Honda steers CSKA past Sevilla
Reuters - Tuesday 16 March 2010, 22:43
SEVILLE - CSKA Moscow upset
Sevilla 2-1 on Tuesday to send the Russian team into the
Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.
A well-struck Keisuke Honda free-kick ended Sevilla's hopes
of making their quarter-final debut and secured victory for the
well-organised Muscovites to put them into the last eight for
the first time since 1992/93.
After a 1-1 draw in Moscow last month, goals from CSKA's
Tomas Necid and Sevilla's Diego Perotti had the sides tied at
2-2 on aggregate at the break before Honda's 55th-minute strike
flew into the top corner off Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop.
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"The players did very well to stop Sevilla getting many
clear chances," a beaming CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky told a news
conference.
"It's hard to analyse the match much at this early stage but
I am very proud that my team has made it through to the
quarters."
Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano squandered a chance to put the
home side ahead in only the third minute at a noisy Sanchez
Pizjuan stadium.
The Brazilian international collected a whipped Jesus Navas
cross from the right but hit his first-time shot straight at
CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev.
The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession in the early
stages and lively Japan midfielder Honda forced a smart save
from Palop in the 27th minute.
HONDA POWER
Six minutes before the break, a mistake by Serbian defender
Ivica Dragutinovic let in Necid, who rifled a low shot into the
bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Sevilla were level within two minutes. A long Palop punt
bounced through to Navas and he crossed for Perotti to poke the
ball past Akinfeyev.
Honda's winner came from a long-range free-kick which Palop
failed to deal with as the ball ricocheted into the top corner
off the keeper's fists.
Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez threw on Alvaro Negredo to join
fellow strikers Frederic Kanoute and Fabiano but CSKA held firm
against some desperate attacking in the final stages as the
disconsolate home fans drifted away.
"CSKA were very good in defence and didn't give us many
chances on goal," Negredo said in a television interview.
"We managed to get an equaliser in the first half but it was
a moment of misfortune in the second half that made it
difficult."
Failure for the Andalusians will also put pressure on their
budget, after club president Jose Maria del Nido warned before
the first leg that missing out on the financial reward for
reaching the last eight could push the club into the red.
"All we can do is congratulate them and try to qualify for
the competition again," Del Nido said in a television interview.
"We need to focus now on getting third or fourth place in La
Liga and we have a great King's Cup final against Atletico
Madrid to look forward to which we will try to win."
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