Zenit St Petersburg 0 - 0 Juventus

Stalemate in snowy Russia

Updated: November 25, 2008, 8:00 AM UK

Zenit St Petersburg's Champions League aspirations were left hanging by a thread this evening as they could manage only a point against Juventus.

Both sides had their chances in an entertaining game at the Petrovsky Stadium, which went ahead despite an explosion in the city this morning.

Three people, including a child, were killed when a grenade exploded near a metro station close to the Russian team's training ground and approximately 10 kilometres from the Juventus team hotel.

Initial fears that the match could be postponed proved unfounded, and the teams produced an enjoyable game in which they conspired to hit the post three times between them.

But Zenit could not find a winner and were left hoping for a Real Madrid defeat or draw against BATE Borisov to keep their hopes alive.

Within the opening two minutes, Vincenzo Iaquinta wasted an excellent opportunity for the visitors when he rose highest but headed Mauro Camoranesi's right-wing free-kick over the bar.

Another Camoranesi free-kick caused havoc in the Zenit box, with Olof Mellberg heading unchallenged towards goal only to see his effort strike the far post after 10 minutes.

At the other end, Igor Denisov struck a fierce free-kick over the bar before Danny's chest control set up Konstatin Zyryanov, but his volley was easy for Alex Manninger to save.

Two minutes later, some lovely link-up play from Pavel Nedved and Cristian Molinaro on the left flank set up Iaquinta, but his left-foot strike on the turn hit the same post which had denied Mellberg moments earlier.

The ball then rebounded to Molinaro, but Camoranesi could not direct his second cross goalwards.

Zenit were also playing some good football and a neat backheel from Andrei Arshavin set up Denisov, but his shot was too weak to trouble Manninger.

The Austrian stopper was finally stretched after 38 minutes as he dived to turn Anatoliy Tymoschuk's low free-kick round the post.

From the resulting corner, Danny turned the ball into the net, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

Within seconds of the restart, Camoranesi crossed for Alessandro Del Piero, who controlled well and saw his stinging volley saved by Viacheslav Malafeev.

The ball then pinballed around the Zenit box, before eventually breaking to Nedved, whose shot from a narrow angle fizzed over the bar.

After 50 minutes, Danny cut back on the left flank and sent a curling right-foot effort towards the far post, which Manninger turned out for a corner.

Del Piero then had efforts from a free-kick and a shot on the turn, both of which Malafeev saved with relative ease, before the veteran forward somehow directed Iaquinta's pull-back wide.

After 66 minutes Arshavin's low cross found Danny, but the Portuguese took an extra touch and Claudio Marchisio got in an excellent covering challenge.

Moments later, Pavel Pogrebniak sent a wickedly curling shot goalwards which beat Manninger and struck the base of the upright - the same post Juventus twice found in the first half.

With 10 minutes to go, Danny again threatened, stabbing an effort towards goal with his favoured right foot from 12 yards, but the ball went narrowly wide.