CSKA Moscow 0-1 Inter (Agg. 0-2): Nerazzurri Stroll Into Semi-Finals
The Beneamata qualified for the last four for the first time in seven years...
By Anthony Wright
Apr 6, 2010 8:21:00 PM
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CSKA Moscow limped out of the Champions League with a 1-0 defeat to Inter, who led from the sixth minute on the night courtesy of Wesley Sneijder's free kick. Chidi Odiah was also sent off just after the break for the Russians.

Keisuke Honda flashed a shot wide from Tomas Necid's knock-down in the second minute as CSKA looked to level the aggregate scores early on, but the Japanese international played his team into trouble moments later when he sold Sergei Ignashevich short and the centre back conceded a free kick. From 25 yards out, Sneijder struck a low shot under the jumping Honda and past Igor Akinfeev into the net.

The early goal was a real setback in CSKA's plans, as the Russians needed to score three times in order to go through. Chidi Odiah was brought on after just 14 minutes for Vasili Berezutski as coach Leonid Slutskiy ordered his side to go on the offensive.

After cheaply giving away possession, Dejan Stankovic earned an early yellow card by chopping down Honda 30 yards out but the midfielder's effort flew well wide. At the midway point of the first half, Odiah found Necid on the edge of the penalty area; the Czech striker turned and fired a low shot at goal but it went just wide of Julio Cesar's right hand post.

While CSKA had no shortage of free kick opportunities, they were being completely wasted. After Honda blasted two long-range shots a long way off target, Mark Gonzalez stepped up from 30 yards and sliced his effort into the night sky.

The Italians were quite happy to let the Army Men have the majority of the possession and hit the hosts on the counter-attack, but they were nearly opened up themselves 10 minutes before the break. Stankovic gave the ball away in midfield again to allow CSKA to break forward with pace; Necid and Dzagoev combined well to allow the 19-year-old to run in on goal but the youngster slashed wildly at the ball and his shot was harmless.

Inter raced straight down the other end but Milito's placed shot was too close to Akinfeev. The Argentine should have played in Pandev five minutes before the break but took too long to play his pass and Georgi Schennikov recovered possession.

Just before half-time, Odiah cut inside from the right wing before flashing a dangerous left footed shot towards the far corner but Julio Cesar managed to tip it around the post.




The Nigerian substitute was involved at the start of the second half, swinging in a cross for Necid to head towards goal but the striker's effort was off target. Moments later though, Odiah slid in late on Eto'o and the referee gave him his second yellow card of the evening; CSKA were down to 10 men.

The home crowd were calling for a penalty 10 minutes into the second half when Dzagoev tumbled under pressure from Javier Zanetti, but referee Stephane Lannoy ignored the protests. At the other end, Eto'o nearly danced his way through the Army Men's defence but Ignashevich won the ball just in time to prevent the striker from getting a shot away.

Julio Cesar was forced into a fine save just before the hour mark when Mark Gonzalez volleyed towards goal from the edge of the box, only to see the Brazilian keeper not only save the shot but hold onto it.

Pandev was taken off for Cristian Chivu on the hour as Inter looked to tighten their defence up, and the Italians were content to hold onto possession and let the clock tick down. The game had adopted the rhythm, tempo and competitiveness of a training ground game as CSKA looked to have given up entirely, allowing Sneijder and Stankovic to try their luck from range; as he had been in the first leg though, Akinfeev was equal to both of them.

In the 73rd minute, Milito was played through on goal for the second time in the match but Akinfeev made a fine stop to keep the fierce shot out. It was his last meaningful act in the game as Jose Mourinho withdrew him for Mario Balotelli.

Elvir Rahimic was also brought on with 15 minutes to go, and he very nearly cost his side a goal with a loose pass to allow Balotelli to race towards goal, but Aleksei Berezutski made a fine tackle on the substitute to prevent the danger.

With three minutes to go, Eto'o turned neatly past Berezutski and lined up a shot on goal from close range, only to see Ignashevich clear the ball away for a corner with another excellent defensive intervention.

CSKA's free kicks continued to leave a lot to be desired as Gonzalez hit a low shot wide of the near post in injury time, and Inter comfortably saw out the two minutes of stoppage time to progress to the semi-finals.
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