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Zenit 1-2 Real Madrid
Zenit 1-2 Real Madrid
Real Madrid hung onto a slender lead.
A goal from Rud Van Nistelrooy was enough to take this important away victory for Real Madrid. Other goal came from an own goal ealier which gave Real Madrid the lead early in the first half. Zenit did strike back but so did Real Madrid.
Real Madrid played a very very professional match. By professional match, I mean very very reserved and sticking to a game plan rather than going for entertainment.
Real Madrid just did what was required to win. Though Zenit had their chances, they came close to scoring the equaliser in the second half on many occasions and could have easily gone away with a win tonight. But luck was on Real Madrid’s side this time.
I think Robben needs to improve his shooting
Second half was a bit tougher than the first half as Real Madrid couldn’t really dictate the play because they did not have enough ball posession. Robben looked disappointing in the second half in the attacking area. There were situation where Robben should had passed the ball to another teammate but instead he tried to go for glory and wasted many good opportunities.
Diarra did his job pretty well and forced Zenit to play from wide positions but not giving them any space or comfort in the midfield.
Sergio Ramos and Schuster predicted before the game that it was going to be a tuff game and Real Madrid would need to play their best and I think Real Madrid did’nt play their best but guess what, we won and that is all that counts.
I think if instead of Zenit, Manchester United were giving the easy chances Real Madrid gave, then it could have been 4-1 for Manchester United. Real Madrid did not defend well at all. Real Madrid was very suspectible on air balls and crosses which they are always but I think if Real Madrid do not do something about their defending quickly then I don’t think we’ll progress too far.
Real Madrid lost to Roma in last year’s knockout stages only because we could not defend well against air balls. Anyway, we won this game and these are very important 3 points. It should be enough for Real Madrid to get through the next round provided that a disaster doesn’t happen in the future group games for Real Madrid.
It was end to end stuff with Zenit getting to Real Madrid’s box plenty of times to get that equaliser in the second half but just could not convert.
Anyway, I think I have skipped a lot. So lets talk about the first half then we’ll move to the second half.
Zenit began positively infront of an electric and thunderous crowd at the Petrovsky Stadium. But Real Madrid were able to quickly wrestle control and after just two minutes, they conjured up their first attempt at goal.
Van Nistelrooy casually dinked in a cross to Higuaín who, completely unmarked, thumped a bullet header goalwards and Malafeev was forced to make a superb reflex save to parry the ball over.
The Russians failed to clear the resulting corner Real Madrid worked their way into the lead. Van der Vaart slid in a harmless looking low cross from the right and Hubocan, under pressure from a crowd of advancing black shirts behind him, smashed the ball into his own net.
Three minutes later, the Zenit’s backline was exposed again when Robben slipped in van Nistelrooy but the striker slipped just as he pulled trigger on the edge of the box and ballooned the shot well over.
Zenit side looked utterly overwhelmed as they struggled to find their normal rhythm and range and it took Dick Advocaat’s men until the 20th minute before finally settled into the game and created their first real threat.
Danny streaked down the left wing and his deflected low cross found Pogrebnyak but Casillas dashed off his line quick enough to smother the ball, although he received a knock to his knee for his troubles. Moment later, Arshavin thumped in a half volley just outside the box but his effort lacked any real power or direction to trouble the Real Madrid goalkeeper.
But Zenit’s attacking persistence and patience paid off when they levelled proceedings on 24 minutes. Arshavin floated in a cross from the left and Danny lunged forward at the far post to beat a sloppy Heinze to the ball and knocked it in past a stunned Casillas.
See what I mean when I say Real Madrid really need to work on crosses and air balls. It’s just too easy at the moment and good sides will kill Real Madrid if Real Madrid don’t improve in this department.
Straight from the restart, Madrid charged forward and van der Vaart tested Malafeev with a stinging shot from 20 yards out but the goalie did well to fist it well clear.
Van Nistelrooy. He has got some finish on his boot.
Real Madrid were back infront right on the half hour mark. Van der Vaart’s initial shot ricochet off Puygrenier and van Nistelrooy latched on to the loose ball to finish off clinically with a left-footed shot across the face of Malafeev.
That’s what we know of Van Nistelrooy. He might not be the greatest striker in the world today, but he is certainly the greatest poucher of the ball.
Five minutes later, Higuaín had a glorious chance to make it three when van der Vaart put him through with a cheeky backheel but Higuain drilled his effort just over the bar.
The half ended strongly with chances at both ends. Danny first had a penalty claim waved away when he was shoulder charged off the ball by Diarrà, before Denisov caused some panic in the Real Madrid goal when his cross-cum-shot was clumsily fumbled out by Casillas.
From the ensuing corner, Hubocan’s header pinballed off a crowd of players before dropping kindly into the gloves of Casillas the shot-stopper. From that, Real Madrid launched a rapid counter attack when Robben powered down the right flank and whipped in a low ball across the face of goal but it carried too much pace as it flew past just infront of Higuaín.
In the second half Zenit again started with zest and Arshavin caused some mayhem in the Real Madrid goal early on when his cross was untidily cleared but got their reprieve when Hubocan handled the ball amid the scramble.
But just like the first period, Real Madrid almost stunned their hosts through their first attack of the half. Higuaín threaded in a through pass to Robben but the Dutchman’s poor first touch let him down as he allowed the ball to run ahead of him and Malafeev rushed out to collect.
Robben then tried to make amends for that on 55 minutes when he pummelled in a fierce drive from 25 yards out but his swerving effort did not have enough dip to creep in under the bar.
Real Madrid continued to press forward relentlessly as the Zenit were pinned back in their own half. But once the game passed the hour mark, Real Madrid retreated in an attempt to protect their lead. Which is what I call professional as normally Real Madrid just attack and attack, no matter what the score line.
Zenit sensed their chance and poured forward in numbers and Casillas had to pull off a crucial double save in quick succession, first to deny Arshavin’s curling cross that somehow trickled all the way to the far post, before he turned around Sirl’s powerful low drive with his fingertips.
Higuain can definitely improve his shooting.
Robben then forced Malafeev to a near identical save at the other end, before Higuaín spurned another scoring opportunity. He had done well to flick the ball over the shoulder of Pugrenier to release himself towards goal but his attempted chip was blocked by the on-rushing Malafeev or should I say his leg. Higuain has shown some pace in the previous games, he needed it here, he had enough of it but just lacked that final finish, if it was Ronaldo(Brazillian) there, I think he could have easily scored with a chip shot over the keeper.
Zenit then had a triple chance to draw level inside the space of three minutes in the final quarter of the game. First, Danny’s cutback on the byline found Domínguez but his close range effort was blocked by the legs of Casillas. Zyryanov then saw his header just shaved the bar, before Arshavin’s low drive inside the box cannoned off the foot of the post, I have to say Arshavin has some quick feet, I mean, he was inside the box and still was able to control the ball, take a touch on the ball and then not smash, but gently place the ball into the lower corner of the far post, luckily for Real Madrid it hit the post.
Real Madrid had every man behind the ball in the final ten minutes of the contest as Zenit peppered the Real Madrid goal with crosses, shots and threw the kitchen sink at Real Madrid but Real Madrid just went into the bathroom and took out the tub, if you know what I mean.
Pepe’s performance was satisfactory, but defence is about team play not about individual’s play
Zenit’s last and final chance came a minute into injury time. Arshavin went past two defenders down the left flank to tee up Danny but the Portuguese’s first time shot whistled over the bar via a slight deflection off Pepe’s back.
Real Madrid held on desperately for their first away victory in Champions League football in almost two years (strange is’nt it) and for the first time in five seasons, they managed to win both their opening two games of the competition.
LINE-UPS
Zenit St. Petersburg (4-3-3): Malafeev – Anyukov, Puygrenier, Hubocan (Domínguez 72′), Sirl – Zyryanov, Tymoshchuk, Denisov – Danny, Pogrebnyak (Tekke 72′), Arshavin
Unused subs: Contofalsky, Shirokov, Fayzulin, Ricksen, Dong Jin
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze – Diarrà, De La Red – Van der Vaart (Javi García 62′), Higuaín (Saviola 87′), Robben (Drenthe 61′) – Van Nistelrooy
Unused subs: Dudek, Raúl, Marcelo, Torres
ZENIT ST. PETERSBURG 1-2 REAL MADRID
0-1: Real Madrid (Hubocan 3′ o.g)
1-1: Zenit St. Petersburg (Danny 24′)
1-2: Real Madrid (Van Nistelrooy 30′)
BOOKINGS
Zenit St. Petersburg: Arshavin (25′), Tymoshchuk (32′), Hubocan (46′)
Real Madrid: Van Nistelrooy (47′)
MATCH STATS
Possession: Zenit St. Petersburg 57% – Real Madrid 43%
Shots (On Target): Zenit St. Petersburg 18 (5) – Real Madrid 17 (5)
Corner Kicks: Zenit St. Petersburg 14 – Real Madrid 7
Fouls Committed: Zenit St. Petersburg 14 – Real Madrid 10
