Forward Pavel Pogrebnyak Leads Zenit To UEFA Cup Final After 4-0 Win Over Bayern

Moscow, Russia (AHN) - Zenit St. Petersburg routed Bayern Munich 4-0 on Thursday to advance to the UEFA Cup final against the Rangers.

The home team bested four-time European champion and tournament favorite Bayern coming on top in its two-legged semi-final 5-1. Zenit has now a chance to capture the title and become only the second winner in four years following CSKA Moscow's triumph in 2005. It is also the second time that a Russian squad reached the UEFA Cup final.

The visitors favored to win even at the start of the semifinals, missed on a crucial away goal in the third minute following a shot by Luca Toni that was timely cleared off the line by defender Kim Dong-jin. Bayern paid the price as Russian forward Pavel Pogrebnyak made his move against goalkeeper Oliver Khan and put Zenit on top of the boards, his first for the match.

Bayern took another stab with Toni on the helm but failed to add to his tournament-high 10 UEFA Cup goals after heading over from close range while Zenit took the lead further in the 39th after a shot by midfielder Konstantin Zyryanov. The Russians made it a safer distance following a stab by Victor Fayzulin in the 49th heading in Aleksandr Anyukov's cross. Pogrebnyak sealed the match scoring his second goal off Alejandro Domingues' cross in the 73rd.

The Russian forward was later booked on the 76th for a foul and will have to sit out the match against the Rangers in Manchester, England.

"This was my best game of the season and probably one of the best in my entire career," Pogrebnyak told Xinhua who has tied Toni's mark of 10 Tournament goals.

In the other semifinal match, the Rangers, who overcame Fiorentina 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw in Glasgow last week, is the first Scottish team to reach the final since fierce competitor Celtic lost to FC Porto during the 2003 UEFA Cup.

On Thursday, Fiorentina failed to capitalize on a lot of opportunities after dominating its Scottish visitors by firing 20 shots against the three made by the Rangers in regular time at the Stadio Artemto Franchi.

Zenit will be playing its first European final when they face the Rangers on May 14 at the City of Manchester Stadium in England.