MOSCOW - CSKA Moscow took a huge step to becoming the first Russian team to win the UEFA Cup when they crushed French side Auxerre 4-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday.
Goals from Chidi Odiah, Sergei Ignashevich, Vagner Love and Rolan Gusev gave the Russian side a crucial advantage to take into the second-leg in France next Thursday after outclassing their opponents.
"My team put in a spectacular display especially in the first half," said CSKA coach Valeri Gazzaev.
"But at 4-0, it is a problem because I don`t know whether my players will be concentrated for the return leg. It is my job to tell them anything is possible."
The Russians, who beat another French side Paris St Germain twice in the opening round of the Champions League this season, went ahead after 21 minutes when Odiah`s shot beat Fabin Cool in goal.
It was 2-0 after 63 minutes when Ignashevich converted a penalty kick after Love had been fouled by Jean-Pascal Mignot.
Brazilian striker Love then made it 3-0 eight minutes later scoring from close range from a cross by Yuri Zhirkov.
Gusev then put away the fourth in the 77th minute after brilliant approach work from Zhirkov while Auxerre`s night plummeted to a new low when Mignot was red-carded for a second bookable offence five minutes from time.
04/07/2005 19:42 GMT