Reds rally falls short; Blues, Spurs survive

Liverpool's Luis Suarez (left) scores from a free kick during the second leg of their Europa League match against Zenit St Petersburg at Anfield on Thursday.

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ZENIT St Petersburg resisted a Liverpool fightback inspired by Luis Suarez to reach the Europa League last 16 on the away-goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate score on Thursday.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Zenit was cruising when Hulk scored in the 19th minute, but Suarez struck twice with stunning free kicks either side of Joe Allen's close-range finish as Liverpool threatened an unlikely victory.

On a tense night for English clubs, Chelsea was spared extra time against Sparta Prague when Eden Hazard's late goal earned a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, and a 2-1 aggregate win.

Tottenham Hotspur got a superb 90th-minute goal from Mousa Dembele to salvage a 1-1 draw in Lyon and advance 3-2 on aggregate.

Inter Milan eased past Cluj, 3-0 in Romania and 5-0 on aggregate, and defending champion Atletico Madrid was eliminated by Rubin Kazan 1-2 despite winning 1-0 in Moscow.

Zenit and Rubin were joined by Anzhi Makhachkala as Russia mounts a strong challenge in a last-16 lineup featuring teams from 11 different countries. Anzhi drew 1-1 at Hannover, and advanced 4-2 on aggregate.

Also advancing were Basel, Benfica, Bordeaux, Fenerbahce, Lazio, Levante, Newcastle United, VfB Stuttgart and Viktoria Plzen. The Czech Republic side's 2-0 win at home to Napoli completed a 5-0 aggregate score against the second-placed team in Serie A.

In the only match not settled in regulation time, Steaua Bucharest beat Ajax 4-2 in a penalty shootout in Romania after the teams traded 2-0 home wins.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said he was "bitterly disappointed" not to get a decisive fourth goal in a pulsating final half hour at Anfield. "We were incredible tonight," Rodgers said. "At 3-0 you might have thought the tie was over and done with. I think the team showed their real character and quality."

Suarez first fired a 27th-minute free kick through the Zenit defensive wall, and Allen lifted Liverpool by pouncing on a rebound from his own saved header in the 43rd. Better was to come in the 59th when Suarez curled a right-foot free kick from 30 meters just inside the right post.

Champions League holder Chelsea trailed to David Lafata's neat finish in the 17th until Hazard sent the English team through to face Steaua next.

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