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SLUTSKY LED ARMY MEN TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS
CSKA Moscow continued its extraordinary resurgence
since Leonid Slutsky took the managerial reigns last October, as they
booked their first appearance in the quarterfinals of the Champions League
after defeating Sevilla 2-1 in the second leg of their tie to win the
aggregate 3-2.
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Sevilla vs. CSKA Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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Heading into the match, the Army-Men were overwhelming underdogs
to advance to the next stage of their tournament after a problematic 1-1
draw on 24 February at Luzhniki Stadium but rose up under the Spanish
night for the victory.
Behind a highly boisterous Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla started
the contest quickly and forced early heroics out of CSKA 'keeper Igor
Akinfeev. Three minutes after the opening whistle, Jesus Navas surged
down the right before sending a cross from the right by-line to Luis Fabiano,
of which the Russian international goalkeeper stopped his effort.
Manolo Jimenez's side, who were decidedly showing a more defensive minded
approach using a single striker with Alvaro Negredo left out of the starting
alignment, did well at keeping the Army-Men pinned back early.
Excluding a chance by Keisuke Honda at the twenty-sixth minute, CSKA were
unable to threaten to break the deadlock before the go-ahead goal was
lodged six minutes prior of the break. Accepting a throw-in from the left,
Keisuke Honda dispatched the ball to Tomas Necid, who created space from
defender Ivica Dragutinovic and allowed the ball to run to his right before
curling his effort to the opposite corner from the edge of the area.
Sevilla stormed back to level only two minutes later as Sevilla's 'keeper
goalkeeper Andres Palop long ball was not cleared by CSKA defenders properly
with Jesus Navas latching onto the loss ball before playing it back to
Diego Perotti, who drove it into the net from six metres out.
Looking for a greater attacking pulse at the re-start, Sevilla manager
Manolo Jimenez called upon Frederic Kanoute and quickly the hosts began
to threaten to take the lead. However at the fifty-fifth minute Sevilla
fell behind 2-1 via by a goalkeeping error as the normally reliable Andres
Palop played Keisuke Honda's free kick from distance poorly, allowing
his parry attempt to deflect into the net. With the score, Sevilla needed
to find the net twice in the remaining time, resulting in the CSKA tactician
changing to a more defensive approach.
With eighteen minutes left in regulation, as Sevilla was summoning Alvaro
Negredo in as an added attacker, Chidi Odiah entered for Milos Krasic
as the Army-Men looked to lock down the affair. Though Luis Fabiano squandered
chance with twelve minutes remaining, CSKA otherwise kept the hosts at
a distance in claiming a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with
the 2-1 victory.
Prepared by John Davies
Sport
Express Daily, 17 March 2010
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