CSKA Moscow became the first team from Russia to win a European cup, following their 3-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the Uefa Cup final.
Lisbon’s Josè Alvalade stadium was the theatre of a historic event as CSKA Moscow emerged as the Uefa Cup winners 2004/05 when they beat home side and cup favourites Sporting Lisbon in an exciting and entertaining encounter. As expected, the Portuguese took hold of the game from the starting minutes and after an initial pressing, Rogeiro put Sporting ahead with a spectacular strike from the edge of the penalty area. The goal galvanized the home team but failed to score a second one before half time, despite risking in a couple of good counter attacks by CSKA. The second half was a completely different story as the Russians defended well, but whenever they had the opportunity pushed forward till they finally equalized in the 57th minute when Berezoutski headed in a Carvalho set-piece. The Portuguese side was hurt by this goal but still continued playing their game looking for that winning goal which eventually did not arrive. The Russian squad did not lose their cool and with their waiting-game and quick counter-attack tactic found the space to score the second goal to overturn the first half result. Carvalho once again produced a brilliant assist for Zhirkov who came one-on-one with the opposing keeper and calmly slotted in the 2-1 in the 66th minute.



The most important minute of the match was definitely in the 75th minute as in the space of 30 seconds Sporting received a double blow. First Rogeiro missed an incredible sitter one metre away from the goal line and successively from the resulting counter attack CSKA scored the third goal with Vagner Love to put the final nail in their opposition’s coffin and send the Russians over the moon with their first ever European silverware.

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Song for the day - "Cloudy Skies" - UGLY KID JOE