Zenit St Petersburg 3 Benfica 2: ROMAN Shirokov struck twice to power Zenit St Petersburg to a 3-2 win over Benfica in freezing conditions in their Champions League last-16 first-leg match yesterday.

The midfielder equalised for the Russian champions in the 27th minute with a low volley into the far corner shortly after Maxi Pereira had put the visitors ahead following a free kick, and he grabbed the winner two minutes from time.

Substitute Sergei Semak fired the home side in front again midway through the second half with a neat backheel before Oscar Cordoso levelled at 2-2, setting the stage for Shirokov’s late strike.

With temperatures falling well below freezing, both teams struggled to adopt to difficult conditions as well as the hard pitch.