Borisov’s worthy performance in St. Petersburg: Zenit 1-1 BATE (Photo)

BATE Borisov held Russian Zenit, last season's UEFA Cup winners, to a draw in the Champions League. The game ended with a score 1-1. The match was serious, lead by the Belarusians in general. BATE’s supporters were rooting for their team under national white-red-white flags.

Belarusians were as good as Russians in the first half. Every Zenit’s attck was met by acute counter-attacks of BATE. There were dangerous moments to the nets of the both teams, the ball hit the post several times. BATE’s back Anri Khagush failed to score a goal being in a suitable position.

After the break, St. Petersburg’s football players, supported by more than 20,000 fans, launched a mass attack. However, Viktar Hancharenka’s team wasn’t going to surrender. Substitute Nekhaychik ended a counter-attack with a goal to the hosts. Zenit started to recover the losses, and 10 minutes before the final Turk Fatih Tekke scored an equalizer 1-1.

BATE is third with two points in the Group H, while St. Petersburg’s team took the first point in the Champion League. Juventus Turin beat Real Madrid in another game in the Group H.

Starting lineups:

BATE: Veremko; Khagush, Rzhevski, Sosnovski, Yurevich, Likhtarovich, Volodko, Kryvets, Bliznyuk, Stasevich, Rodionov.

Substitutes: Hutor, Mirchev, Skavysh, Nekhaichik, Sevakov, Pekha, Kazantsev, Rzhevski, Yurevich.

Zenit: Malafeev, Kryzanac , Sirl, Shirokov, Anyukov, Zyrianov, Denisov, Tymoschuk, Danny, Arshavin, Tekke. Substitutes: Čontofalský, Jin, Fayzulin, Pogrebnyak, Puygrenier, Dominguez.

Nekhaichik substituted Stasevich in the beginning of the second half.

Portuguese referees, headed by Pedro Proença, were appointed for the match.

Photo Sports.ru, Reuters