PSV out to finish the job against CSKA
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Article summary
PSV Eindhoven are looking to secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, and victory against CSKA Mosvka on matchday six will guarantee progress.
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Article body
PSV Eindhoven are looking to take the final step toward qualification for the last 16 when they host PFC CSKA Mosvka on matchday six.
• The 0-0 draw at Manchester United FC last time out leaves PSV third in Group B but they go into this final game knowing a victory will guarantee their progress. A draw would also be enough if United were to lose at VfL Wolfsburg.
• Beaten at home by Wolfsburg on matchday five, CSKA are out of the running for the last 16 but would overtake PSV and secure a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 with a win in Eindhoven.
Previous meetings
• Beaten 3-2 in Moscow on matchday two, PSV defeated CSKA home and away in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2007/08.
• Jan Wouters' PSV triumphed 2-1 in Eindhoven – Danko Lazović and Kenneth Perez scoring before Vágner Love's late reply – and then prevailed 1-0 in Moscow through a Jefferson Farfán header. PSV ended third in the group with CSKA bottom.
• The lineups in Eindhoven on 19 September 2007 were:
PSV: Gomes, Alcides, Da Costa, Addo, Salcido, Culina, Simons, Méndez (Kromkamp 71), Lazović, Koevermans (Farfán 75), Afellay (Perez 28).
CSKA: Mandrykin, V Berezutski, Ignashevich, A Berezutski, Šemberas, Rahimić (Eduardo 78), Krasić, Dudu, Zhirkov, Vágner Love, Jô.
Match background
PSV
• PSV are looking to secure qualification to the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2006/07.
• After beating Manchester United and Wolfsburg, they are seeking a third straight home success in Group B. They last posted three successive home wins in the UEFA Champions League in the group stage in 2005/06.
• PSV suffered two home defeats against Russian opposition in the UEFA Europa League last season, losing to FC Dinamo Moskva (0-1) in the group stage and to FC Zenit (0-1) in the round of 32. They also lost both away games.
• Their overall record against Russian clubs is W3 D0 L6. Defeat by CSKA last time out made it five straight losses.
CSKA
• CSKA visit Eindhoven looking to avoid finishing bottom of their UEFA Champions League group for the third season running.
• Their only victory in Group B to date was the 3-2 home success over PSV on 30 September.
• They are still seeking their first away goal and point in the group after 1-0 losses at both Wolfsburg and United. Overall, play-offs included, they have won one and lost three matches on the road this term.
• CSKA won 3-1 at Feyenoord on their last visit to the Netherlands in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage, Vágner Love scoring twice and Giovanni van Bronkhorst an own goal. They have five survivors of that fixture in their current squad: Igor Akinfeev, Sergei Ignashevich, Aleksei and Vasili Berezutski, and Alan Dzagoev.
Coach and player links
• As a player, PSV coach Phillip Cocu beat FC Lokomotiv Moskva away (3-1) and home (1-0) in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League first group stage.
• CSKA's Zoran Tošić faced PSV defender Simon Poulsen in Serbia's 2-0 reverse away to Denmark in a UEFA EURO 2016 qualifier in June. Poulsen had been an unused substitute when Tošić scored in Serbia's earlier home loss (1-3) to the Danes in November 2014.
• Vasili Berezutski, Ignashevich and Dzagoev helped Russia beat Poulsen's Denmark 2-0 in a friendly match in February 2012.
• Akinfeev and Ignashevich played in Russia's 3-1 quarter-final win over the Netherlands at UEFA EURO 2008.
• Ahmed Musa featured 37 times and scored eight goals for VVV-Venlo in the Dutch Eredivisie (2010–2012).
• Players who have played together:
Pontus Wernbloom & Héctor Moreno, Stijn Schaars, Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar's 2009 Dutch title-winning team)
Match facts
PSV
• Santiago Arias is suspended; Luuk De Jong's next booking will incur a ban.
• PSV are nine games unbeaten, winning seven, since their matchday three defeat by Wolfsburg.
• The Eredivisie outfit have not lost at home since a 3-1 defeat by AFC Ajax on 1 March.
• Florian Jozefzoon (out since January, right knee) was an unused substitute in PSV's last two league games.
• Luciano Narsingh was ruled out for around three weeks after suffering a minor hamstring tear on matchday five.
• Maxime Lestienne (personal reasons) has not played since matchday two.
• Jetro Willems has yet to play this term having sustained a left knee injury on 14 July.
• Menno Koch (knee) has not featured since 8 March, when he was on loan at NAC Breda.
CSKA
• Georgi Schennikov and Pontus Wernbloom are a booking away from a ban.
• A 2-0 domestic loss at Amkar Perm on Thursday means CSKA have gone six matches without a win, losing five of them. They were unbeaten in their first 15 league games this season, but have now lost the last three.
• Kirill Nababkin's opener in the 1-1 draw at Premier-Liga strugglers FC Anji Makhachkala on 29 November is CSKA's only goal in their last four games.
• Akinfeev has conceded a goal in each of his last 36 UEFA Champions League appearances, qualifying included. His last clean sheet in the competition came when CSKA drew 0-0 at Arsenal FC on 1 November 2006.
• The Army Men have failed to score from six penalties this season.