OTTAWA (CBC) - Zenit St. Petersburg became the second Russia squad in four seasons to win soccer's UEFA Cup, blanking Scotland's Glasgow Rangers 2-0 in Wednesday's final at Manchester, England.

Igor Denisov staked Zenit to a 1-0 lead in the 72nd minute and Konstantin Zyryanov completed the scoring in injury time.

It marked the first UEFA Cup for Zenit coach Dick Advocaat, who, ironically, coached Rangers from 1998-02.

"I feel very happy winning the prize like this," he said. "The way we played in this tournament, we really deserved this."

Rangers has failed to win a European championship since capturing the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1972.

"Over the tournament, we have worked very hard to get to the final," Rangers coach Walter Smith said. "There was not that much in it overall and we had a few chances ourselves.

"Zenit looked the more offensive team. But obviously, at this stage, I'm disappointed to have lost."

Zenit controlled the first half, but Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander kept it scoreless with saves on Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Radek Sirl, Zyryanov and Alexander Anyukov.

Viktor Fayzulin sailed a header over the bar, as did Steven Whittaker of Rangers.

Barry Ferguson banged a rebound off the post after Jean-Claude Darcheville was foiled in the 54th minute by Zenit keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev, who turned away a dangerous shot by Whittaker in the 64th minute.

Denisov, whose handball was missed by referee Peter Frojdfeldt early in the second half, opened the scoring on a nifty exchange with Andrei Arshavin, slicing through Rangers defence and beating Alexander.

Zenit went ahead 2-0 when Zyryanov tapped in Fatih Tekke's pass at the goal-line.

"We controlled the game from the very beginning," Arshavin said through a translator.

"We attacked more. When we were successful against our opponent's goal, I knew we would win."

"We have had a terrific tournament," Smith said. "It doesn't take away the disappointment.

"But in the end, I can have no complaints."

CSKA Moscow was the first Russian team to win the UEFA Cup in 2005.

With files from the Associated Press

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