Champions League - Group G: Inter earn away win

Eurosport - Wed, 24 Oct 09:11:00 2007

Internazionale saw off CSKA Moscow 2-1 to record a valuable away win in Champions League Group G while PSV Eindhoven were held to a goalless draw by ten-man Fenerbahce.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Champions League CSKA-Inter Crespo - 0

Hernan Crespo and Walter Samuel scored Inter's goals in the second period after Jo's first-half opener for the home side, with the winning goal courtesy of a horrific error by CSKA goalkeeper Veniamin Mandrykin.

Inter looked keen to boss their opponents around early on but it was CSKA that had the first shot on goal. Daniel Carvalho struck a fine low free-kick to the near post, where Julio Cesar fell to block.

On 12 minutes it looked as though Inter might have had a penalty when Sergei Ignashevich and Zlatan Ibrahimovic clashed close to goal as the Sweden man looked likely to score. English official Mike Riley decided that there was not enough contact for a spot-kick.

Soon after midfield general Patrick Vieira limped off with a thigh injury, replaced by Dejan Stankovic.

On the half-hour Yuri Zhirkov created a chance for Dudu after dispossessing Luis Figo, but the Brazilian's shot was just wide of the mark with Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar rooted to the spot.

Two minutes later CSKA hit the net. Danger man Carvalho fed a ball into Jo's feet in a central position on the edge of the penalty area and the youngster turned before curling a cracking shot into the far top corner to set the Lokomotiv Stadium rocking.

Ibrahimovic and Crespo had chances before the break and Figo was booked for the Italian champions while Dudu and Alexei Berezutsky picked up injuries and made way for Eduardo and Anton Grigoriev.

Only moments into the second half the home side seemed content to clear the ball from anywhere to preserve their lead, something that perhaps cost them. Their ball retention in attacking areas waned and Inter were on top.

In the 51st minute Esteban Cambiasso waited for a Ibrahimovic flick-on and volleyed at goal. A deflection took it just wide, but Inter profited a minute afterwards.

When the ball was knocked away and headed back in, Milos Krasic misjudged it and the ball fell from the top of his head to Crespo. With all the time in the world at his disposal, the Argentina forward finished inside the far post.

There was a suspicion of offside about the goal and it seemed to affect CSKA's play. Ibrahimovic had a pair of chances soon after, the first squirming through his legs only a couple of yards form the goal-line and the second a thumpming volley from the left following a low cross by Stankovic.

After 61 minutes Carvalho went down looking for a free-kick in a dangerous area, but Riley waved a yellow card in the Brazilian's direction.

Julio Cruz replaced an irritated Crespo in attack and missed a glorious chance before Jo struck a shot from an angle into the side netting. The match looked headed for a draw until the calamitous contribution of Mandrykin.

Figo crossed in a free-kick from the right and Samuel headed the ball down. It took an awkward bounce but the shot-stopper should have caught comfortably instead of shipping it into the back of the net to quieten a disbelieving crowd.

CSKA never really looked like coming back into the match while Inter could have added further goals, but were satisfied with the 2-1 win.

PSV Eindhoven 0-0 Fenerbahce

PSV could not find a way past Fenerbahce at the Phillips Stadion, even though the visitors had only ten men for the last 24 minutes.

A committed, high-tempo start from both sides offered the promise of an entertaining encounter, though the match was let down by a lack of quality on the part of both sides in the final third.

There were huge appeals for a penalty from the home fans after just seven minutes as Danko Lazovic surged into the area and was upended by a firm challenge from Deniz Baris, though referee Howard Webb correctly spotted that the Fenerbahce man had won the ball before sending Lazovic upwards into the Eindhoven skies.

Deivid, whose volley sunk Internazionale on the first matchday, was the first to get a genuine sight on goal after being teed up by Semih Senturk on the edge of the area, though he could only lash his first time volley wide of the far post.

The Brazilian was fed beautifully by Alex shortly afterwards following a fine run down the left flank, though this time he fired his effort straight back at Alex.

Senturk twice went close to putting Fenerbahce ahead at the start of the second half as they put the home side under increasing pressure, but they shot themselves in the foot with just under half an hour remaining when Deivid was shown a straight red for a nasty challenge on substitute Mike Zonneveld.

PSV looked to take advantage in the final half hour, though Kenneth Perez missed his header when unmarked at the back post, and Danny Koevermans sent another header agonisingly wide late on.

Jonathan Symcox & Michael FitzGerald / Eurosport