Hulk struck a fine long-distance effort as Zenit made it three UEFA Champions League wins from three to leave Lyon on the brink.
The Russian side were on top for much of the evening, and were ahead inside three minutes as Artem Dzyuba calmly slotted. It took a moment of brilliance from Alexandre Lacazette to restore parity at the beginning of the second period but parity was brief. Hulk made sure of that.
Lyon coach Hubert Fournier said this represented his team’s “last opportunity” on the eve of the game but the carrion call apparently fell on deaf ears amid a surprisingly low-key first-half showing. Dzyuba’s strike did not help, but there was little in the way of a response.
Instead the Russian hosts and Hulk in particular led the charge, with the soundtrack provided by their fans running through the repertoire of rock band Leningrad (Zenit fans themselves). They could so easily have gone 2-0 up as Dzyuba slipped with the goal at his mercy.
It was all a bit too easy, but Lyon emerged for the second period a force renewed. Within four minutes they were level. There were plenty of blue shirts back when Christophe Jallet volleyed in a first-time cross but none foresaw Lacazette’s lovely flick with his trailing leg.
Hulk can do cute, too, but his equaliser seven minutes later was all brawn after he turned the ball over on halfway. The Brazilian drove into a position about 30 metres out before unleashing a left-footed thunderbolt that tantalisingly bent away from Anthony Lopes and into the net.
With seven minutes left, Hulk and Oleg Shatov combined on the counterattack, teeing up Danny for a simple finish to wrap up the points.
Group H table standings after 3 games
Zenit 6
Valencia 6
Lyon 1
Gent 1
