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Friday, 21 August 2009 00:27 |
Nacional hold on for slim win
Nacional 4-3 Zenit St. Petersburg
 It was not the result that many were expecting, but Nacional manged to get four goals past 2008 Uefa Cup winners Zenit St. Petersburg. Goals by Luis Alberto, Joao Aurelio, Rodrigo Silva and Ruben Micael would usually be enough, but the experienced Russian side stormed back with goals of their own by Semshov (2) and Tekke.
The good thing about the result is that the Madeira club are still in control of the tie, even if only just. The Alvinegros will have to tighten up tremendously in defence when they head to Petrovsky Stadium next week as Zenit will surely throw everything they have to overturn the result.
The match started openly as both teams were looking to score early to dampen the spirits of the other. But the festivities did not get underway until the 30th minute when Nacional drew first blood when Luis Alberto headed a Ruben Micael cross past Russian goalkeeper Malafeev.
One goal quickly became two, in the same fashion as the first goal, as Wellington’s cross was met by Joao Aurelio to give the Madeira side a shock two-goal lead. Zenit managed to catch their breath just before the half came to an end as Semshov reduced the Russians’ deficit when the forward beat Bracalli low and to the far corner.
Goal crazy
The second half picked up where the opening frame ended as Nacional regained their two goal advantage in the 53rd minute when another header, this time by Rodrigo Silva from a Patacas cross. The visitors showed grit and came right back two minutes later when Semshov nabbed his second maker on the night when the forward had no problem turning in a Hubocan cross.
The scoring was not done yet as Ruben Micael scored a wonderful goal in the 73rd minute when the Portuguese forward sent a screamer past Malafeev to give Zenit all they could handle. But as they had done all night long, Zenit snatched back an important goal. Right at the death second-half substitute Tekke headed in a Fernando Meira cross to put the Sky Blues in a better position when they return to Russia next week.
Nacional:
Bracalli, Patacas, Felipe Lopes, Wellington (Tomasevic, 83), Salino, Cleber, Luis Alberto, Ruben Micael, Pecnik (Nuno Pinto, 54), Joao Aurelio, Rodrigo Silva (Abdou, 87)
Yellow Cards: Joao Aurelio, Patacas, Luis Alberto
Zenit St. Petersburg:
Malafeev, Anyukov, Lombaerts, Meira, Hubocan, Shirokov, Denisov (Ignatovich, 77), Zyrianov, Senshov, Huszti (Rosina, 58), Kornilenko (Tekke, 68)
Yellow Cards: Anyukov, Shirokov, Meira
Goals:
[1-0] Luis Alberto, 30
[2-0] Joao Aurelio, 36
[2-1] Semshov, 43
[3-1] Rodrigo Silva, 53
[3-2] Semshov, 55
[4-2] Ruben Micael, 73
[4-3] Tekke, 93
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