Zenit vs Chelsea LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the action from St Petersburg as the group stage comes to a close
Champions League holders Chelsea finished as Group H runners-up after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a pulsating 3-3 draw at Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday.
The result left Chelsea second on 13 points from six games, two behind group winners Juventus who leapt into pole position thanks to a 1-0 home win over Sweden’s Malmo.
Both sides had already booked their last-16 berths while third-placed Zenit will go into the second-tier Europa League after the winter break.
Timo Werner fired Chelsea ahead in the second minute with a tap-in from a Ross Bakley corner before Brazilian Claudinho levelled in the 38th with a glancing header.
Rattled by the equaliser, Chelsea fell behind three minutes later when Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun beat the offside trap and slotted the ball home after rounding goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Romelu Lukaku hit back in the 62nd minute as he stroked the ball into an empty net after a flowing move and Chelsea seemed to have forced the final twist after Werner struck again in the 85th thanks to good work by substitute Christian Pulisic.
The Premier League side were undone, however, by a spectacular equaliser at the death as they failed to clear a cross and late substitute Magomed Ozdoev unleashed an unstoppable volley past Kepa from the edge of the penalty area.
Follow Champions League updates below:
GOAL! Man Utd 1 - 0 Young Boys (Greenwood, 9’) ⚽️
9 mins: What a finish! Matic slides a fine pass through the middle of the pitch and picks out Jesse Lingard who waits for Luke Shaw to fly forward on the overlap before sending the ball out to the left wing. Shaw collects the pass and brings it inside. He flicks a cross into the middle of the box and picks out Mason Greenwood. Greenwood makes himself horizontal as the ball is a little behind him and somehow manages to volley a shot back at goal and nestle the ball into the near corner! Great goal.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Young Boys
6 mins: Mata flicks another ball down the right wing expecting a forward run from Amad that doesn’t come. United are just struggling to maintain possession in the midfield.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Young Boys
3 mins: Chance! Manchester United almost take the lead after Juan Mata flicks a ball over the top. Quentin Maceiras fails to deal with the bouncing ball and it drops for Amad Diallo. He almost collides with teammate Anthony Elanga but manages to squeeze the ball over to the left side of the box before sending a shot at goal that Guillaume Faivre manages to cling on to.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Young Boys
Kick off: There’s a few young faces out there for Manchester United. Anthony Elanga and Amad Diallo are impressive and will be hoping to show off their skills. It’s also a big night for Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka who are both trying to earn their places back in the first choice 11.
The visitors get the match underway and work the ball out to the right wing where it goes out for a United throw in.
Man Utd vs Young Boys
Young Boys have failed to score in four of their previous five away games in the Champions League group stage. Ralf Rangnick will be hoping to keep that run going tonight.
Man Utd vs Young Boys: Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek start for Manchester United against Young Boys
Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek will start Manchester United’s Champions League group stage meeting with Young Boys, Ralf Rangnick has confirmed.
The United interim manager said both players would be handed a chance to impress at Old Trafford on Wednesday night after having to make do with limited playing time under his predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Henderson is yet to make an appearance for United’s first team this season after suffering a delayed start to the season due to a hip injury and suffering with Covid-19, while Van de Beek has only made three starts.
Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek to start against Young Boys
Henderson and Van de Beek have had to make do with limited playing time recently
Man Utd vs Young Boys: Rangnick on bringing confidence back to United
Manchester United’s new coach Ralf Rangnick says that winning games will bring confidence to the players and help them develop into a successful team. He said:
If you win games it is the best tool to gain confidence. I need to get into their heart, their brains, their blood, whatever. The first steps have been taken,
"I have only been here for a week. A club like Manchester United wishes to be as successful as we can be. It is important we develop the team. We are playing every three days, so it has to happen in games.
"This is a perfect opportunity to get to know the players."
Man Utd vs Young Boys
Reaction from Chelsea’s draw in St. Petersburg still to come but the focus moves to Manchester where Man Utd take on Young Boys. Here are the line-ups:
Man Utd XI: Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Matic, Bailly, Shaw, Lingard, Van de Beek, Mata, Amad, Greenwood, Elanga
Young Boys XI: Faivre, Maceiras, Camara, Lustenberger, Lefort, Pereira, Aebischer, Elia, Rieder, Ngamaleu, Siebatcheu
Ralf Rangnick makes 11 changes to the Manchester United starting XI with Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes playing no part in tonight’s game.
Full-time: Zenit 3 - 3 Chelsea
90+6 mins: Chelsea have to settle for a draw in the last group stage fixture. Chelsea now finish second in the group as Juventus have beaten Malmo in Turin. That means the Blues will face one of the other group winners in the last-16.
GOAL! Zenit 3 - 3 Chelsea (Ozdoev, 90+4’)
90+4 mins: What a strike this is! Chelsea have been pegged back again. The fail to clear a simple long ball and Claudinho keeps the Zenit attack alive. He passes it out to the left wing where a cross comes into the middle of the Chelsea box. Sarr heads it out as far as Ozdoev. The substitute draws onto the ball and drills a volley at goal. The shot continues to rise and leave Kepa Arrizabalaga before nestling in the left hand top corner!
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