That's it! The referee blows his final whistle and it has come to an end at the Estadio da Luz.
90'
Two minutes of added time, signaled by the fourth official...
88'
FANTASTIC TACKLE! Enzo Perez makes a long, lovely run into the area and looks to be through on goal. Anyukov rushes over from his right-back position and makes a splendid tackle to sniff out the chance. It had to be perfect as to not concede a penalty, and it was.
86'
Benfica on their last legs now. Zenit milking the final few minutes off the clock effectively. There is just no way back into this one, although you can be sure Jorge Jesus would like a consolation marker to help with goal differential, after they lost on on advancing out of the group last season as a result of that.
85'
A. Arshavin enters the game and replaces Hulk.
84'
Zenit attempt to slow the pace down as we approach the 90th minute, and they do so successfully, string a number of passes together at the back. Benfica really chasing the game now, to no avail.
82'
STAT ATTACK: Benfica have posted a 13-8-11 record in the Champions League since Jorge Jesus took over at the start of the 2009 season. Of that, 10 of the wins were in Lisbon compared to just three losses and three draws.
80'
SO CLOSE TO AN OPENER! Salvio and the substitute Derley link up. The latter scuffs his shot, but it nearly runs straight into the midfielders path. He cannot get on the end of it, and the chance goes begging.
78'
Salvio sends Pereira into space along the right, and then the midfielder makes a nice run into the box, but the right-back's return pass is poor as it runs behind for a goal kick.
76'
P. Mogilevets enters the game and replaces S. Rondón.
Luisao, uncharacteristically playing like a forward here, finds himself on the end of a lose ball in the area. He hits it first time, but it is a true defender's shot, as Lodygin collects easily.
Minute
Description
74'
André Almeida enters the game and replaces A. Samaris.
Derley enters the game and replaces Lima.
Lima's day is done as the striker makes way for Derley, while Samaris, who has been astoundingly quiet, is off in place of Andre Almeida.
72'
CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS! Rondon is slipped through on goal, but slides his shot just wide of the far post past an onrushing Lopes. Benfica push forward Gaitan has a shot that Lodygin saves, before just collecting the rebound ahead of Lima.
70'
Chaos in the box! Benfica push forward again and Salvio works a nice back-heel pass to Maxi Pereira. The defender takes a heavy touch but slides to keep it alive. He tees up Eliseu, but his shot is blocked by Lombaerts and cleared.
68'
Fantastic shot from Hulk! The Brazilian is never afraid to have a go with his left foot. He tries a shot from distance, forcing a smart save from Lopes who tips over the bar.
66'
CLEARED OFF THE LINE! Lima plays himself in on goal thanks to a favorable deflection, and appears to have Lodygin beaten from a tight angle. The keeper gets the faintest of touches as the balls squeezes between his legs, but Lombaerts scurries back to clear!
65'
Javi García gets yellow.
64'
Javi Garcia earns himself a yellow, a cheeky one at that as he accidentally becomes entangled with Gaitan in midfield. Nothing in that, and one would have to hope that does not come back to haunt him later in the tournament.
62'
OFF THE POST! Hulk gets in behind an absent Pereira, and tries to beat Lopes from a tight angle. The keeper gets a slight touch to direct it onto the post, and Rondon just cannot get to the rebound allowing Jardel to clear.
60'
M. Pereira gets yellow.
Maxi Pereira is shown a yellow card after a cynical challenge on Criscito. Frustration clearly growing for the Uruguayan, who then comes face to face with Danny.
58'
INCREDIBLE SAVE! WOW! Benfica win a free kick just to the right of the area as Lima gets in behind Garay to force a foul. It's whipped in with real pace, and met by Luisao who looks to have a clear goal. Lodygin reacts incredible well and soars through the air like Superman to make a fingertip save. Not sure how he got across so quickly!
56'
STAT ATTACK: Zenit have won 10 consecutive matches in all competitions, scoring an average of 2.8 goals per game during that span.
54'
Corner to the visitors after a well worked move. Shatov broke into the area, but without much support, he settles for the corner. The delivery is strong from Danny, but Lombaerts misjudges the ball and heads it in the wrong direction.
52'
APPEALS FOR A PENALTY NOT GIVEN! Benfica up in arms as Criscito appeared to take down Salvio just inside the area. The referee was in great position, but decided there was not enough in it to award the spot kick.
50'
Much better from the hosts. Lima and Salvio work a one-two atop the area, but a slight deflection allows the return pass to run just a bit too far for the midfielder, and Lodygin is able to collect.
48'
Eliseu gets forward with a nice run, but a poor ball gives Zenit possession straight away, perhaps a microcosm of the defender's day as a whole. Benfica will show much more urgency to find a goal, but at the moment a breakthrough appears hard to come by.
46'
A. Anyukov enters the game and replaces I. Smolnikov.
Benfica get this second half underway. No changes from the home side, while Zenit bring on veteran defender Alexander Anyukov in place of Smolinikov who picked up a knock just before the break.
45' +2
Another delay now as Smolinikov is down after coming together with Lima in the box. Shouts for a penalty from the home team is shrugged aside by the referee, which brings us to half time.
45'
Two minutes to be added on, and frankly one has to wonder if that is enough. There was a lengthy delay with the red card and substitution.
44'
Frustration continuing to grow for Benfica. Maxi Pereira the latest to commit a foul as he gets his elbow up on Danny. Zenit work a short free kick and Hulk is sent in with support, but a lovely recovery from Perez breaks up the attack as he slides in from behind to dispossess the Brazilian.
42'
Eliseu tries to atone for his earlier miscues, making a determined run into the area. He's blocked off well by Smolinikov, but tries to run down the ball still, and is blown for a foul after pushing the defender into Lodygin who had come out to collect.
40'
Finally a nicely worked move from the hosts as Pereira makes a run down the right and is picked out well by Perez. He tries to get a cross in, with men waiting in the middle, but is forced to settle for a corner after some nice defending by Criscito.
38'
Benfica trying everything to get back into the game, and they do keep possession well here. However, there is no way through for them at the moment. Creativity has been lacking, with the midfielders simply unable to pick out a good ball. Much has to be said about the defending of Zenit as well.
36'
So careless from Eliseu. Shatov beats Luisao along the left and sends a low cross into the area. Lopes gets a slight touch of the ball, directing it to the left-back, who has all the time in the world to make a clearance. Instead, he panics and puts the ball behind for a corner.
34'
Again at the thick of things for Zenit is their charismatic Brazilian winger. Hulk takes a pass from Danny and cuts inside onto his left. He spots the keeper cheating a bit towards his right, and nearly catches him at the near post, with his shot creeping inches wide.
32'
STAT ATTACK: Benfica has never lost a match in Lisbon to Russian opposition (W4, D2). They conceded just one goal in those six matches.
30'
VITAL BLOCK FROM LUISAO! Zenit break on a lightning quick counter attack. Shatov finds Hulk waiting at the top of the box for a pass. The Brazilian has all the time in the world, as he squares himself to goal and lets fly. Luisao, like a bat out of a cage, charges across and heroically flings his body in front of the shot to prevent what very well could have been a third and decisive goal.
28'
Cormer kick now for the hosts as a dangerous looking cross is put behind by Lombaerts. The ensuing cross is delivered into a good area, but the commanding Witsel is there to clear, setting up yet another chance from a corner. Finally Zenit deal with it, relieving the pressure on their goal.
26'
Well, quite the eventful opening 25 minutes at the Estadio da Luz. The hosts were completely undone by their incompetency at the back, but they are showing signs of fighting for a way back into this game. They are down a man in attack with the substitution, but a nice spell of possession in the attacking third has the home fans back into the game.
24'
Benfica showing some urgency now. They quickly get into attack and win a corner as Javi Garcia pushes a cross behind. The delivery is poor, however, as Zenit clear with ease and start the visitors back the other way.
22'
A. Witsel has scored a goal for Zenit! Assist by Danny.
ZENIT DOUBLE THEIR LEAD!
Hulk's free kick is driven in low and hard. It takes a slight deflection and goes behind for a corner. Witsel meets the cross and heads towards goal. Lopes rushes across to make the save, but not before the ball just crosses the line as is confirmed by the replay. Zenit take a massive 2-0 lead and with the man advantage, there may be no way back for Benfica.
20'
Paulo Lopes enters the game and replaces Talisca.
Substitute keeper Paolo Lopes comes on to replace him, which ends the day of Talisca up top. All this and Benfica still have a Hulk free kick to deal with from just outside the area!
18'
Artur Moraes goes off after a red card!
BAD TO WORSE FOR BENFICA AS ARTUR IS SENT OFF!
Absolute chaos at the back for the hosts. The central defenders are caught sleeping once again, and Danny is played through on goal. Artur charges out of his area, but the midfielder is able to nudge the ball past him, forcing the keeper into a rash challenge that ends his day and puts Benfica into a big hole.
16'
Hulk is causing all sorts of problems for Benfinca when he gets to running on the right. Gaitan has provided little help to Eliseu, which has to chance soon or the hosts will continue to struggle in defence.
14'
STAT ATTACK: The two teams met in the Champions League round of 16 in 2012, with each team winning their respective home matches. Benfica advanced thanks to a 4-3 aggregate victory, propelled by their 2-0 win in Lisbon.
12'
Back and forth they go! Benfica start play back up and get forward straight away. Enzo Perez is played through, and gets a weak shot off, but it produces an unconvincing save from Lodygin who pushes it behind for a corner.
10'
EXCEPTIONAL EFFORT FROM HULK! The visitors win a free kick of their own, however, it is from about 45 yards out. That does nothing to deter the ambitions of the Brazilian, as he unleashes a left footed rocket that Artur just gets to at the far post. The rebound is attacked by Garay, but the he cannot get enough of it to beat the keeper.
8'
Luisao meets the free kick, but his header is off a defender and behind. The ensuing corner is again attacked well by the big central defender, but his effort is poor and rolls helplessly wide.
7'
Benfica are seriously lacking creativity when they get forward, sending hopeful balls into the box that Zenit are defending with ease. Hulk commits a foul, however, awarding the hosts a free kick from 40 yards out.
5'
Hulk has scored a goal for Zenit! Assist by O. Shatov.
AND HULK PUTS THE VISITORS IN FRONT!
The Brazilian does not take long to make his mark. Eliseu and Jardel completely lose track of Hulk, allowing Shatov to play him clean through on goal. The winger makes no mistake, opening up and curling a left footed shot in at the far post.
3'
GREAT CHANCE! Zenit push forward right at the start. Hulk finds space along the right, and cuts back onto his left foot. He sends a teasing ball into the box to pick out the run of Criscito, but the defender just fails to get a touch as it runs behind for a goal kick.
1'
The Norweigian referee blows his whistle and we are underway at the Estadio da Luz! The atmosphere is superb here in Lisbon, which should help add to the pagentry of the match.
Good evening, and a big welcome back to the Champions League group stage! The Estadio da Luz has a wonderful match in store for us tonight as Portuguese champions Benfica play host to Zenit in their Group C opener. I am Alex Moretto and I will be your in-game host, guiding you through the match LIVE as it happens!
Benfica crashed out at the group stage last season for a second year running. Jorge Jesus will be hoping for a much different fate this time around in a wide open Group C. The Portuguese champions did not lose a Champions League game in Lisbon last season, beating PSG and Anderlecht, while drawing with Olympiakos. It is their road form that needs improving, while they will be hoping to keep their impressive home record intact against the Russian runners-up this evening.
Zenit finished second in their group last season, despite picking up just six points from six matches, the lowest total for a team advancing to the round of 16 in Champions League history. Andre Villas-Boas in in town this time around to try and help the Zenitchiki improve on a meagre five goals scored in last season's group stage, the Russians' lowest total since their first season in the competition in 2008-09.
The teams have been announced, so let us have ourselves a look at the starting line-ups:
Jorge Jesus will line his team up in a basic 4-4-2, with Eduardo Salvio and Nico Gaitan in a more advanced role on the wings, acting almost as a 4-2-2-2 formation. The coach has made no changes to the team which won 5-0 away to Vitoria Steubal on Friday. Five members of the starting XI (Artur, Pereira, Luisao, Jardel and Gaitan) were also in the team the last time Benfica faced Zenit, back in March 2012.
The players are out and the lovely Champions League anthem echoes through the loudspeaker, as the group stage gets set to kick-off in just a few moments!
Andre Villas-Boas has also opted for a 4-4-2, however, he has employed more of a diamond in midfield. Javi Garcia will drop into a deeper role, while Danny will play behind the two strikers, Hulk and Salomon Rondon.
STAT ATTACK: Two players from Zenit's starting XI, Javi Garci and Axel Witsel, were members of Benfica, and were in the team when these two last faced in 2012.
HALF TIME: BENFICA 0-2 ZENIT. Exciting first half at the Estadio da Luz, as the visitors get out to a quick start thanks to some poor defending by the Eagles. Hulk and Danny at the centre of things for the Russians, factoring in on both goals, as well as the red card to the Benfica keeper. The two goal lead and one-man advantage could prove to be too much for the Portuguese outfit to overcome.
STAT ATTACK: The last time Benfica lost a competitive match at the Estadio da Luz was in October of 2012 against Barcelona in the group stage of the Champions League, 50 matches ago (W41, D9).
FULL TIME: BENFICA 0-2 ZENIT. The Russian side win just their fourth Champions League group stage away match in their history, getting out to a flying start here this evening. Goals from Hulk and Witsel, combined with an Artur red card, made it easy enough for them to see this match out and pick up a big three points in their Group C opener.
Next up for Zenit, they play host to Monaco, while Benfica travel to take on Bayer Leverkussen. I am Alex Moretto and I would like to thank you all for joining me here today. Good bye!
Commentary
More…