CSKA Moscow were handed a UEFA
Champions League lifeline as Vasili
Berezutski's 93rd-minute leveller earned a
1-1 draw with Roma on Tuesday.
Roma captain Francesco Totti, already the
oldest scorer in Europe's premier club
competition at the age of 38, looked to
have settled matters at Arena Khimki with
a powerful free-kick towards the end of the
first period.
However, with CSKA facing elimination from Group
E, Berezutski found the net somewhat fortuitously in the
last minute of second-half stoppage time, as an
apparent cross from the left evaded everyone and found the
far corner.
CSKA's dramatic equaliser also represented a huge boost for
Manchester City, who were facing the prospect of hosting
Bayern Munich later on Tuesday with a five-point deficit to
make up on Roma.
Rudi Garcia's side welcome the English champions to Italy's
capital in a fortnight's time in their final group game and will
no doubt rue glaring misses from Radja Nainggolan and Adem
Ljajic in the second half against CSKA, who Roma remain level
with on five points.
Having been thrashed 5-1 in the reverse fixture, CSKA initially
adopted a cautious approach in another game played behind
closed doors due to UEFA sanctions, but were able to offer a
threat on the counter-attack, as they had done so effectively
when winning at City earlier this month.
With the hosts content to defend in numbers and Roma
initially lacking dynamism in the final third, the opening half-
hour passed by with little in the way of goalmouth action.
However, the game began to open up as the interval
approached and Alessandro Florenzi – operating as a right-
back in the absence of the injured Maicon - shot powerfully
across goal in the 36th minute following a delightful first-time
pass from Totti.
Veteran goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis was soon called into
action at the other end, staying big to deny Seydou Doumbia
after the striker had latched on to a throughball from the fit-
again Bebras Natcho.
The save soon took on greater significance as Berezutski
brought down Florenzi on the edge of the penalty area and
Totti lashed the resulting free-kick past Igor Akinfeev from 20
yards.
Nainggolan was guilty of a terrible miss 14 minutes after the
interval as Roma looked to put the tie to bed.
Under no pressure, the midfielder dragged a shot wide from
inside the CSKA area when he really should have at least
tested Akinfeev.
Mario Fernandes put the ball in the Roma net midway through
the second period, but the full-back had already been
adjudged offside.
De Sanctis then made routine stops to deny Ahmed Musa and
Alan Dzagoev, before Roma again came close to a second as
a swift break ended with Akinfeev sticking out his left boot to
save superbly from Ljajic.
CSKA were able to capitalise on their goalkeeper's good work,
as Berezutski's delivery from the left missed Dzagoev and
Doumbia but left De Sanctis helpless.
Champions League lifeline as Vasili
Berezutski's 93rd-minute leveller earned a
1-1 draw with Roma on Tuesday.
Roma captain Francesco Totti, already the
oldest scorer in Europe's premier club
competition at the age of 38, looked to
have settled matters at Arena Khimki with
a powerful free-kick towards the end of the
first period.
However, with CSKA facing elimination from Group
E, Berezutski found the net somewhat fortuitously in the
last minute of second-half stoppage time, as an
apparent cross from the left evaded everyone and found the
far corner.
CSKA's dramatic equaliser also represented a huge boost for
Manchester City, who were facing the prospect of hosting
Bayern Munich later on Tuesday with a five-point deficit to
make up on Roma.
Rudi Garcia's side welcome the English champions to Italy's
capital in a fortnight's time in their final group game and will
no doubt rue glaring misses from Radja Nainggolan and Adem
Ljajic in the second half against CSKA, who Roma remain level
with on five points.
Having been thrashed 5-1 in the reverse fixture, CSKA initially
adopted a cautious approach in another game played behind
closed doors due to UEFA sanctions, but were able to offer a
threat on the counter-attack, as they had done so effectively
when winning at City earlier this month.
With the hosts content to defend in numbers and Roma
initially lacking dynamism in the final third, the opening half-
hour passed by with little in the way of goalmouth action.
However, the game began to open up as the interval
approached and Alessandro Florenzi – operating as a right-
back in the absence of the injured Maicon - shot powerfully
across goal in the 36th minute following a delightful first-time
pass from Totti.
Veteran goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis was soon called into
action at the other end, staying big to deny Seydou Doumbia
after the striker had latched on to a throughball from the fit-
again Bebras Natcho.
The save soon took on greater significance as Berezutski
brought down Florenzi on the edge of the penalty area and
Totti lashed the resulting free-kick past Igor Akinfeev from 20
yards.
Nainggolan was guilty of a terrible miss 14 minutes after the
interval as Roma looked to put the tie to bed.
Under no pressure, the midfielder dragged a shot wide from
inside the CSKA area when he really should have at least
tested Akinfeev.
Mario Fernandes put the ball in the Roma net midway through
the second period, but the full-back had already been
adjudged offside.
De Sanctis then made routine stops to deny Ahmed Musa and
Alan Dzagoev, before Roma again came close to a second as
a swift break ended with Akinfeev sticking out his left boot to
save superbly from Ljajic.
CSKA were able to capitalise on their goalkeeper's good work,
as Berezutski's delivery from the left missed Dzagoev and
Doumbia but left De Sanctis helpless.
No comments:
Post a Comment