Walter Smith's side had more than held their own for well over an hour at the City of Manchester Stadium, until first Denisov (72) and then Zyryanov three minutes into added-on time earned the Russian side their first ever European trophy.

Dick Advocaat's men made a bright start with skipper Anatoliy Tymoschuk putting Andrei Arshavin through on the left, but his drilled effort hit the side-netting.

Anatoliy Tymoschuk then fired a shot in on goal but it was comfortably saved by Neil Alexander, while Radek Sirl's 30-yard free-kick was again well dealt with by the Gers stopper.

Aleksandr Anyukov then tried his luck which Alexander clung to at the second attempt, while Sasa Papac blazed over during a rare Rangers attack.

And just before the interval, a Kevin Thomson free-kick struck the wall while Papac's follow-up effort after Viacheslav Malafeev had punched out was miles off target.

The Gers made a lively start to the second period with Jean-Claude Darcheville's effort pushed out by Malafeev and the following scramble saw Zenit survive a handball appeal and Barry Ferguson striking the outside of the post.

Steven Whittaker then saw an effort deflected wide by Ivica Krizanac as Rangers turned up the heat, while a long ball down field almost caught the Scottish side cold when Alexander dashed 25 yards out of goal only to see Arshavin skip around him. The Zenit frontman had plenty of time and space but his chipped effort goalwards was headed off the line by the covering Papac.

But Zenit did make the breakthrough in the 72nd minute when Denisov ran on to Arshavin's neat throughball and calmly stroked home past Alexander from 10 yards.

Zyrianov then struck the outside of the post as Rangers came close to conceding a second, but they could have drawn level three minutes from time when some nervous defending saw substitute Nacho Novo lift a shot over the bar on the turn.

And with Rangers pouring forward in search of an equaliser, a quick break saw Zyrianov rifle home from close range to break Rangers' hearts and win the cup for Zenit.