Team news

Benfica set for frosty reception Zenit St Petersburg striker Alexander Kerzhakov believes sub-zero temperatures in Russia will not play to his side's advantage in their Champions League last-16 clash against Benfica.

Thermometers are set to drop to minus 15 degrees centigrade at the Petrovsky Stadium on Wednesday night, with the freezing conditions likely to affect the visiting team more than the hosts.

Zenit booked their place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history with a goalless draw against Porto and will go in search of another Liga scalp in their tie against Benfica.

However, the Portuguese side will be tough opponents after they reached the last 16 by topping a group which contained Manchester United, who were knocked out of the competition thanks in part to the 2-2 draw at home to the Liga side.

Despite this, Kerzhakov remains confident that the Russian Premier League champions can get a result, with their only advantage in the testing conditions a packed stadium of home support.

"It's not very pleasant both for southern players and for northern players like us to play when it's below minus 10 outside," the striker told the club's official website, www.zenit.ru.

"Basically the weather conditions are the same for everybody. I wouldn't talk about that as being an advantage. The fact that we're playing at home, and that the stadium will be full - that's where our advantage lies.

"We've probably had to play in weather like this more often than our opponent has but I don't think that that's an advantage for us.

"We like warmth too and like to play in good football weather. This weather is not good for football.

"But I think our fans will come and fill the stadium, and that's probably the factor that will help us win the match in the end." Zenit's Portuguese attacking midfielder Danny will miss the clash after being ruled out for the rest of the campaign with ruptured knee cruciate ligaments, with 20-year-old Maksim Kanunnikov set to take his place.

But Kerzhakov, who has scored 16 goals in 22 league appearances this season, believes his side can overcome the loss of their key man and get a result ahead of the return leg on March 6.

"Such an event as the knockout stage of the Champions League is happening in our city for the first time," Kerzhakov said.

"We have to play both for ourselves and for all the fans who are writing this history together with us as this is just as important for them as it is for us.

"The fact that we have personnel problems right now, that's always hard. It's hard when first-team players can't participate.

Zenit St Petersburg vs Benfica

Last modified 19:22 15/02/12

Shirokov gives Benfica the shivers Zenit St Petersburg secured a narrow advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie against Benfica as Roman Shirokov's brace helped the hosts to a hard-fought 3-2 win at a frigid Stadion Petrovskiy.

With temperatures hovering around the minus-10 degrees centigrade mark, the encounter was a punishing one for both sets of players, but it was the Portuguese visitors who settled first as they took a 21st-minute lead through Maxi Pereira after an error by Zenit goalkeeper Yuri Zhevnov.

Zenit, however, were not about to roll over in their first ever appearance in the knockout stage of the Champions League, and pulled level in the 27th minute through Shirokov's well-executed volley before taking the lead after the break when Sergei Semak rounded off a brilliant team goal.

Benfica looked to have snatched a draw in the 87th minute when another Zhevnov howler allowed Oscar Cardozo to tap in from close range, but just two minutes later Benfica were caught dwelling at the back to allow Shirokov in for his fifth Champions League goal of the season.

The freezing conditions made for a slow opening to the match, but all that changed in the 21st minute when Benfica took the lead.

Bruno Cesar won a free-kick for his side on the edge of the area, and after Zhevnov failed to parry Cardozo's effort to safety Maxi Pereira had the simplest of tasks to tap the ball into the net.

The goal stung the hosts into life, and within a minute they were almost level when Alexander Kerzhakov saw his effort following a goalmouth scramble saved by the legs of Artur.

Benfica survived that scare but they were not so fortune after 27 minutes when a much-improved Zenit pulled level, Tomas Hubocan sending over an inviting cross from the left and Shirokov did superbly to guide in a first-time volley.

The tempo went out of the game after the goals went in, with the only other chance before the interval arriving in the 37th minute when Cardozo's low effort from 20 yards was gathered by Zhevnov.

The chances remained thin on the ground deep into the second half but all that changed in the 71st minute when Zenit hit the front with a goal of true quality.

A hopeful ball forward was kept alive brilliantly by Kerzhakov's flick from the byline to Vladimir Bystrov, whose volley helped the ball into the six-yard box where fellow substitute Semak arrived on cue to finish with a cool backheel on the turn.

Zenit's Portuguese defender Bruno Alves then saw a free-kick hit the wall and sail just over as the hosts - who have never lost to a side from Portugal at home - sought to put themselves even more comfortably in the driving seat.

After 79 minutes Kerzhakov was presented with the chance to centre the ball for a team-mate when he was left alone on the right of the six-yard box, but instead he shot wastefully into the side-netting.

With time running out Benfica looked to have snatched a draw when Zhevnov was again found wanting between the sticks, this time failing to hold Nicolas Gaitan's weak effort and Cardoza hungrily lapped up the rebound.