CSKA open their account
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Article summary
PFC CSKA Sofia 2-0 Viking FK
Miodrag Ješić's side maintain hope of progressing in the UEFA Cup with their first Group A points.
Article body
Confident victory
Hristo Yanev scored the opening goal from the penalty spot on 35 minutes before Guillaume Dah Zadi made an instant impact with a goal just 59 seconds after coming on at half-time, creating a two-goal cushion which the home side never looked like relinquishing.
Early chances
CSKA dominated throughout and created chances early as Yordan Todorov and Emil Gargorov both had shots on goal. Velizar Dimitrov gave Viking goalkeeper Anthony Basso his first test on 14 minutes with a shot from eight metres which the Frenchman punched clear.
Busy Basso
Basso looked less convincing when he fumbled Sergej Jakirović's long-range effort ten minutes later, but he did just enough to keep it out. It was a busy night for the goalkeeper, and minutes later he was in action again, deflecting Yanev's curling free-kick around the post with an excellent fingertip save.
Yanev opener
CSKA continued to press with both Stoyko Sakaliev and Gargorov trying their luck, but Basso stood firm. Then on 33 minutes Thomas Pereira brought down Dimitrov inside the area, and Yanev powered the resulting penalty into the top corner to delight the home crowd.
Instant impact
Dah Zadi came on for Sakaliev during the interval and immediately headed in Tiago Silva's cross to double the lead. Viking's first serious attack arrived eleven minutes later when Jørgen Tengesdal crossed for Nkosinathi Nhleko only for Dejan Maksić to save. Yanev fired another shot over the bar before Egil Østenstad hit the crossbar.
Nhelko denied
Nhelko had two further efforts for Viking as the second half wore on but failed to genuinely test Maksić, and while Yanev forced another good save from Basso with a curling shot five minutes from time, the score remained at 2-0 to give CKSA Sofia a heartening victory.