The champion of Belgium, Gent, created a surprise by qualifying for the League knockout stages of the Champions after winning at home against Zenit St. Petersburg (2-1) on Wednesday.
Gent is the second Belgian club, only to join the top-16 of the C1, fifteen years after Anderlecht.
The men of coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, champions in 2015 for the first time in their history (long 115 years), were considered the minnows of a group that also included Lyon and Valence, teams at well above annual budget than the Belgian circle (€ 26 million only).
The Buffalos started the match, "the most important in their history" (according to their president Ivan De Witte) with much nervousness but real offensive intentions.
And from the 20th minute, the Flandrian team took the lead through Laurent Depoitre the Belgian international. The latter scored his first goal in a C1 uncrossed recovery from head to receive a center of Moses Simons.
Local training continued to dominate the game and to create more opportunities facing an already qualified Russian team for the 8th finals (after his run of five wins in a row) and deprived of some of its best elements, including the Brazilian international Hulk (rested) and Belgian Axel Witsel (suspended).
Zenit equalized just before the hour mark after a confused stage via the Russian Dzyuba.
But Switzerland Danijel Milisevic ensured the qualification of his team by taking advantage of a new balloon used by Moses (78th).
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