing. Igiebor is robbed of possession in the Zenit half, before Javi Garcia is cynically brought down.
81'
E. Peretz enters the game and replaces H. Medunjanin.
The away side manage to win a corner on the right-hand side, courtesy of a deflection off Giuliano. Lodygin comes out among traffic to push clear, with Zenit breaking as a result. Four players race into the final third, but a Witsel cross is headed away brilliantly by Dasa. That should have really been 2-0.
Peretz comes into the game for the dying stages, with Medunjanin taking his leave for the last 10 minutes or so.
79'
A. Witsel gets yellow.
Zenit attack down the left-hand side, with Mak trying to feed a pass down the line for Dzyuba to chase, but Tibi makes a good interception. The away side get forward on the break, before Witsel ends the move with a cynical foul.
Witsel picks up a yellow card for making a cynical tackle when Maccabi's counter-attack was looking dangerous.
77'
Novoseltsev manages to come across well to deny Jehezkel, as Maccabi continue to push forward without any luck. Golasa tries to shoot from range, but his effort is deflected high into the air, allowing for Lodygin to come out and claim within his own six-yard box.
75'
N. Lombaerts enters the game and replaces Y. Zhirkov.
Zhirkov takes his leave for the hosts, with Lombaerts given a run out for the last 15 minutes.
Minute
Description
74'
D. Criscito gets yellow.
Criscito gets a booking for cynically bringing down Ben Basat.
Ben Basat is brought down on the edge of the penalty area, with Criscito penalised for a trip. Maccabi whip a free-kick in from deep, but a dipping delivery from Medunjanin is collected simply by Lodygin.
72'
Giuliano races forward on the break and feeds A. Kerzhakov down the right, but a curling cross from the veteran is plucked out of the air easily by Rajkovic. Mak then whips in a throughball that searches for Dzyuba, but again the Maccabi goalkeeper is alert to the danger.
70'
Arveladze is dancing around like a man possessed on the touchline, as he believes that a point would definitely be beneficial for his side's chances in Group D. Medunjanin takes aim from a free-kick on the right-hand side, but Witsel heads half-claer, before Golasa blasts the rebound high and wide of the target from 25 yards out.
68'
Maccabi earn themselves a free-kick in a dangerous area, but Lodygin claims with ease, as the hosts continue to look comfortable with their lead. Only 20 minutes are left on the clock, but the away side haven't been able to piece together too many meaningful attacks since Scarione took his leave at the break.
66'
A. Kerzhakov enters the game and replaces A. Kokorin.
The goalscorer Kokorin takes his leave, with A. Kerzhakov coming on to replace him in attack.
65'
A well-weighted ball tries to find Jehezkel over the top, but Neto reads the play well and covers across to make a great interception. Lodygin has still had nothing to do in this second half, with Maccabi struggling to get their front three involved in dangerous areas.
63'
Ben Basat holds the ball up well and moves possession out to the left-hand side. Ben Harush delivers a curling cross, but Zhirkov is present at the back post to turn a timely clearance away. Maccabi maintain their pressure, but Jehezkel is caught offside when trying to get in behind Novoseltsev.
61'
Zenit are moving the ball really well, with Dzyuba fed into the penalty area, but the Russian striker can only shrug off his man to spot the offside flag raised. That was a close ball, but the right decision, with the hosts desperately trying to find the all-important second goal of the evening.
59'
Nervy moment for Rajkovic! The young goalkeeper was fed an inopportune back pass from Tibi, who put his team-mate in trouble as a result. With Mak bearing down on goal, the shot-stopper hesitates before hacking a rushed clearance into touch.
57'
Dzyuba plays a good ball forward for Kokorin to chase, which the goalscorer sets back to Novoseltsev. The right-back crosses, but Dzyuba can't take the delivery under his spell, before the move eventually ends with a stray shot going a long way beyond Rajkovic's left-hand upright.
55'
Maccabi win themselves a corner on the left once again, but this time the danger ends when Dasa is penalised for a push. The visitors are continuing to play brightly and with confidence, but their quality in the final third has been very elusive indeed.
53'
Zenit stream forward and commit a lot of players forward on the break, with Javi Garcia the unlikely man to be picked out bounding into the Maccabi box. Yet again, however, Rajkovic is alert, with the young Serbian shot-stopper mopping up ahead of the ex-Man City midfielder.
52'
Neto lashes a long, diagonal pass that looks for Mak in behind Dasa, but the Portuguese's attempted ball is awful. Maccabi get back in possession, with Jehezkel fed down the left-hand side, but Novoseltsev gets back to concede a corner. The set-piece causes problems, but Benayoun is just unable to get a shot away from close range.
50'
Jehezkel is given a brilliant opportunity from close-range, but the substitute can only watch Lodygin gather the ball up in front of him with ease. Zenit then counter down the left-hand side, with Mak feeding a low cross into the box, but the away side deal with the danger through Dasa.
48'
Zenit have started the second half in dominant fashion, with Maccabi forced onto the back foot for now. Novoseltsev almost gives the ball away in a terrible position, but Neto reacts quickly to scamper across and cover for his team-mate.
46'
Y. Benayoun enters the game and replaces E. Scarione.
A. Dzyuba enters the game and replaces L. Đorđević.
S. Yehezkel enters the game and replaces T. Ben Haim.
Benayoun comes into the game in midfield to offer some experience and quality, with Scarione the man replaced.
We are back underway in the second half in Russia! Zenit hold a 1-0 lead over Maccabi, but their advantage is narrow and the difference between both of these sides has been so far too.
Ben Chaim takes his leave at the interval too, with Jehezkel brought into the attack.
Dzyuba is brought into the game by Lucescu, with Djordjevic replaced after a disappointing first-half showing.
44'
A. Kokorin has scored a goal for Zenit! Assist by R. Mak.
Mak does all of the hard work, using his pace and trickery to escape down the left and drill in a low cross.
GOOOOOOOOAL! KOKORIN MAKES IT 1-0! Brilliant work from Mak in the build-up. The winger wriggles away from Dasa and gets to the left byline, before drifting a delivery into the six-yard box that was turned home with ease by the Russia international. That's their first real chance of the game.
42'
Maccabi are enjoying a few minutes camped in the Zenit half, with Sciarone seeing a shot blocked brilliantly by Criscito. Giuliano races away on the counter-attack, with the hosts breaking down the right, but Ben Harush makes a timely block to deny a cross from the Brazilian.
41'
Medunjanin takes a corner from the right-hand side for the visitors, with the referee taking some time to split up an altercation between Igiebor and Witsel. The Bosnian midfielder delivers, but Neto rises well to clear ahead of Lodygin. Not convincing goalkeeping from the Zenit man!
39'
As we edge towards the break, Igiebor is growing in confidence, with the Nigerian midfielder absolutely everywhere for the away side in this first half. Scarione is robbed of the ball as he attempts to wriggle into the box, but it is Maccabi who arguably look the more purposeful when going forward.
37'
Maccabi open play out to the left-hand side, but an early cross from Ben Harush is lifted to safety by Neto. Zenit respond with a quick break, with Witsel trying to find Kokorin over the top, but yet again Rajkovic races out to frustrate the hosts' forward. Frustrating stuff from Group D's leaders.
35'
Djordjevic is the target of a long pass down the right-hand side, but the Zenit forward can't stretch enough to keep the ball in play. Maccabi are keeping things tight and congested in their own half, which is really isolating each of the hosts' front three. Lucescu might have to look at shuffling things around a little at the break. Criscito tries to find Djordjevic at the back post, but his delivery is terrible.
33'
Wide from Mak! The winger takes aim with his right foot, but can only power a shot a long way wide of the top-right corner. He took a little bit of time to set himself, which allowed for a lot of Maccabi defenders to put some telling pressure on, but he should be hitting the target from 10 yards out.
31'
Ben Harush makes another good clearance for the away side, with a second Zenit attack then halted by a foul from Novoseltsev. Maccabi then attack, with Ben Chiam able to curl in a delivery from the right-hand side, but Igiebor completely fluffs his lines with an attempted near-post header!
29'
Dasa does well to get in Djordjevic's path and deny a chance for the Zenit forward to get in behind, which sends the Macedonian's boot flying on. Maccabi threaten down the right-hand side through Ben Chiam, but a low cross from the right byline is blocked well by Criscito, with the resulting corner lashed away by Zhirkov.
27'
Ben Harush bursts down the left-hand side and feeds a low pass into Scarione, but Witsel makes a crunching tackle on the edge of his own box. Maccabi maintain their pressure, with Ben Chaim fed in behind, but the Israeli is caught offside! He bends a good finish into the back of the net, but it won't count.
25'
The home fans have been loud all game, but Zenit aren't making as much noise on the pitch. Possession is mainly with the hosts, but neither side appear to have much creativity in midfield. Only when Sciarione has got on the ball, have Maccabi gone through the gears, with the home side's front three have been anonymous.
23'
Maccabi's front three are pressing right up now, forcing Lodygin to kick long rather than play out from the back. This means that Zenit have to play direct, but if they win their header, there is a lot of space in between the Maccabi lines to exploit. It has been a tense affair so far!
21'
Igiebor takes aim from the edge of the penalty area, but Criscito makes a timely block! Maccabi manage to win a throw-in high on the left flank, but their pressure comes to nothing. The away side are gradually pressing higher, as their coach is barking out constant instructions from the sideline.
19'
Again, Novoseltsev races down the right-hand side and tries to get in behind Ben Harush, but the Israeli defender tracks back and gets goalside of his man well. Zenit are asking more questions of their opponents, but Lucescu won't be truly happy until the ball is nestling in the back of the Maccabi net.
17'
Novoseltsev tries to bend in a cross from the right-hand side, but Rajkovic claims ahead of a couple of challenging players. The young goalkeeper has been uncompromising inside his own box so far. Still, neither shot-stopper has had to make a smart save, however.
15'
Sciarione and Igiebor manage to combine on the left-hand side, with the former slotting a throughball towards the byline. The Nigerian forward scampers into the box, but is caught offside. Zenit respond with an attack of their own, but a looping cross from Giuliano spirals over Kokorin and into Rajkovic's awaiting gloves.
13'
Witsel manages to rob Igiebor of possession in the middle of the park, before releasing Djordjevic down the left, but the Macedonian forward is easily tackled by Dasa. Zenit keep their pressure on, with the hosts moving the ball at pace, but a clipped through ball from Witsel fails to find the feet of the overlapping Novoseltsev.
11'
Medunjanin feeds Sciarone, before receiving a one-two from the latter, but the ex-Deportivo midfielder is caught straying narrowly offside upon arrival into the penalty box. That's better from Maccabi, who haven't threatened to create too much since the opening whistle.
9'
Ben Basat has been looking rather lonely at the head of the Maccabi attack, with Zenit controlling play at the moment. Neto tries to clip a lofted pass over the top and in search of Djordjevic, but Rajkovic is quickly off his line to gobble the ball up ahead of him.
7'
The home side have looked quite comfortable of possession, with Witsel seeing a lot of the ball so far at the base of the midfield. Maccabi are happy to sit back in their shape and frustrate, before attempting to play quickly and vertically on the break.
5'
Medunjanin opens play out to the left-hand side, with Scarione able to wriggle past Criscito and deliver a cross. A low drive tests Neto, but the Portuguese defender is just about able to hook a clearance away. Zenit try to counter, but Giuliano is robbed of possession on the run.
3'
The opening few minutes are rather scrappy, with neither side able to build any telling attacks. Zenit have edged possession, with the home fans making a lot of noise to urge their players on. A long ball down the line is flicked on by Djordjevic, but the goalkeeper is off his line quickly to collect.
1'
We are underway in the first half in Russia! Zenit will be hoping to close the group out in style, but they might be more concerned about any possible suspensions or injuries they could pick up tonight.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of one of the Europa League's earlier kick-offs, as Maccabi Tel-Aviv make the journey to face Zenit in Russia. This season is the first time that the hosts have encountered an Israeli team in competitive football, save for when these two met in September. Back then, the Russian outfit triumphed in a 4-3 thriller, with Kokorin, Mauricio, Giuliano and Djordjevic grabbing the all-important goals.
Zenit are already safely into the next round of the Europa League as Group D winners, but Maccabi are still battling to remain in continental competition. Dundalk are set to come up against the Israeli giants next time out, but picking up some points tonight will be high on Shota Arveladze's agenda.
TEAM NEWS: Zenit have named a strong side, despite their situation in the group, with Luka Djordjevic given a start in midfield. Robert Mak is deployed out wide, with Javi Garcia and Axel Witsel anchoring. Yury Zhirkov getting an opportunity too. Mauricio and Artyom Dzyuba take seats on the bench.
Zenit substitutes: M. Kerzhakov, Anyukov, Lombaerts, Mauricio, A. Kerzhakov, Yusupov, Dzyuba.
Maccabi starting line-up: Rajkovic, Dasa, Tibi, Filipenko, Ben Harush, Scarione, Golasa, Medunjanin, Igiebor, Ben Basat, Ben Chaim.
Maccabi substitutes: Daniel, Alberman, Jehezkel, Kjartansson, Tal Ben Haim, Peretz, Benayon.
TEAM NEWS: Haris Medunjanin scored in the reverse fixture and starts in midfield today, with Eden Ben Basat being the main threat up top. Eyal Golasa is another promising name on the Maccabi team sheet, with Predrag Rajkovic believed to have the potential to go onto great things in goal. Tal Ben Haim and Yossi Benayoun are among the substitutes.
HALF-TIME! Zenit make their chances count in the dying minutes, with Kokorin netting a goal very late on in the first half. Maccabi have had their fair share of possession and half chances, but the hosts' first big opportunity of the match was taken with both hands. There's still time for a come-back, however!
FULL-TIME! Zenit close out a 2-0 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv to extend their great Europa League form, making it five from five in Group D. The visitors, meanwhile, now have to beat Dundalk next time out if they are to progress into the knock-out stages. Goals from Kokorin and A. Kerzhakov wrapped up a good three points for the home team. That's all that we have time for, we hope to see you again next time.
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