Porto, Zenit fight for the next round

LISBON - Reuters

Under-fire Porto coach Vitor Pereira knows his team must beat visiting Zenit St Petersburg tonight to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as he bids to hold on to his job.
Porto is third in Group G with seven points behind Russian league leader Zenit who has eight and needs only a draw to reach the last 16. APOEL has nine points and already made it to the knockout stage.
Porto won the domestic double and Europa League last season but has been disappointing so far this term after Andre Villas-Boas left for Chelsea and his assistant Pereira was promoted to manager.
In the Champions League, Porto started with a win over visiting Shakhtar Donetsk but lost at Zenit, ws held at home by APOEL and then suffered a shock defeat in Nicosia.
“Unfortunately things were not coming out well for us. Now the team has improved and wants to keep the momentum, beat Zenit and move ahead in the Champions League,” said forward Hulk.