Inter ended the Champions League group phase with a 2-1 home defeat to CSKA Moscow after terrible defending on set plays, so the Russians qualify too.
Inter ended the Champions League group phase with a 2-1 home defeat to CSKA Moscow after terrible defending on set plays, so the Russians qualify too.
The Nerazzurri already had victory in their Group locked up, so this result was irrelevant for them, though CSKA could qualify for the last 16 if they won here and the Lille-Trabzonspor match ended in a draw. Wesley Sneijder, Douglas Maicon and Lucio were injured, while other than Julio Cesar being rested, it was a fairly solid line-up. The Russians missed Igor Akinfeev, Zoran Tosic, Tomas Necid and Mark Gonzalez, but Sergei Ignashevich returned after spraining his ankle.
As expected, CKSA had a much more aggressive start and Walter Samuel needed a crucial sliding tackle in the box as Doumbia was pulling the trigger. Diego Milito sprunt the offside trap in the final third and rolled across for Philippe Coutinho, but the goalkeeper got there to intercept, earning a slight kick to the back of the head for his troubles.
Moments later, Milito did it again, this time Yuto Nagatomo was the man who fired straight at Gabulov from El Principe’s assist.
Luca Castellazzi had his palms stung by a fierce Vagner Love strike from outside the box. From the corner, the goalkeeper rushed off his line to smother at Vagner Love’s feet.
On 35 minutes a free kick was chipped into the six-yard box, where Vagner Love got in front of the defenders only to turn the free header over the bar.
Inter also threatened when Gabulov flung himself across the face of goal to palm away a Nagatomo left-foot snapshot.
Another Vagner Love free header was wide of the back post from six yards, as Inter showed huge problems defending from set plays.
In first half stoppages, Milito sprung the offside trap on a Coutinho through ball to test the goalkeeper. From the corner, his strike landed on the roof of the net.
Claudio Ranieri made a double change at the break, introducing Mauro Zarate and Luca Caldirola. However, it was CSKA Moscow who took the lead at San Siro. The Inter defence was caught out as Doumbia’s dummy allowed the pass through to Vagner Love, who returned it to spring the offside trap and deposit past an on-rushing Castellazzi.
The situation lasted barely a minute, as from a corner Andrea Ranocchia’s header was spectacularly palmed off the line, but the goalkeeper could do nothing on Esteban Cambiasso’s tap-in.
Some more clumsy defending allowed Dzagoev to test Castellazzi at the near post, while a desperate Ranocchia clearance prevented Doumbia from tapping in and Castellazzi plucked an Aleksei Berezutski volley out of the air.
Milito should’ve scored at the 85th minute with a header at the back post, which somehow cracked the underside of the crossbar from a couple of yards after great work from Javier Zanetti down the right!
That proved a costly miss, as moments later Vasili Berezutski put CSKA Moscow in front. Once again, defending from a corner was woeful and he was allowed a totally free header.
In stoppages, Nagatomo’s cross was charged down by an arm in the box, but the referee waved play on. This win was enough to send CSKA Moscow through to the last 16, as the other tie ended in a draw.
Inter 1-2 CSKA Moscow
Scorers: Doumbia 50 (C), Cambiasso 51 (I), V Berezutski 86 (C)
Inter: Castellazzi; Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Samuel, Chivu (Caldirola 46); Faraoni, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Obi (Alvarez 69); Coutinho (Zarate 46); Milito
CSKA Moscow: Gabulov; Nababkin, V Berezutski, Ignashevich, A Berezutski; Oliseh (Cauna 76), Semberas (Aldonin 76), Mamaev, Dzagoev; Vagner Love, Doumbia (Schennikov 92)
Ref: Fernandez (Spa)