CSKA v Inter - Match at a glance
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Article summary
What happened
Wesley Sneijder's early free-kick left CSKA needing to score three and their hopes were fading even before substitute Chidi Odiah's 49th-minute dismissal.
Key moment
Sneijder had been a doubt with an ankle injury but started and almost immediately decided the tie with a low strike that bamboozled Igor Akinfeev.
Numbers game
Seven years have passed since Inter's previous appearance in the semi-finals against AC Milan, the season before José Mourinho won with FC Porto.
Article body
One on one
Keisuke Honda was in a withdrawn role but still came forward, however it was Sneijder who proved the probing playmaker that made the difference.
Crowd pleaser
Midway through the second half fine long-range efforts from Sneijder and Dejan Stanković forced a couple of fine Akinfeev saves in quick succession.
What it means
Inter welcome holders FC Barcelona or Arsenal FC in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday 20 April before the away return eight days later.