Classy Zenit on verge of UEFA Cup semis

A superb second-half display from Zenit St Petersburg put the Russian champions well on their way to the UEFA Cup semi-finals as they stormed to a 4-1 victory at Bayer Leverkusen.

Pavel Pogrebniak, Aleksandr Aniukov and Igor Denisov hit three goals in 20 minutes after the restart to put the visitors in command of their quarter-final tie with 2001 Champions League finalists.

Stefan Kiessling pulled one back for the hosts in the first half, after Andrei Arshavin had opened the scoring.

Zenit could have scored more than four but head back to Russia confident of advancing to face Bayern Munich or Getafe in the semi-final.

Substitute Cosmin Contra snatched a last-minute away goal to earn Michael Laudrup’s team a 1-1 draw against the Bundesliga leaders, chipping over Oliver Kahn after the home defence failed to clear their lines.

Italy striker Luca Toni put Bayern in the ascendancy by heading home Bastian Schweinsteiger’s corner in the 26th minute.

In Florence, the first leg between Fiorentina and PSV Eindhoven also finished finely poised on 1-1.

Romania front man Adrian Mutu put the hosts ahead in the 56th minute, but the lead lasted only seven minutes before Danny Koevermans lashed in what could prove a vital away goal.

The victors will face Rangers or Sporting Lisbon in the last four.