MOSCOW, 20 February 2004 — Lokomotiv Moscow won a tense Champions League match 2-1 over French outfit Monaco in cold snowy conditions in the first- leg of the round of 16 yesterday.
It could have been much worse for the French leaders who found themselves 2-0 down and completely outplayed with 30 minutes left, only for former Real Madrid star Fernando Morientes to drag Monaco back into the tie with a crucial away goal.
“It was a very tough match and the weather conditions were very difficult,” Monaco defender Patrick Evra said after the match. “2-1 is not a negative result and the goal we scored could be very important. Now we cannot afford to concede a goal in the second-leg and try and win the match,” he added.
Russian international midfielder Marat Izmailov opened the scoring with a wonder goal after 32 minutes chesting down the ball inside the box, skilfully going past two Monaco defenders and blasting high into the goal leaving Flavio Roma with little chance.
Although Monaco had the better of possession, the 2002 Russian champions increased their lead and took a stranglehold on the tie going 2-0 up on 59 minutes.
A half-cleared corner was shot goal bound by Sergei Gurenko but came back off a Moscow player into the path of 29-year-old Vladimir Maminov who coolly drove home a low right foot shot past Roma.
Monaco were on the ropes and in serious danger of losing control of the tie, but led by Jerome Rothen who battled like a tiger in the middle of the park, they pulled the crucial goal back when Morientes headed home at the far post after a goalmouth scramble.
In the first half the Russian team showed no early signs of rustiness despite not having played a competitive match for 3 months and took the game to Monaco in the early stages.
Georgia international Mikhail Ashvetia had a glorious chance to open the scoring after 16 minutes when a poor back header failed to reach Roma but he blazed his shot over the bar with only the ,keeper to beat.
Monaco gradually eased their way into the contest and began to play some slick passing football with French international Jerome Rothen and Edouard Cisse pulling the strings in midfield.
However just as the French leaders began to take control, Lokomotiv struck in spectacular fashion. Izmailov was the hero with his superb goal and at 2-0 down Monaco were losing a grip but with the Morientes goal and the second-leg in two weeks time, the tie is finely balanced.
Materazzi Ban Extended to UEFA Cup
Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi’s two-month ban from Italian soccer has been extended to the UEFA Cup, European soccer’s governing body said in Geneva yesterday. Materazzi was banned from domestic action in Italy until March 29 after hitting Siena defender Bruno Cirillo in the face after a Serie A game on Feb. 1.
UEFA said on its website that the ban had been extended worldwide by FIFA, meaning the Italian international will be unavailable for the next two rounds of the UEFA Cup.
Inter play French side Sochaux in the UEFA Cup third round tomorrow with the second leg on March 3, and Materazzi will also miss a fourth round tie if they progress.
Materazzi, who missed Inter’s 4-0 win over Siena through injury but watched the game from the touchline, was accused by Cirillo of taunting him throughout the match.
