Zenit st Petersburg proved far too strong for AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night with the Russian side running out 5-0 winners.
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John van den Brom’s side, who were looking to bounce back after the first group game draw at home to Dundalk, actually started brighter than the hosts and had the ball in the back off the net early on, but Derrick Luckassen’s effort was ruled out for offside.
As the first half wore on Zenit took control and after 26 minutes, Lewis Garcia lost the ball and from the resulting cross Aleksandr Kokorin fired past Sergio Rochet for the opening goal. AZ should have equalised straight away but after racing through on goal Dabney Dos Santos fired wide.
Three minutes into the second half Zenit doubled their lead through Giuliano, who finished on the rebound after Dzuyba shot was saved by Rochet, and the Brazilian then set up Kokorin for his second before the hour mark. Stijn Wuytens then conceded a penalty which Criscito scored and the rout was completed ten minutes from time with Oleg Shatov scoring with a drive past Rochet.
AZ now sit bottom of their group with Dundalk beating Maccabi Haifa 1-o in the other game.
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