Giuliano inspired Zenit to a stunning 4-3 victory against Maccabi Tel Aviv as four goals in the last 14 minutes saw the Russian Premier League side overturn a three-goal deficit in the Europa League.
Zenit were staring down the barrel of a comfortable defeat in the Group D encounter in Netanya, as two goals from Haris Medunjanin and a Vidar Kjartansson strike left Maccabi in complete control.
But Brazilian winger Giuliano scored one and assisted three others as Zenit fought back for a memorable victory in Europe’s second-tier competition.
When Aleksandr Kokorin bundled home Giuliano’s lofted cross in the 76th minute it appeared little more than a consolation goal for Zenit.
But when Maccabi defender Eli Dasa was shown a red card for a second bookable offence with nine minutes remaining it set the wheels in motion for a dramatic ending.
Mauricio hammered home emphatically from Giuliano’s indirect free-kick in the 84th minute and, two minutes later, the provider turned goalscorer when the winger fired home at the near post after racing onto Robert Mak’s long ball down the left.
And the scarcely believable turnaround was completed in the first minute of injury time when Giuliano’s ball was finished with a diving header from Luka Djordevic.
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