Draws see United and Chelsea through in Champions League
November 4, 2009 by Alex Homer
Antonio Valencia’s deflected shot salvaged a 3-3 draw for Manchester United against CSKA Moscow as they qualified for the Champions League knockout stage.
Valencia’s injury-time strike was flying well wide before hitting Georgi Shchennikov as he turned his back.
Alan Dzagoyev fired the Russians into the lead after 25 minutes at Old Trafford before Michael Owen equalised four minutes later.
Milos Krasic restored the Muscovite lead after 31 minutes however, rounding Edwin Van der Sar, and CSKA went into half-time 2-1 up.
Sir Alex Ferguson told his charges to defend better in the second half and was seated just in time to watch Vasili Berezutsky, unmarked, head the visitors 3-1 ahead.
Wayne Rooney began warming up immediately and, buoyed by Rooney’s substitution, United mounted their comeback.
As the Reds were regaining a foothold in the game, referee Olegario Benquerenca almost spoiled the mood a day after the birth of Rooney’s baby boy, Kai Wayne.
The Portuguese official booked Darren Fletcher for diving, when replays showed he had a valid penalty claim.
As CSKA defended deeper and deeper, space behind the backline was hard to find and Gary Neville and Patrice Evra became United’s main attacking outlets, while Fletcher spread the play with long balls.
Federico Macheda hit the left-hand post with tension mounting before Paul Scholes met a Neville cross with precision, finding the top left corner after 84 minutes.
With time seemingly against United’s qualification, Valencia took aim from outside the area and the deflection off Shchennikov did the rest.
Deividas Semberas’s tussle with Gabriel Obertan late on, resulting in his second yellow card, epitomised CSKA’s deflation at the final whistle, after being so close to ending United’s 22-game unbeaten run at home in the competition.
Chelsea meanwhile drew 2-2 with Atletico Madrid to secure their place in the last 16 in front of a packed Vicente Calderon crowd.
Second-half substitute Sergio Aguero gave the home side the lead, timing his arrival into the area perfectly to volley past Petr Cech.
With their first goal of the European campaign in the bag, new coach Quique Sanchez Flores saw Atletico maintain the advantage till the last ten minutes.
Didier Drogba burst the Spaniards’ bubble however, when he headed home a Florent Malouda cross after 82 minutes.
And Drogba’s power and determination told after 88 minutes, when he netted, with four to beat and no-one in support.
Trickery and muscle saw him shake off the defenders before his shot struck keeper Sergio Ajenso in the midriff but rebounded kindly for the Ivorian’s twelfth goal of the season.
Aguero’s injury-time free kick capped off a night of thrilling draws however, bending the ball into the top right corner to ensure Atletico remain unbeaten at home this term.
Thanks to oleole.com for the picture.
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