CSKA Moscow vs. Manchester City: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Manchester City blew a two-goal lead and could only draw 2-2 with CSKA Moscow at an empty Arena Khimki on Tuesday.
Sergio Aguero broke through for the guests after an unselfish play from Edin Dzeko just before the half-hour mark, and in the 37th minute James Milner put the Premier League side two goals to the good with Aguero this time picking up the assist.
But that was as good as it got for the guests, who were cut apart when Ahmed Musa set up Seydou Doumbia in the 64th minute, and with four minutes remaining Doumbia drew a penalty decision off Aleksandar Kolarov that allowed Bibras Natkho to equalise from the spot.
Both managers will have learned a thing or two about their respective sides over the 90 minutes, and over the next few slides we’ll highlight some of the takeaways from this Group E encounter.
Unselfishness Is Rewarded
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Edin Dzeko deserves considerable credit for Manchester City’s first goal at Arena Khimki.
Having timed his run to perfection, the Bosnia and Herzegovina striker controlled David Silva’s defence-splitting ball and then slid it over to Sergio Aguero, who made no mistake with the net gaping.
The assist was Dzeko’s second in all competitions this season and first in the Champions League.
Ahmed Musa Can Unlock a Defense
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Ahmed Musa scored twice against Argentina at the 2014 World Cup and in the buildup to Tuesday’s match opined that Manchester City were “very weak” this term, as per Andy Hampson of the Press Association (via Daily Mail).
He then proceeded to back up his words with a standout performance.
With the game still scoreless he released an audacious attempt from distance that quite nearly put CSKA Moscow ahead, but in the 64th minute he finally unlocked the City defense.
Running into space down the right, Musa spotted the run of Seydou Doumbia and squared a superb ball into the path of his team-mate, who beat Joe Hart from in close.
The pass found its way behind both Eliaquim Mangala and Vincent Kompany before arriving at Doumbia’s feet.
Sergio Aguero Is in Unstoppable Form
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Sergio Aguero is in a purple patch that makes other purple patches look pink.
In the 29th minute the Argentina international scored his fifth goal in two matches and eighth in six, and eight minutes later he picked up an assist on James Milner’s insurance marker.
There seems to be no stopping the 26-year-old at the moment. He’s also the Premier League’s joint-leading goalscorer with nine goals already this season.
Closed-Door Matches Punish Everyone
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CSKA Moscow were once again obliged to host a Champions League match behind closed doors—the result of a UEFA punishment handed down for racist chanting from a section of the Russian outfit’s support.
But travelling Manchester City fans were also denied the opportunity to watch their team in Europe’s premiere club competition, and according to The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson they were also prevented from observing the match from a rented apartment.
As The Associated Press’ Rob Harris remarked on his Twitter account, closed-door matches punish the innocent as well as the perpetrators.
City Are in a World of Trouble in Group E
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Manchester City’s Champions League woes continued on Tuesday as they conceded twice in the second half to allow CSKA Moscow a share of the points at Arena Khimki.
The result came on the heels of a 1-1 draw against AS Roma in which they also took the lead, and they opened their group-stage campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich.
City have just two points from three group-stage matches to date and are in serious danger of missing out on the round of 16.
Yet manager Manuel Pellegrini remained defiant about his side's chances. "We have nine points left to play for," he told MCFC.co.uk. "After we’ve played for those nine points we’ll see how many we have. Of course we can still qualify."
