CSKA vs Manchester City: Match Report

As a result of racist chanting from certain sections of the Moscow faithful in games prior to this clash, UEFA closed the stadium to both sets of fans (including City fans) as a punishment. Yet some ‘friends of UEFA’ , whatever that means, were still allowed to attend the game in the Russian capital. With one point from a possible 6, this game was a must win for City. Eliaquim Mangala and Yaya Toure made returns to the starting XI for the Blues and Dzeko was moved up alongside the inform Argentine Sergio Aguero upfront.

The game started off with efforts from Ahmed Musa and Zoran Tosic being flashed wide for the Russian side- echoes could be heard inside Arena Khimki from the players shouting instructions to eachother and from the bench, this added a surreal air to the game and it lulled for long chunks of the first half. But on 30 minutes the deadlock was broken. Bosnian Edin Dzeko found himself one on one with the CSKA keeper after a brilliant chipped through ball from David Silva. As Dzeko descended on goal, Sergio Aguero found himself parallel to him and a simple square ball across goal from the big man unselfishly found Aguero to easily tap home for City and to score his 5th goal in two games. 1-0.

Source: mcfc.com

Aguero then turned provider for City five minutes later. Yaya Toure fired one of his trademark balls across field to find Zabaleta who cleverly headed back to find Aguero- the Argentine’s scuffed shot turned cross for James Milner who was lurking at the back post to score his first of the campaign. 2-0. Most City fans, myself included, thought game over. 36 minutes in, two nil up and cruising but it wasn’t as simple as that as it never is with City…

As City eased off the game, in order to see it out, they became complacent. On 63 minutes, a through ball found Musa who had breached the City defence. Musa took the ball on and crossed easily to substitute Seydou Doumbia who tapped home with ease. 2-1 and the pressure was on. Then it happened- on the 86th minute a ball was crossed in low and hard in order to find Doumbia but was intercepted by full-back Aleksander Kolarov yet when a little contact was made with the Ivorian forward, the inevitable happened. Doumbia proceeded to throw himself in the air and consequently a penalty was given by the referee. Soft to say the least. Natcho calmly slotted home and the two sides shared the spoils at 2-2. As results go, this was a bad one for the Citizens as when going into the game the tie was brandished a ‘must win’… Qualification is still a possibility but it hangs by a thread.