Leverkusen undone by late penalty in draw with CSKA, still book spot in last 16
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ByEurosport
Updated 22/11/2016 at 22:55 GMT
Champions League, Group E - CSKA Moscow 1 (Bebars Natcho, 76 pen) Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Volland, 16)
CSKA Moscow's Israeli midfielder Bibras Natcho (R) celebrates after scoring a penalty shot during the UEFA Champions League football match between PFC CSKA Moscow and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the CSKA Arena in Moscow on November 22, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
Bibras Natcho's late penalty for CSKA Moscow secured a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, but it was not enough to maintain the Russian side's hopes of reaching the last 16.
Leverkusen, who took the lead after 16 minutes through Kevin Volland, stay second Group E with seven points and booked their spot in the knockout rounds after Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 to leaders Monaco later on Tuesday.
The Germans started brightly and were rewarded for their endeavour when Kevin Kampl played a delightful pass into Volland, who sprang the home side's offside trap and fired the ball past CSKA keeper Igor Akinfeev, who conceded for the 42nd consecutive game in the competition.
Defensive frailties have been the Russian champions' Achilles heel throughout their Champions League campaign this season and they almost surfaced again as Javier Hernandez had a goal ruled out for offside after CSKA were undone from a free kick.
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CSKA Moscow's Bibras Natcho argues with Bayer Leverkusen's Kevin Kampl
Image credit: Reuters
CSKA pushed forward in the second half in search of an equaliser and levelled with 14 minutes remaining through Natcho's spot kick after Mario Fernandes was fouled in the area.
Both sides then had chances to grab a winner as Volland was denied by the woodwork after 80 minutes and Alan Dzagoev went close for the home side, who stay bottom of the group with three points with one match remaining.
TALKING POINT
Leverkusen sit ninth in the Bundesliga and it showed against CSKA, who are a poor outfit. They need a dramatic uplift in performance if they are to go any further than the last 16.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA) - Handed a Champions League debut, and the youngster produced a lively and promising debut. With a little bit more coolness, could have contributed to a victory for the Moscow side.
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Leverkusen's defender Benjamin Henrichs (R) and CSKA Moscow's midfielder Aleksandr Golovin vie for the ball next to Leverkusen's goalkeeper Bernd Leno during the UEFA Champions League football match between PFC CSKA Moscow and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the C
Image credit: AFP
PLAYER RATINGS
CSKA Moscow: Akinfeev 6, Fernandes 6, Alexsei Berezutski 7, Vasili Berezutski 7, Schennikov 7, Milanov 6, Wernbloom 6, Dzagoev, Golovin 7, Bebras Natcho 7, Fedor Chalov 7..subs: Traore 6, Strandberg 6
Bayer Leverkusen: Leno 7, Jedvaj 6, Tah 6, Toprak 7, Henrichs 6, Volland 7, Aranguiz 6, Kampl 7, Brandt 7, Calhanoglu 6, Hernandez 6..subs: Mehmedi 6, Baumgartlinger 6, Havertz 6
KEY MOMENTS
9' SAVE A vital block from Leno in the Leverkusen goal after a fine run and shot by Golovin. Best chances falling to CSKA on the break.
16' GOAL! Lovely sweeping move by the visiting side. Brilliant pass by Kampl and Volland is unmarked to sweep the ball home from close range. A 1-0 lead for the visiting side.
18' CHANCE! Chance for the German side to move two goals clear. Lovely run by Javier Hernandez, but his shot at goal is straight down the throat of Akinfeev. If only he had any power on that effort.
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CSKA Moskow vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Image credit: AFP
73' PENALTY TO CSKA! Henrichs brings down Fernandes, and that is a penalty. Clearly caught late.
76' GOAL! Natcho slots the penalty. Leno guessed right, but he couldn't make the save low down to his right. It is 1-1 in this match. The Moscow side sense a victory here.
80' SO CLOSE! Brilliant effort at the other end by Volland, but the ball comes back off a post after he had beaten two home players. Still 1-1.
KEY STATS
CSKA are winless in their last nine CL matches (D3-L5), since the 3-2 home win over PSV on 30 September 2015. They had a run of 10 winless matches in a row from 2006 to 2009.
Leverkusen are the seventh team to draw at least four of their first five matches in a CL campaign, and the first since Werder Bremen in 2008/09. Bremen failed to qualify for the KO phase that season.
Leverkusen will qualify for the KO stages if Monaco beat Tottenham.
Bebars Natcho (2 goals) is the fifth player from Israel with multiple goals in the CL after Yaniv Katan (3), Eran Zahavi (4), Barukh Dego (4) and Yossi Benayoun (7).
Four of CSKA's last seven CL goals came from penalty situations.
Bebars Natcho scores his second CL goal, after a 86th-minute penalty at home against Manchester City (2-2) on 21 October 2014.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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