Italians Defeated in Russia
// CSKA advances to the UEFA Cup final
Victory
By defeating Italy's Parma 3:0 in Moscow yesterday, CSKA did what no other Russian club before it has been able to do – it advanced to the UEFA Cup final.
Our clubs always considered the second-ranking European club tournament to be the most difficult even in Soviet times. Three Dinamo teams – Moscow, Kiev, and Tbilisi – reached the final of the Super Cup. Kiev won it twice, and Tbilisi, once. Kiev Dinamo and Spartak also played in the semifinal of the European Champions Cup. No Soviet team ever made it to this stage of the UEFA Cup. The Russians did it only once. In 1998, Spartak had Inter as an opponent, with Ronaldo, Ivan Zamorano, and Javier Zanetti, and lost both matches 1:2.
In Russian times, our teams advanced to European cup semifinals another three times. All three times, there was no question of winning the Super Cup. Spartak bungled its first attempt in 1993, losing to Antwerpen. Lokomotiv bungled twice – in 1998 and 1999, advancing Stuttgart and Lazio to the final. CSKA used its chance yesterday.
For CSKA, which had an unusually large number of VIPs, including Viacheslav Fetisov, Sergey Shoigu, Sergey Yastrzhembsky, and Valery Shantsev, cheering for it yesterday in Cherkizov, it all began better than anyone imagined. In the second minute, Yury Zhirkov had nearly overtaken goalkeeper Luca Bucchi after a skilful standard play. Parma, which had left most of its leading players, including Alberto Gilardino, Andrea Pisanu, Domenico Morfeo, and Fabio Simplicio, on the reserve bench or not on call at all, as coach Pietro Carmignani had promised, quickly repulsed the attack again with great difficulty. Ivica Olic burst into the penalty area from the right, but Daniele Bonera kicked the ball away from the Croat, in a risky, penalty-fraught roll. Fears that CSKA would play about the same cautious, boring football as it had a week ago in Italy were immediately dispelled.
Parma, however, also immediately showed they would not only try to get through, but also score by carrying out a beautiful attack with a scissors pass and kick – fortunately past the goal. Right after their thrust, the Italians missed a CSKA player. Zhirkov somehow very easily escaped from Ibrahim Kamara, who was opposing him on the left flank, and made an astounding pass – a bit backwards right to the 11-meter line, to where Daniel Carvalho was already running. The Brazilian made contact under the horizontal bar. The score was 1:0, and in the stands they started setting off firecrackers, one of them close to Bucchi. Deafened in one ear, the goalkeeper asked for a replacement after a while.
A second before Bucchi gave his place at the goal to Sebastien Frey, Zhirkov, who proved to be too quick and skilled for Kamara, again beat his opponent. Unfortunately the defenseman blocked Vagner's kick. It was not surprising then that Kamara had earned his yellow card even before the break. The only way he could cope with Zhirkov was with a foul.
Parma, which needed a score, tried to move forwards. But the CSKA defense easily dealt with the long shots the Italians were making to try and bring Francesco Ruopolo, Daved Furlan, or Marco Bresciano to the goal. The primitiveness of the attacks could have played a dirty trick on CSKA. In the 33rd minute, Parma made a corner kick and somehow forgot all about Ruopolo. He leaped up and hit competently and correctly with his head. Fortunately, the leap was too high, and the ball passed over the bar.
Parma's second moment in the first half also came thanks to a standard position. Just before the break, Bresciano made a penalty kick, and after a free kick from Sergey Ignashevich, the ball flew past the goalpost.
Two chances in 45 minutes obviously didn't suit Carmignani. So in the second half, he decided to risk his main star, and Alberto Gilardino, last season's second Serie A striker, came out on the field. The CSKA fans didn't like this, but then something else happened, with the opposite effect.
The second CSKA goal was Brazilian. Vagner turned around near the central circle, left Vicenzo Grella, and passed to the right from the penalty line, guessing once again when and where Carvalho needed to run. Carvalho kicked with amazing accuracy into the corner.
The spectators didn't have to wait long for the next cause for celebration. – to the CSKA penalty from the left border. Carvalho, who had scored two goals, added a successful pass aimed at Vasily Berezutsky's head. When the score reached 3:0, it was obvious that neither Gilardino nor Simplicio, who came out right after him, could help Parma any longer.
CSKA could have scored again. Three times from penalties alone. But the fans were probably not too disappointed that the win wasn't even greater.
Thus, CSKA will play in the UEFA Cup final in Lisbon on May 18. The opponent of Valery Gazzaev's team was designated late yesterday evening in a return match between the Dutch Alkmaar and the Portuguese Sporting.
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UEFA Cup Semifinal
Return Match
CSKA (Russia)–Parma (Italy) 3:0
Carvalho, 10, 53; V. Berezutsky, 60.
Warnings: Aldonin, 50; Vagner, 67 – Kamara, 36; Bresciano, 69; Bovo, 77; Bonera, 81.
CSKA: Igor Akinfeev – Vasily Berezutsky, Sergey Ignashevich, Aleksey Berezutsky – Chidi Odiah, Elver Rakhimich, Daniel Carvalho (Deividas Siemberas, 75), Evgeny Aldonin, Yury Zhirkov – Ivica Olic (Milos Krasic, 58), Vagner Love (Aleksandr Salugin, 88).
Parma: Luca Bucchi (Sebastien Frey, 19) – Paolo Cannavaro, Daniele Bonera, Cesare Bovo – Ibrahim Kamara, Vincenzo Grella (Fabio Simplicio, 59), Filippo Savi, Marco Bresciano, Daniele Dessena – Daved Furlan (Alberto Gilardino, 49), Francesco Ruopolo.
Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).
Moscow, Lokomotiv Stadium, 26,000 spectators.
Aleksey Dospekhov
All the Article in Russian as of May 06, 2005
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