Rubin Kazan remain in contention for a top-two finish after a slender 1-0 victory against Copenhagen.
Skipper Noboa scores from spot to secure points
Newly deposed Russian champions Rubin Kazan remain in contention for a top-two finish in UEFA Champions League Group D after a slender 1-0 victory against Copenhagen.
The Danes knew they needed only draw with Rubin in order to virtually guarantee that they qualify as runners-up behind Barcelona.
However, Rubin were thankful to English referee Martin Atkinson after he penalised former Chelsea midfielder Jesper Gronkjaer for handling in the box late in the first half.
Christian Noboa made no mistake from 12 yards and Rubin will now have to conjure up a win at the Camp Nou and hope Panathinaikos upset Copenhagen in Denmark on the final Matchday to secure a passage to the knockout phase.
Record
Rubin entered the Champions League tie on the back of a 12-game unbeaten record, including three successive draws in Europe.
Carlos Eduardo was sidelined with a knee injury so Gokdeniz Karadeniz replaced him. Striker Obafemi Martins, who sat out Saturday's domestic encounter with newly crowned Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg with flu, failed to make the squad but goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov (shoulder) recovered in time.
Copenhagen had a full-strength side and looked to the key trio of Claudemir, Martin Vingaard and Dame N'Doye, who bagged the winner in the first meeting between these sides on Matchday One.
The Danish Champions, who are unbeaten domestically after 20 games, were without defender Solvi Ottesen who did not travel to Tatarstan because his wife is due to give birth.
In a scrappy first half bereft of chances, Copenhagen were quite content to sit back and try and hit the Russians on the counter-attack knowing that a point would probably be enough to take them through to the knockout stages.
On a bitterly cold night in front of a sparse crowd in Kazan, the hosts made the brighter start, quickly moving the bright orange ball about the slippery surface at Centralni.
Within the opening ten minutes, Rubin's appeals for a penalty were quickly turned down by referee Atkinson after Noboa's fierce drive from the edge of the box was charged down.
But Copenhagen soon created an opening of their own when Cesar Navas' slip allowed 33-year-old Gronkjaer to race away down the left but his cross was ballooned over the crossbar by Costa Rican winger Christian Bolanos.
Karadeniz was determined to make an impression but defender Zanka Jorgensen nullified the threat of the Turkish international with an impressive challenge midway through the opening period.
Sergei Kornilenko was becoming a growing threat to the Danes and he managed to wriggle away from Mikael Antonsson before firing his low drive wide of Johan Wiland's far post.
The man on loan from rivals Zenit, Kornilenko, was holding his head half-an-hour in, although his long-distance effort was comfortably wide of the target.
Aleksandr Ryazantsev was booked just before the break for simulation. The Russia Under-21 international appealed for a penalty after falling over the feet of Claudemir but Mr Atkinson was not at all impressed.
Bewildered
However, just as both sides appeared to be playing out time, Rubin won themselves a penalty after an off-balance Gronkjaer handled the ball with an outstretched arm leaving the Danish defenders bewildered by the decision.
Noboa stepped up to smash the ball down the centre of Wiland's goal to give Kurban Berdyev's side an unlikely lead on the stroke of half-time.
The Danes started the second period with more verve and three minutes in, full-back Zdenek Pospech opened up before unleashing a low drive which the outstretched Ryzhikov turned around the post.
However, the Russians upped their own workload throwing as many as three men forward on the counter.
Zanka Jorgensen almost conceded a bizarre own goal with 20 minutes remaining with a hefty back-pass which Wiland could only balloon behind for a corner.
The visitors soon brought on striker Kenneth Zohore to add an attacking threat. The 16-year-old became the third youngest player to appear in the Champions League.
Copenhagen's pressure and possession was mounting and N'Doye thought he had levelled after 76 minutes but his curling effort from the edge of the box clipped the top of the crossbar with Ryzhikov beaten.
The Danes continued to press and despite a late onslaught, Rubin held firm to secure a vital three points and ensure the fight for second spot will go down to the final Matchday.
| Rubin Kazan |
Team Statistics |
FC København |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 4 |
Corners |
7 |
| 14 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 4 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 71.1 |
Passing Success |
79 |
| 13 |
Tackles |
14 |
| 84.6 |
Tackles Success |
71.4 |
| 45.1 |
Possession |
54.9 |
| 44 |
Territorial Advantage |
56 |
|
