Europa League

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Europa League | Round-of-16

Mar 14, 2013 at 5pm UK

Zenit Zenit St Petersburg
1-0
Basel

Witsel

Match Report

Football

10-man Basel sneak past Zenit St Petersburg

By Robert Summerscales, Reporter | 14 March 2013

10-man Basel become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of this season's Europa League, as a 1-0 defeat away to Zenit St Petersburg sees the Swiss champions progress 2-1 on aggregate.

Basel have become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of this season's Europa League.

The Swiss champions lost 1-0 at Zenit St Petersburg's Petrovski Stadium, where they had to play the entire second half with 10-men.

However, Murat Yakin's men progressed to the last eight courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Zenit broke the deadlock on the night after 30 minutes, when Nicolas Lombaerts nodded Hulk's inswinging corner into the path of Axel Witsel, who headed home from six yards.

Marcelo Diaz was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time following a foul on Bruno Alves, which saw the Basel midfielder pick up his second yellow card.

Buoyed by their numerical advantage, Zenit piled forward after the break and the Russian outfit had a golden chance to level the tie four minutes from time.

Park Joo-ho brought down Vladimir Bystrov in the penalty area, but Roman Shirokov's spot kick was blocked by the feet of Yann Sommer.