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Manchester United went rampant across the CSKA Moscow defence in the Champions League winning 4-0 against the Russians in Moscow on Wednesday.
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Manchester United eased past CSKA Moscow to continue their impressive start to the Champions League campaign. United stand on top of Group A with 6 points.
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Matchday-one victors CSKA Moscow were swept aside by the magnificence of the Red Devils to stand second in the group with 3 points.
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Setting The Scene
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Romelu Lukaku maintained his goal scoring form with two goals in the first half both being assist from Anthony Martial.
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Anthony Martial was absolutely jubilant as he massacred CSKA Moscow defence with two assists and a goal in the first half in the Russian capital.
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Our favourite Mikki (Henrikh Mkhitaryan) also scored for the visitors making it four just before the hour mark.
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The Reds extended their winning run to 5 games and unbeaten in 9 matches in all competitions.
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Konstanti Kuchaev had the last say in terms of score-sheet to put a consolation goal into United’s net.
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First Half
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United began the rout with four minutes into the match when Romelu Lukaku scored his and the team’s first goal of the match. The Belgian hit a far-post header from Anthony Martial’s left-wing cross.
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The Reds seized control of the match in the 4′ minute. There on, the Russians went clueless.
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But the Army Men almost found an instant reply to United’s first goal with Alan Dzagoev hitting a low drive towards the goal only to be saved by De Gea’s stretched efforts.
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The attack from CSKA was one of the very few chances created throughout the match. Otherwise, the Russians were mostly bordered by Martial, Lukaku and Mkhitaryan at the back.
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It was another making an art form from the Armenian at the European stage. His early sparkle paid roughly paid off when his low shot from a Daley Blind cross was denied by the legs of Igor Akinfeev.
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The Russian goalkeeper’s efforts throughout the match prevented further humiliation to the hosts which could have been a greater massacre for CSKA Moscow.
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Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s efforts did pay off when, however, he was brought down by Georgi Schennikov with Martial stepping-up to take the spot-kick. Martial scored his fifth goal of the season in the 18′ minute sending Akinfeev the wrong way.
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The rebellion from CSKA players were tailed down when Lukaku scored United’s third goal in 26′ minute from a not so deadly cross from Martial from the left-wing again. The goal was a mistake from CSKA defender Vasili Berezutski having swung a boot inaccurately and Lukaku pouncing on the oppurtunity.
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As if going 3-0 down wasn’t enough demoralizing for CSKA Moscow that De Gea added more disappointment to the hosts with some brilliant saves which might have been goals in presence of other keepers.
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In the 34′ minute, Lukaku triggered Akinfeev with a 20 yard out shot only to palm the ball behind for a corner.
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De Gea brilliantly tipped over a Fedor Chalov shot in the 37′ minute and the corner yielded nothing to Goncharenko’s men.
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Before the first half ended, The Russians tried twice to beat De Gea but it was meat and drink for the Spaniard. One was a powerful effort from Vitinho and another low shot from Dzagoev.
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Second Half
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CSKA Moscow made a bright start to the second half with Golovin trying to curl in left-footed effort but goes wide.
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Soon, United tries again to pounce on towards the host’s goal with Lukaku once again latching onto a through ball only to be denied by another great effort from Igor Akinfeev.
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The Russian goalkeeper had his goal covered when Daley Blind rose the highest to head Ashley Young’s cross.
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Just before the hour mark, in the 56′ minute, Akinfeev thwarted Anthony Martial to deny him another goal only to gift Henrikh Mkhitaryan with an irresistible opportunity to make it 4-0 in the rebound.
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However, the final name on the score sheet was of Konstanti Kuchaev after he beat the United defence to finally put the ball in De Gea’s net.
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The referee called the end of the night with a scoreline of 4-1 in the Russian capital.
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Conclusion
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The match ended 4-1 with CSKA Moscow demolished in the home ground by Mourinho’s rampaging Reds.
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Anthony Martial was named the Man of the Match in the Russian capital for his two assists and a goal.
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Mourinho looking happy and surprised in the post-match press conference said:
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“It was unexpected, 3-0 at half-time was unexpected. But we started strongly, we were really strong, we pressed them, we recovered the ball and our counter-attack was always fast and dangerous.”
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“This was my best team [which has faced CSKA Moscow].”
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Manchester United see off CSKA Moscow in style to maintain their impressive start to the season. United scored four goals for the fifth time this season already with only ninth matches played.
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Next for United is Premier League match against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
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Hope to see United maintain their startling form for a much longer time.
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Though it is too early to say anything, but maybe this year we get to relive some glory for Manchester United.
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Lookout for all the pre-match news and updates at arsedevils.com
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