Heads outwit hearts in Lisbon

By Timothy Collings at Estádio José Alvalade

Poor Sporting, poor Lisbon, poor Portugal. After seeing FC Porto claim two European trophies in successive seasons, suffering last summer's defeat by Greece at UEFA EURO 2004™ and losing at the hands of city rivals SL Benfica last Sunday, the Portuguese fans in attendance believed the UEFA Cup final would bring them consolation and, at long last, some glory.

Sharp finishing
Instead, the party was Russian-made and the night was to be toasted in vodka, rather than a local vinho. The CSKA supporters revelled in their side's achievement, landing their capital's first major European trophy with a classic counterattacking display. Their system, patience and a disciplined gameplan triumphed where Sporting - not short on courage, energy or enterprise - fell away. Pragmatism allied to slick and sharp finishing on the break overcame the orthodoxy of 4-4-2 and a team backed by the vast majority of the home crowd, and fuelled by passion rather than knowledge.

Greater threat
Yet, it had been hard not to feel sympathy for CSKA coach Valeriy Gazzaev as he ushered his players down the tunnel at half-time when they trailed 1-0 and the Portuguese were singing. His well-drilled team, in a compact 4-3-1-2 formation, had followed their instructions almost perfectly, holding Sporting at bay in the opening 20 minutes to silence the partisan home crowd, before moving forward with greater threat. Memories of Greece wrecking Portugal's dream last summer were revived at times as the Russian side marched forward but it was the 'home' team, with their offensive 4-4-2 system, who enjoyed most of the possession and most of the shots on goal - although they rarely provided evidence of their ability to win.

Flying start
CSKA, as they had promised, were not in Lisbon to make up the numbers. Any side that had conceded only four goals in their previous eight UEFA Cup contests and was playing a record-equalling 19th European tie of the season deserved respect. Sporting, by flying out of the traps at the start, showed they were concerned by their opponents' reputation for solidity and excellence on the break. CSKA showed they were set up to do just that and, as the opening period unfolded, it was clear their mixture of pragmatists and improvisers were not daunted by the task. The opening goal, when it came, was so unexpected that even the local fans seemed surprised as the excellent Igor Akinfeev was beaten by Rogerio's turn and shot from the edge of the area.

Economic system
The opening goal had ended the cat-and-mouse nature of the early contest, when CSKA were content to defend deep, condense all the space in front of their back line and suffocate the life out of Sporting's forwards. When the Russian side levelled, Aleksei Berezoutski heading down and in from Daniel Carvalho's inswinging free-kick, the travelling fans made themselves heard, blue-and-red flags waved high and the chanting boomed out loud. The green-and-whites, full of running and determination, were slowly being out-witted by a superior side operating an economic system that cut them apart on the break with increasing regularity.

Passion insufficient
A second CSKA goal seemed likely and came from a clinical counterattacking move that sent Yuri Zhirkov running clear to guide a low left-foot shot under the advancing Ricardo. The third, on the break following a glaring miss from Rogerio at the other end, merely underlined the sharpness of CSKA's rapier against Sporting's blunt broadsword, Vágner Love smashing in his eighth goal of the campaign with truly Brazilian aplomb from a pass by his outstanding compatriot Carvalho. Tears ran down Portuguese faces at the end, but it was a deserved victory by a well-prepared team. This was no Greek ambush, but a demonstration of superiority on a night when passion, and ambition, were not enough.