Goals: CSKA Moscow—Doumbia 49', 72' - Musa 85'; Sporting Lisbon—Gutierrez 36'
Recap: Ninety minutes of enthralling football saw CSKA Moscow defeat Sporting Lisbon 3-1 on Wednesday.
Teofilo Gutierrez opened the affair in the 13th minute, thanks to pristine service from Alberto Aquilani. Forced to score twice, the hosts scrambled for an equalizer. Seydou Doumbia delivered in the second half.
Goals in the 49th and 71st minute leveled the tie 3-3 on aggregate. Ahmed Musa sealed the 3-1 victory (4-3 on aggregate) just 14 minutes later. The result sees CSKA Moscow through to the group stage of the Champions League.
Key Moment: Islam Slimani found a match-winning goal for Sporting in the 81st minute. The club's second away goal was the tiebreaker in a 4-4 aggregate tie. Except it wasn't.
Despite the ball not crossing the endline, nor a foul being committed, the goal was wrongly nullified by the officials, allowing CSKA to secure a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Man of the Match: Partnering with Musa, Doumbia was a nuisance on Wednesday. His two goals proved to be the difference.
Lesson Learned: Jorge Jesus' conservative approach cost Sporting Lisbon Champions League football. The visitors dominated possession in the first half, earning six corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes. Satisfied with a 1-0 lead, pragmatism set in.
Attempting to absorb pressure, Sporting's attack dissipated. Bryan Ruiz and Andre Carrillo played further from goal, making an all-important second away goal impossible to find. Many clubs are capable of bunkering in to secure a 1-0 lead, Sporting Lisbon isn't one of them.
Jesus was wrong to believe they were.
Up Next: Both clubs return to league action on Aug. 30, with CSKA Moscow battling Kuban Krasnodar and Sporting Lisbon visiting Académica.
For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook.
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
