Honda Steers CSKA to 2-0 Derby Win over Spartak

© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankКейсуке Хонда
Кейсуке Хонда - Sputnik International
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Keisuke Honda engineered a 2-0 win for CSKA Moscow over Spartak on Sunday, claiming a goal and an assist to elevate his team to second in the Russian Premier League.

(UPDATES with details, quotes)

Keisuke Honda engineered a 2-0 win for CSKA Moscow over Spartak on Sunday, claiming a goal and an assist to elevate his team to second in the Russian Premier League.

CSKA went ahead on 15 minutes, when Honda played a one-two with Zoran Tosic before releasing Ahmed Musa for the simplest of sidefoot finishes.

It was a fourth goal in six games for the pacy Nigerian, a natural winger who has been playing as makeshift striker due to an injury to forward Seydou Doumbia.

Musa and Honda swapped roles for the second on 52 minutes. The Japanese playmaker slotted the ball under Sergei Pesyakov in the Spartak goal after Musa raced clear and timed a pass to perfection.

Spartak had a legitimate strike ruled out for offside on 70 minutes as substitute Artem Dzyuba lashed home a rebound.

CSKA's seventh win in their last eight sees them overtake Terek Grozny to go second in the table, two points behind leaders Anzhi Makhachkala who won 2-0 at Dynamo Moscow earlier Sunday.

"We got the result, perhaps not the way we would have wanted because after scoring an early goal we had to play on the counter attack," CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky said. "But on the whole we put in a decent performance and deserved to win."

Unai Emery's side stay sixth after suffering their fourth league defeat of the season.

Spartak had their moments in front of goal but it was Honda who made the difference for the visitors, proving himself crucial to Slutsky's plans.

Brazilian forward Ari hit the crossbar with a cute chip as Spartak sought to respond to Musa's opener immediately.

CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev beat Spartak winger Aiden McGeady to a through ball after the Irish international mysteriously decided to check his run.

Honda elected to shoot on 34 minutes with Aleksandrs Cauna completely free through the middle.

Spartak defender Dmitry Kombarov intercepted a Honda cross with Cauna poised to bury it, the last danger moment before half time.

The visitors should have doubled their lead right after the break as Honda played in Musa, who pulled it back for Cauna to blaze over.

But the second wasn't long in coming, as Musa showed surprising strength for his light frame to shake off a defender and play Honda in.

Spartak attacked with desperation but looked hopelessly disjointed following their midweek 3-2 defeat to Celtic in the Champions League.

Ari looped a header over off a long ball and substitute Welliton angled an almost apologetic header at Akinfeev from a Kirill Kombarov cross with ten minutes to go.

Slutsky's side soaked up the remaining Spartak forays with ease to take the derby honors.

 

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