European Champions League

Zenit St. Petersburg 1 - Real Madrid 2

Zenit: Malafeev; Anyukov, Puygrenier, Hubocan (Domínguez 73'), Sirl; Zyrianov, Tymoschuk, Denisov; Danny, Pogrebnyak (Tekke 73'), Arshavin. 4-3-3.
Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze; Van der Vaart (Javi García 63'), Diarrá, De la Red; Higuaín (Saviola 88'), Van Nistelrooy, Robben (Drenthe 82'). 4-3-3.

Goals:
0-1. 04. Hubocan (own goal). Sliced ball past Malafeev from Van der Vaart's cross.
1-1. 25. Danny. Got ahead of Heinze to turn Arshavin cross wide of Casillas.
1-2. 31. Van Nistelrooy. Latched on to loose ball and clipped shot past keeper.

Real Madrid top their group after a 1-2 win against Zenit in Saint Petersburg. Bernd Schuster's side started well, Malafeev tipping a header from Higuaín over the bar before Hubocan turned Van der Vaart's cross in to his own net under pressure from Van Nistelrooy in only the third minute. But after that the home side came back, Pogrebnyak and Arshevin both testing Casillas before Danny got ahead of Heinze to poke Arshavin's cross past the keeper to equalise.

Six minutes later however Madrid were back in front, Van der Vaart's shot being blocked by a defender but falling kindly to Van Nistelrooy, who clipped a shot back across the keeper. Higuaín could have increased the lead, but Casillas had to be on his toes to turn an effort from Denisov round the post, and then react quickly to a deflection off his own defender from the resulting corner.

De la Red and Robben both tried their luck with long range shots after the restart, but otherwise the Russian side monopolized the play, and only some frantic defending prevented them from levelling the scores once again. Casillas saved from Sirl, Tekke and others, Zyrianov and Danny missed easy chances, and Arshavin fired a shot against the post. But Real held on for their first Champions League away win in two years, and with six points ot their name they are already on their way to the next round.