Tuesday, October 28, 2008

CSKA Moscow defeats Dynamo Moscow 3-1

The heavyweight battle between CSKA Moscow and Dynamo Moscow with a sure Champions League bid on the line produced a stunning performance by Koni resulting in the 3-1 victory. The victory extends their unbeaten streak to twelve matches, stretching back to July when manager Valery Gazzaev had announced he would step-down after the season and gives them a firm six point lead on second-place with four matches to go.

The match started with quick as both clubs were playing with heart. Six minutes after the opening a touch challenge on Vágner Love earns a penalty. Russian capped Sergei Ignashevich steps up to take the kick and thunders a rock that strikes national teammate Igor Semshov but the rebound returns towards Sergei who crisply angles the ball into the back of the net. With tough mid-field the play neither club can breakthrough and the match goes to the break with Koni maintaining their one goal advantage.

CSKA doubles the lead thirteen minutes after the break with a brilliant flanking run between the eighteen year-old phenom Alan Dzagoev and Miloš Krasić. Coming down the right channel, defenders are draw-out only to have the eased ball back to center with Vágner Love crashing to the back-post. With defenders now converging on the ball, a perfectly weighted ball find Vágner, who makes no mistake giving CSKA the 2-0 advantage.

With ten minutes remaining, heroics are in-store for another Russian international as
Yuri Zhirkov receives a perfect pass by Vágner Love and neatly puts the ball behind Dynamo 'keeper Zhidrunas Karchemarskas. Dynamo added a consolation goal to spoil Igor Akinfeev's clean sheet as Austrailian Luke Wilkshire scores with three minutes remaining but CSKA Moscow comes away with a great 3-1 victory.

CSKA Moscow
Igor Akinfeev,Sergei Ignashevich,Deividas Semberas,Alexei Berezutsky,Vasili Berezutsky,Anton Grigoriev (Pavel Mamaev 66'),Eugeni Aldonin,Miloš Krasić,Yuri Zhirkov (Caner Erkin 83'),Alan Dzagoev (Elvir Rahimic 72'),Vágner Love

Dynamo Moscow
Zhidrunas Karchemarskas,Leandro Fernandez,Marcin Kowalcyzk,Luke Wilkshire,Dmitri Khokhlov,Igor Semshov,Dmitri Kombarov,Kirill Kombarov,Andrei Karpovich (Tsvetan Genkov 64'),Alexander Kerzhakov,Aleksandr Kokorin