CSKA Moscow 3 PSV 2: Russians hold on for rare home victory

CSKA Moscow had to hold off a second-half PSV fightback to end a five-match winless home run in the Champions League group stages with a 3-2 victory over the Dutch champions.

After Ahmed Musa’s opener, Seydou Doumbia scored twice and also missed a penalty in a one-sided first half that saw the hosts dominate their opponents.

However, a brace of goals from Maxime Lestienne meant Leonid Slutsky’s side were forced to hang on after the break, even though PSV had Santiago Arias sent off with 10 minutes remaining.

The result, coupled with Manchester United triumphing 2-1 at home to Wolfsburg, means all four teams in Group B now have three points to their name.

PSV did the double over CSKA during the group stages of the 2007-08 Champions League, while they came into the contest having won five of their last six outings in all competitions.

However, any hopes they had of recording back-to-back victories at the start of a Champions League campaign for the first time in their history were hurt with a woeful first-half showing.

They fell behind in the eighth minute when Zoran Tosic’s inswinging corner from the right was allowed to drop to the feet of Musa, who turned the ball into the net after reacting faster than any of the PSV players around him.

CSKA doubled their advantage when Doumbia finished off Mario Fernandes’ perfect right-wing cross, his looping header going up and over the outstretched right arm of Jeroen Zoet in the visiting goal.

The striker’s second of the game came from the spot, Zoet being sent the wrong way after he had conceded the foul by halting Tosic’s charge towards goal with an ill-timed lunge.

Arias’ careless trip on Musa inside the area presented Doumbia with the chance to complete his hat-trick before the break, yet the forward lifted his second penalty over the top.

The miss looked like it could prove costly as Phillip Cocu’s team finally came to life after the interval.

Igor Akinfeev had to tip away a goal-bound curler from the right boot of Luciano Narsingh, though there was nothing the CSKA captain could do to stop Lestienne tapping home a low cross from Adam Maher on the hour mark.

The same combination opened up the Russians again to cut the deficit in half eight minutes later, Maher’s square pass providing Lestienne with the opportunity to lash home a left-footed strike into the top right corner.

But, the momentum PSV had been building was halted by the dismissal of Arias, who saw yellow for a second time when he fouled Musa near the left touchline as CSKA held on to secure all three points.