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Parma draw with CSKA Moscow
Italy's Parma and Russian outfit CSKA Moscow played out a dull goalless draw in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final in Parma on Thursday.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:51 AM IST
Read Time: 2 min
Parma:
Italy's Parma and Russian outfit CSKA Moscow played out a dull goalless draw in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final in Parma on Thursday.
Neither side created much in the way of goalscoring opportunities and the tie will be settled in Moscow next week.
Currently second from bottom in Italy's Serie A, Parma were hoping to give their season a timely lift when they hosted CSKA Moscow in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final.
With coach Pietro Carmignani preferring to concentrate on his side's relegation battle, Parma fielded six youth team players in their starting eleven.
CSKA, in turn, were allowed to postpone two games in the Russian championship to prepare for Thursday's match and had just the one injury worry - striker Wagner Love started on the bench.
Parma's best chance of the first half came from an attempted cross by Fabio Vignaroli.
After a short-corner routine, Vignaroli curled a cross towards the far post of the CSKA goal and the ball just shaved the upright.
CSKA looked the slightly more dangerous of the two teams and could have taken the lead, but for some poor finishing.
A slick passing move allowed Yuri Zhirkov some space in the Parma area, but his weak shot was easily saved by goalkeeper Luca Bucci.
Another good build-up resulted in some time and space for Deividas Semberas, just outside the Parma box, but his powerful shot was fired well over the crossbar.
The second half progressed much the same as the first, although Parma did create a clear-cut chance for striker Francesco Ruopolo.
Paolo Cannavaro won possession deep in the Parma half, before playing a well-weighted pass into the path of Ruopolo, who ran on and dumped his attempted shot into the side-netting of the CSKA goal.
CSKA's best chance of the second half came from a Daniel Carvalho free-kick.
The Brazilian curled a left-footed strike from outside the Parma box just over the crossbar and with that went their best opportunity of grabbing a precious away goal.
Parma nearly snatched a late goal when the industrious Vignaroli picked up a loose ball just outside the CSKA penalty area and fired a powerful shot that dipped and deceived Igor Akinfeev in the visitors' goal.
The Russian, though, kept the shot out and Parma had to settle for a goalless draw.
The Italians now face a daunting trip to Moscow next week, where CSKA are traditionally much stronger than when playing away from home.
In the other semi-final, Portugal's Sporting Lisbon beat Dutch side AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the first leg in Lisbon. (AP)
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