UEFA Champions League: CSKA Moscow – Real Madrid

Fortunately for the football world, the UEFA Champions League continued tonight with another two games. Real Madrid travelled to Moscow to take on CSKA, the other being a match between Napoli and FC Chelsea later on.

Real Madrid did not only have one opponent tonight, as the team from the Spanish capital are not used to playing on an artificial pitch at about minus ten degrees Celsius. An artificial lawn is generally les favourable with players, as the ball travels differently which makes passes and shots often quite unpredictable. Also, the chance of injury is also slightly higher with artificial lawns, as they are a bit harder and have a coarse texture.

As to the line up of Real Madrid, it was quite a surprise that José Callejon started the match and was positioned in midfield. CSKA Moscow on the other hand was troubled with a few injuries and suspensions. This was also their first match in two months, as the Russian domestic league is in a winter break.

So, the match started off at 18:00 CET- a few hours earlier than usual in Europe, since Moscow is three hours ahead of Germany. This was also the first time CSKA Moscow and Real Madrid have ever met.

The Russians kicked the game off, as the Dutch referee Björn Kuipers blew his whistle. Keep in mind, that Real Madrid were the only side to progress from the group stage of the UEFA Champions League with a 100% record this season.

The first few minutes of the game were rather relaxed, as both teams were getting to know each other. The first foul of the match was in the 4^th minute on Ronaldo, but nearly not even worth mentioning. Madrid returned the favour two minutes later, when Fabio Coentrao committed a foul, which was also far from brutal. Both teams tried to start off as the stronger side, but still avoided any risks.

The first chance of the match was created in the 7^th minute, as CSKA put in a good cross into the sixteen-yard box, but was unable to create any real danger.

All in all, the Russians seemed to have had a bit more of self-confidence, as they seemed the stronger side in the first ten minutes.

Madrid’s first chance was in the 14^th minute, when Benzema let off a shot, but off target. Unfortunately, the Frenchmen also injured himself and had to be substituted immediately. Somehow one came to the conclusion that Real Madrid indeed had problems with the low temperatures. Gonzalo Higuaín came on in his place in the 16^th minute. Just after the substitution, Madrid had a great chance to open the scoring, as Higuaín let off a shot, but was denied by Moscow’s goalkeeper Chepchugov, who was unable to keep hold of the ball though, so it dropped in front of Sami Khedira, who was also denied by him, as he took a go from the rebound. A corner kick for Madrid followed, but did not cause any danger for the Russians. Still, Real Madrid seemed a bit uncomfortable in the first twenty minutes.

CSKA also created quite a few good chances, one being when Musa had the chance to get into a dangerous position in the 26^th minute, but lost the ball, as he was too hasty.

Another chance for the Spaniards was created by Cristiano Ronaldo a minute later, who tried to supply Higuaín with a great cross, but Chepchugov intervened and made the ball his.

A few seconds after that, Real opened the scoring with a great shot from goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo, as Fabio Coentrao, his fellow countryman, tried to supply him with a cross after a mistake in the defense of Moscow, but a defender got a touch on it with his head. Still, the ball rolled just in front of Ronaldo, who took a flat and hard shot and hammered the ball into the left corner of the goal – leaving Chepchugov chanceless. With that, Ronaldo scored his 36^th goal of the season, in just 35 matches for Real Madrid so far. So now Madrid got the precious away goal and started to show much more self-confidence in the game.

Nevertheless, CSKA Moscow played good football in the following minutes. There was a claim for a penalty kick, when Coentrao pushed a striker in the 34^th minute. Not enough though, as the Dutch referee let play continue. Even so, Madrid had to work quite hard defensively.

The Spaniards however dominated the rest of the first half, as Ronaldo had another chance from a free kick in the 37^th minute just outside the penalty area, but the shot ended with a block from the Russian wall. Callejon, who had a rather quiet night, took a shot from long distance after a corner kick from Mesut Özil, but watched the ball fly way over the goal.

Just before half time, CSKA moved forward again, as Musa put in a cross into the penalty area, but Casillas collected the ball easily. Another shot shortly afterwards flew miles over the Madrid goal. Nonetheless, this showed that the Russians are not going to give up that easily.

The second half started off with a slight delay, as the Madridistas left the changing room a bit too late. It really seemed that the low temperatures caused the Madrid players to want to stay in the locker room.

Not to be, of course, the second half went ahead with Real Madrid being the stronger side. The game itself also improved, though it started with a yellow card for Xabi Alonso in the 46^th minute, as the defensive midfielder went a bit too strong into a tackle. Callejon’s game seemed to degrade even more in the second half, as he lost the ball twice within two minutes, but CSKA was not able to take advantage on the counter attack, as Madrid’s defense stood firm.

With another chance on goal, Callejon shot the ball way wide of the target after Cristiano Ronaldo supplied him with a great pass in the 51^st minute. It really did not seem to be a good night for the young Spaniard. At this point, Madrid dominated the match and only little was to be seen from the Russians.

Real Madrid was not able to capitalize on the numerous corner kicks they had during the match, which was due to good defending from CSKA. The team from Moscow got their first corner kick of the game in the 62^nd minute, after good attacking football from the underdogs. Musa had another chance just afterwards, but instead of passing the ball to a fellow striker, he selfishly shot the ball straight onto Iker Casillas. CSKA seemed a bit stronger now just after the hour mark. Musa was then substituted in the 65^th minute, as Oliseh came on in his place, in order to try to turn the match around for the Russians.

The first yellow card for a CSKA player was shown in the 67^th minute, after a foul on Mesut Özil. Other than that, the game was far from brutal. A minute later, another substitution was made, as CSKA’s Japanese player Honda came on for Aldonin.

Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos also picked up a yellow card for complaining, as he saw a tackle on a fellow teammate worthy of a free kick and made his opinion heard by the referee.

CSKA continued to play the ball forward, but somehow they were not able to put Casillas in any real danger, as they always lack the finishing touches when getting close to the goal of the Spaniards.

Kaka was warming up in the 74^th minute and came on for José Callejon, who was playing rather poorly tonight.

Shortly after, Sergio Ramos had a great chance as he headed the ball straight into the arms of the Russian goalkeeper. Ronaldo also had the opportunity to make it 2:0 in the 76^th minute, but Chepchugov steered the ball away from goal once again. Real Madrid were not able to capitalize on any of the numerous corner kicks they had in the match, as this one was punched away from the Russian keeper. CSKA seemed to have had a similar problem, as they were also not able to take advantage of a mistake in Madrid’s defense in the 79^th minute, as they lost the ball again. Coentrao then picked up a yellow card as well, as he made a last-minute tackle, after a great counter attack from the Russians.

The last ten minutes of the game started and the last substitution on each side was made, as Tosic came off on the 81^st minute, as Necid came on his place. Four minutes later, Mesut Özil was replaced by Raul Albiol, as manager José Mourinho now wanted to keep a clean sheet by sending on the defender.

Ronaldo nearly decided the game in Madrid’s favour, as he took a shot at goal in the 86^th minute, after a swift counter attack by Real Madrid. Unfortunately, the ball rolled just wide of the target

The game appeared to be over in the last few minutes, as no dangerous chances on goal appeared on either side. However, a hand ball by Fabio Coentrao in the 93^rd minute led to a free kick for CSKA. A long ball into the penalty area was extended by a header from a Russian player in direction of Casillas’s goal and then on from the left side just in front of the right post, where Wernbloom was waiting for the ball and put it into the right hand corner of the net with a hard shot. Nobody expected CSKA Moscow to draw level in the dying seconds of the game

Nevertheless, Real Madrid scored an important away goal and chances are they will progress to the next round after the return leg in Madrid in three weeks time.