Zenit share points with BATE

Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg recorded a 1-1 draw with Belarus side BATE Borisov in their Champions League Group H match here on Tuesday.

Turkish striker Fatih Tekke saved the day for Zenit after BATE substitute midfielder Pavel Nekhaychik had put his side into the lead.

St Petersburg, who were in a must-win position to keep alive their chances of advancing into the knockout stages, started in lively fashion and created a host of chances, hitting the woodwork on several occasions.

BATE defended in numbers, replying with rare but dangerous counter-attacks, and managed to keep their sheet clean in the first half.

After the interval, Zenit, spurred on by a capacity 22,000 home crowd, moved up a gear and continued testing the visitors' defence but it was BATE who broke the stalemate in the 52nd minute.

BATE striker Gennady Bliznyuk found Nekhaychik with a razor-sharp pass to the edge of the box and the substitute, who was surrounded by three Zenit defenders, managed to send the ball into the net.

Zenit replied positively and were peppering BATE keeper Sergei Veremko with shots but he was in complete command of his area.

Veremko was unable to prevent an equaliser by Tekke however. Tekke, running on to a long ball fired into the box, rifled a spectacular left-footed volley into the roof of the net with 10 minutes remaining having beaten the offside trap.