Zenit take Sevilla punishment

Sevilla 4-1 Zenit Sevilla FC have one foot in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup after completing a comprehensive 4-1 first-leg victory against nine-man FC Zenit St. Petersburg in Spain. Historic date It was 60 years to the day since Sevilla won their first and only Spanish league title, and while an official presentation at half-time celebrated the deeds of the surviving players from that team, Juande Ramos s men proved to be the star attraction with Javier Saviola finding the target twice. Opening strike The Argentinian forward had already tested goalkeeper Viacheslav Malafeev once before he broke the deadlock after 15 minutes, heading in from Adriano Correia s well-weighted centre. Julien Escudé and Saviola both came close to doubling the home side s advantage before Aleksandr Kerzhakov headed Andrei Arshavin s cross past Andrés Palop just before half-time. Dangerous goal Kerzhakov scored twice against Sevilla when the sides met at the Petrovski stadium in the group stage earlier this season. But any fear that his away goal might prove significant was gradually dispelled as Erik Hagen s foul on Frédéric Kanouté earned the Norwegian a red card on 56 minutes, and gave Sevilla a penalty. Penalty success Kanouté, Saviola and Jordi López had all failed to convert spot-kicks in Juande Ramos s side s last two Primera División games, but José Luis Martí finally broke that run and Sevilla were to plunder two further goals as Vlastimil Petržela s side unravelled at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuan. Arshavin dismissed Kanouté fired over as Sevilla tried to make the extra man count before Saviola scored his second of the night with ten minutes remaining, hitting the ball low into Malafeev s net after receiving a pass from defender Antonio Puerta. Arshavin further stacked the odds in the Andalusian side s favour by being sent off in the 90th minute. Final indignity There was still enough time left for Adriano to rub salt into Zenit s wounds, converting from close range just before the final whistle. With Hagen and the influential Arshavin now suspended for the second leg in Russia next week, Zenit s mission looks to be all-but impossible. Other matches: Basel - Middlesbrough 2-0 Levski - Schalke 1-3 Rapid Bucuresti - Steaua 1-1