Late double puts Basel in control against Zenit St Petersburg

Two goals in the last eight minutes gave Basel a valuable first-leg lead over Zenit St Petersburg in the last 16 of the Europa League this evening.

Marcelo Diaz broke the deadlock on 82 minutes with a venomous left-footed strike, which arrowed into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Basel were awarded a penalty and Zenit were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time, after Carlos Luis Neto had committed a professional foul on Mohamed Salah.

Goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev dived the correct way, but he was unable to stop Alexander Frei's precise spot kick.

The return leg will be held in Russia in seven days' time.