CSKA Moscow booked a place in the last 16 of the Europa League following a 1-1 draw with PAOK Salonika.
Akinfeev injury leads to calamitous opening goal
CSKA Moscow booked a place in the last 16 of the Europa League following a 1-1 draw with PAOK Salonika in the freezing Russian capital.
The home side struggled against a robust challenge from their Greek opponents, pulling back a late equaliser courtesy of a Sergei Ignashevich tap-in to make it 2-1 on aggregate.
The players were forced to wrap up against the freezing cold with temperatures approaching -20ºc inside Arena Khimki.
CSKA got off to a sluggish start in only their second match of the calendar year, allowing the visitors time on the ball as PAOK dominated the midfield.
Vladimir Ivic flashed a warning shot just wide of the post after some great link-up work in the early moments in a move very much indicative of the first half.
Chances
Ex-Manchester United man Zoran Tosic played a part in the best chance for the home side in the first period on 18 minutes, threading in a through-ball into the path of Vagner Love but keeper Dario Kresic was out quickly to smother.
Bruno Cirillo came close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful volley from the edge of the area that flashed narrowly past the post of Igor Akinfeev, moments after Zlatan Muslimovic had crashed an effort against the upright.
Shortly after Vagner Love almost made the away side pay for their missed chances following a deft one-two with Tomas Necid. The return ball just inches too long for the Brazilian.
POAK started the second half brightly as Lino found himself in plenty of space down the left, his cross finding Muslimovic whose flicked finish was straight at the goalkeeper.
Breakthrough
In the 63rd minute CSKA had to part with their goalkeeper as Akinfeev trudged off following a collision with Dimitris Salpigidis.
The break-through came in bizarre circumstances on 67 minutes after a lengthy wait for substitute keeper Sergei Chepchugov to enter the fray.
With his first touch the keeper played the ball to an unsuspecting defender and Muslimovic was on hand to pounce on the resulting back-pass, Chepchugov fired the ball at the striker and could only watch as it cannoned into his own net.
With 25 minutes to go POAK had the chance to wrap up the tie as Ivic burst down the left and squared to Salpigidis, but the Greek striker failed to connect with the goal gaping.
Three minutes later CSKA were awarded a penalty when Kresic took out Tosic in full-flight in the area. The keeper was lucky to only see yellow.
Vagner Love stepped up and after a slow run-up fired a weak penalty that Kresic saved comfortably but Sergei Ignashevich was on hand to tap home the equaliser from the rebound.
