Sardar Azmoun @ Zenit St Petersburg | 2019

[inarsenewetrust]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe head-to-head is the tiebreaker. Thus, if Zenit beats Benfica, and Lyon beats RBL, both RBL and Zenit will have 10 points, but RBL will have the tiebreaker since they beat Zenit twice.

Nonetheless, this is a good result for Zenit. Zenit can even advance with a draw if Lyon doesn't beat RBL.

but then also Zenit would have tie break on Lyon?

[inarsenewetrust]

“Zenith” in a meeting with “Lyon” had no choice but to play to win. A draw almost certainly deprived the Russian champion of hopes of reaching the Champions League playoffs, defeat for sure. At the same time, there were fears that Sergei Semak’s team would need at least two goals, because before that, blue-white-blue missed in all the matches of the group stage, and the French scored in all. Semak himself explained the statistics in this way: “What we skip indicates the level of our rivals. This is an occasion to reflect on what level we are now. ”

The game showed that the level of “Zenith” is actually high enough to fight for the Champions League playoffs. Russian champions scored twice and did not miss for the first time. Now in the last round blue-white-blue it will be enough to play in Lisbon no worse than Lyon at home with RB Leipzig.

Подробнее на «Чемпионате»:
https://www.championat.com/football/...urce=copypaste

seems that indeed with this result all zenit need to do is equal lyon's result and they are through.

In retrospect, if you look at other results across CL, what mattered the most was getting the victory. In that respect although zenit were poor in midfield and couldnt keep possession or create many chances, they maintained their defensive shape and limited lyon to crosses which ivanovic and rakitskiyy deal with almost every time. 3 times kerzhakov was forced into a major action, one was a bad fuck up by ozdoev and the other two were intercepting near 1v1's but that is it.

While azmoun was Zenits best performer vs Lyon, Benfica, Leipzig away AND leipzig at home in the first 4 matches of the group (if you go back and watch these matches this is the case, although case can be made for dzyuba in the benfica game) today was not his best game mainly due to a second half display where he just didnt find the ball in offensive areas at all frequently, which again had more to do with the service than him. Dzyuba had a similar static display like sardar, but his performance will be judged by the strength he showed in that play to hold off lyon defender and head home the winner. Sardar was actually very active in first half and unlucky not to score. So overall again, out of 5 matches he was arguably his teams best player for 4 of those...Some out of form crappy striker that only shows up vs small russian teams LOL.

Now zenit will play Spartak on Sunday, probably reason azmoun was given a breather. A win and they would really cement lead at top of the table.

[maziar]

with this result Benfica will be mathematically unable to qualify for even Europa League as third place team. This means zenit are playing a team with nothing to play for on final match day. Hopefully they get the win. IF they manage to do that there is even the possibility they advance as 1st place team if lyon beat leipzig.

I think you are wrong. If Lyon wins, it is over for Zenit. Let's say Zenit and Lyon wins. All three teams will have 10 points each. Zenit will finish 3rd, because they collected the least amount of points in the games among the 3 teams that have same amount of points. Zenit 4 pts, Leipzig 6 pts, Lyon 7 pts. If Lyon loses, Zenit will qualify no matter what. I hope Leipzig will go for the 1st place but I am not so optimistic. They guaranteed to go to the next round. I doubt that they will try hard.

Honestly, it is very difficult for Zenit to go to the next level at this point. Benfica still has a chance to go to Europa League and it will be a tough game.

[inarsenewetrust]

I think you are wrong. If Lyon wins, it is over for Zenit. Let's say Zenit and Lyon wins. All three teams will have 10 points each. Zenit will finish 3rd, because they collected the least amount of points in the games among the 3 teams that have same amount of points. Zenit 4 pts, Leipzig 6 pts, Lyon 7 pts. If Lyon loses, Zenit will qualify no matter what. I hope Leipzig will go for the 1st place but I am not so optimistic. They guaranteed to go to the next round. I doubt that they will try hard.

Honestly, it is very difficult for Zenit to go to the next level at this point. Benfica still has a chance to go to Europa League and it will be a tough game.

will be difficult for benfica to get to EL even with a win over zenit. They are currently on -4 goal difference, zenit are on plus 1. They would need to beat zenit 5-0 to get to EL lol.

Leipzig will be highly motivated to finish first place I think, the chances of playing a really strong opposition is much smaller if you finish first. While lyon will be desparate to win, if you have seen lyon in this group, vs zenit esp, they have been very very poor. They are doing terrible in the league as well, 9th place, and even had to fire their coach. Besides depay and aouar they really lack any notable players. Their win against leipzig in germany was possibly the most flukey of this entire group stage with leipzig bizarrely gifting them two passes right in front of their goal.

I think actually it is opposite to what you say. Zenit is most likely to advance, given benfica really cannot advance even to europa league bar a miracle, and given the fact leipzig should at least draw lyon. Regardless as you say, it will be a difficult match, and zenit need to win to give themselves most certainty of advancing.

[ehsan singapore]

zenith is in poll position to qualify, a win and they are through

[Iranian-Fan]

Zenit will qualify only when they win and lyon draw or loses against Leipzig because in the head to head statistics Leipzig has now 6 points against Zenit and Lyon, Lyon has 4 points (if they win they can get 7 points) and zenit also has 4 points but they will only plays against Benfica.

[pajamNL]

i am criticizing him for a while now. i am not living in the past remembering his goals vs bayern munich or some other goals. he is no factor in the game....i jused wished Wilmots do not play him in the last two matches, and we lost also because of him vs. bahrain and iraq...he was no factor vs. Leipzig and he have not a good from since then..

Azmoun is way overrated...playing with him is playing with 10 men. and playing with shojaei and azmoun is playing with 9 men. Our loses are also because of this two players.

Wow Saeed jaan, you can't be serious?

[Kiarash]

Sardar Azmoun @ Zenit St Petersburg | 2019

Azmoun is simply our best player and without him, TM is hopeless up front. Not to say he’s our only player that is doing regularly and consistently well in a decent EU league (no joke leagues like Greece, Netherlands).

But I do agree that he didn’t do well lately in terms of scoring goals (Bahrain, Iraq). I expected more from him there.

[diz]

Zenit dressing room celebration after the Lyon match. It gets rowdy and Sardar takes it a bit too far with the speaker. The coach has to tell him too calm down. Hilarious!

https://mobile.twitter.com/btsportfo...19535584579584

[maziar]

will be difficult for benfica to get to EL even with a win over zenit. They are currently on -4 goal difference, zenit are on plus 1. They would need to beat zenit 5-0 to get to EL lol.

Leipzig will be highly motivated to finish first place I think, the chances of playing a really strong opposition is much smaller if you finish first. While lyon will be desparate to win, if you have seen lyon in this group, vs zenit esp, they have been very very poor. They are doing terrible in the league as well, 9th place, and even had to fire their coach. Besides depay and aouar they really lack any notable players. Their win against leipzig in germany was possibly the most flukey of this entire group stage with leipzig bizarrely gifting them two passes right in front of their goal.

I think actually it is opposite to what you say. Zenit is most likely to advance, given benfica really cannot advance even to europa league bar a miracle, and given the fact leipzig should at least draw lyon. Regardless as you say, it will be a difficult match, and zenit need to win to give themselves most certainty of advancing.

2-0 is enough for Benfica. They will look at the head to head result. Let me ask you this, what will happen to Zenit's goal difference if they lose by 5 goals? You are missing something. They will be -4 and Benfica +1. Right?

[inarsenewetrust]

2-0 is enough for Benfica. They will look at the head to head result. Let me ask you this, what will happen to Zenit's goal difference if they lose by 5 goals? You are missing something. They will be -4 and Benfica +1. Right?

good point lol.

This tweet from portuguese fan kind of summarizes it...

"Can Benfica qualify for the Europa League? Yes - it's tricky, but it is actually in Benfica's hands.

If Lyon LOSE, Benfica simply have to beat Zenit. Any score will do.

If Lyon DRAW/WIN, Benfica must beat Zenit at least 2-0, OR by 3 goals if they concede (4-1, 5-2 etc.)."

Nevertheless, it is a stretch to say that the odds are stacked against zenit though. They are with a very solid chance of progression, but yes it is not going to be a walk in the park by any means.

[diz]

[DR Strangemoosh]

Azmoun is way overrated...playing with him is playing with 10 men.

nope.

[diz]

[rdwrrr]

If Leipzig win, Zenit is in.
even if Zenit loses.
Zenit can not finish first.
They win the 3 way head to head vs. Benefica and Lyon