Mourinho's men Defeat Rubin Kazan 2-0 to make it to the knock-out stage of Champions League
Mourinho's men Defeat Rubin Kazan 2-0 to make it to the knock-out stage of Champions League
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Rumours before the game suggested the Portuguese would be out at the end of the season if Inter failed to progress but in the end there was little to worry about as goals from Samuel Eto'o and Mario Balotelli ensured a comfortable night.
And although they were soundly out-played here, Rubin could be well proud of their first endeavour in Europe's premier club competition that yielded a win in the Camp Nou.
Mourinho demonstrated his intent right from the start by picking an attacking line-up with three forwards and playmaker Wesley Sneijder in midfield.
Rubin had shown their threat on the counter in Barcelona from where they came away with a 2-1 win and a defence splitting pass on 18 minutes played in Turk Gokdeniz Karadeniz in the inside left channel but Julio Cesar got down well to keep out his near post shot.
The hosts went ahead on the half hour as captain Javier Zanetti brilliantly battled past two defenders on the left and although he lost the ball at the end, a defender's foot played it to Balotelli whose backheel found Eto'o eight yards out and the Cameroon forward rifled home.
Young Gunners fail to impress in Greece
Arsenal's young guns failed to fire yesterday as they slipped to a solitary goal defeat at Olympiakos in their final Champions League Group H pool encounter to take the Greeks through.
Having already wrapped up the group in taking 13 points from their opening five matches, Gunners' coach Arsene Wenger sent out a clutch of 10 teenagers as well as fit-again Theo Walcott, a comparative veteran at 20.
Meanwhile, Alberto Gilardino's stoppage time winner ensured Liverpool ended a disastrous campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Fiorentina at Anfield yesterday.
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