Zenit St Petersburg 1 - Villarreal 0

Zenit: Malafeev; Kim Dong Jin, Anyukov, Krizanac, Shirokov; Sirl, Zyrianov, Tymoschuk, Fayzulin; Arshavin, Pogrebnyak. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: Diego López; Josemi, Godín, Gonzalo, Capdevila; Josico, Bruno (Cygan 82'); Cazorla (Tomasson 75'), Nihat (Rossi 66'), Cani; Guille Franco. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 63. Pogrebnyak. Scored into empty net after defence missed Arshavin pass.

Villarreal lost their first leg match 1-0 to Zenit in a frozen Saint Petersburg. The Russian side had not lost at home since 1999, and they could well have taken the lead in the first half had it not been for Diego López. The keeper saved from Tymoschuk early on, and stopped efforts from Pogrebnyak and Fayzulin before the break.

The Spanish side had their chances as well though, in particular Nihat bringing a good save out of Malafeev with a free kick, and then just failing to chip the keeper later on. López kept out Kim again early in the second half, but with just under an hour gone the keeper and Gonzalo both left Arshavin's through pass to each other, the ball running on to Pogrebynak who had the easiest of tasks to roll it into an empty net.