FC Zenit beat Fenerbahce, take command of Group C

Saint Petersburg side win 2-0 in Turkey to move three points clear at the top of the standings

FC Zenit Saint Petersburg took a big step towards qualifying for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday with a 2-0 win at Fenerbahce SK. The Russian Premier League champions now lead Group C by three points after three matches, with Fenerbahce dropping to third.

Zenit took the lead in the 26th minute when Artem Dzyuba headed home from close range after a cross from Douglas Santos. The visitors doubled their lead in the 78th minute when substitute Aleksandr Erokhin fired in a low shot from the edge of the area.

Fenerbahce came close to pulling a goal back late on, but Zenit goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov made a fine save to deny substitute Diego Rossi.

Zenit manager Sergei Semak was pleased with his team's performance.

"We played well tonight and deserved to win," he said. "We were very organized and disciplined, and we took our chances when they came. This was a big win for us, and it puts us in a strong position in the group.

Fenerbahce manager Jorge Jesus was disappointed with his team's display.

"We didn't play well tonight," he said. "We made too many mistakes, and we didn't create enough chances. We need to improve our performance in the next game if we want to qualify for the knockout stages.

Zenit will host Fenerbahce in the return match on October 26. The Russian side will be confident of securing a place in the knockout stages with a win, while Fenerbahce will need to win to keep their hopes of qualification alive.