Sevilla ease through to UEFA Cup semis

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Apr 6 (Reuters) Sevilla booked a place in the UEFA Cup semi-finals today after holding Zenit St Petersburg to a 1-1 draw in a feisty second leg in which boths sides finished with 10 men.

The Spaniards went through 5-2 on aggregate and now play Schalke 04 or Levski Sofia in the last four.

In difficult conditions after heavy snowfall rendered the pitch boggy, Zenit did most of the pressing but found no way past Andres Palop in the first half.

Zenit captain Vladislav Radimov set up Alexander Kerzhakov but Palop kept out his effort and Pavel Mares headed wide.

The hosts were rewarded for persistence when Korean Hyun Young-Min, the first player from his country to join a Russian top-flight team when he joined from Ulsan in January, scored six minutes after halftime following a goalmouth scramble.

They continued to look threatening until Sevilla's Daniel won possession after a Zenit corner, swept up the right wing and found substitute Kepa with a neat cross which he slipped past keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev to level on 63 minutes.

Kepa was sent off for arguing soon after before Zenit's Ivica Krizanac was red-carded for a bad challenge on defender Enzo Maresca.

Sevilla wasted the chance to grab victory when Malafeev saved Daniel's penalty.

Reuters PG VP0122