Alan Dzagoev celebrates CSKA's first goal.
Dzagoev got the Army on the board in the seventh minute with a rocket from distance. The shot, from about 28 meters out, dove past Besiktas goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber for the Ossetian’s second Champions League goal.
The tally was part of a strong start from CSKA that saw them dominate the first twenty-five minutes. Continuing with the same ambitious attacking they have shown since Juande Ramos was given the manager’s job, CSKA was able to continuously generate scoring opportunities.
Near the thirty minute mark, Besiktas seems to gain their bearings and started maintain more possession, forcing more corners, and creating a number of half-chances. Still, the half played out with CSKA looking the more likely to a second goal, though it never came. The Army would go into half up one.
The second was more of the same, with Besiktas unable to generate any consistent inroads into attack. CSKA, conversely, continued attacking at all angles: from the right with Krasic, through the middle with Dzagoev, and on the left with Mark González.
Their ambition payed off in the 61st minute when Krasic burst into the box and beat Reçber to the near post, giving CSKA an insurance goal.
Though CSKA would continue in control of the match, they lost their ambition after Krasic’s goal. Besiktas saw more of the ball and, feeling less pressure, were able to work up an attack.
By the time stoppage time came around, Besiktas had been threatening to make Krasic’s goal count. When defender Ekrem Dağ beat Igor Akinfeev, Besiktas threatened to bring drama to the remainder of stoppage time.
Thankfully for CSKA, who had shifted gears into neutral, the whistle blew soon after the goal, giving the Army Russia’s first victory of this Champions League season.
The win vaulted CSKA into a tie for Group B’s second place with Wolfsburg, who lost in England to Manchester United. CSKA’s next match will be against that same United side, October 21 at Luzhniki Stadium.
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