CSKA into knockout phase as Manchester City win again

Nov 27, 2008, 20:24 GMT

Hamburg - Manchester City eased to a 2-0 victory over German side Schalke 04 in the UEFA Cup Thursday while CSKA Moscow booked their place in the knockout stages with a 2-1 victory over Polish side Lech Poznan.

Even without injured stars Robinho, Elano and Martin Petrov, the English Premier League side proved too strong for Schalke at the Veltins Arena.

Benjani put Mark Hughes' side in front on 32 minutes while Stephen Ireland sealed the win after 66 minutes with a clinical finish.

The victory moves City on to six points in Group A, two clear of Schalke. Paris St Germain and Racing Santander meet in the other group game later Thursday. 

'We lost our belief after going a goal down,' said Schalke coach Fred Rutten. 'We were up against a very strong opponent and weren't able to turn the game around.'

CSKA Moscow booked their place in the knockout stages with a 2-1 victory over Poznan in a Group H encounter.

Alan Dzagoev latched on to a pass from Vagner Love to open the scoring for the Russians and Yuri Zhirkov doubled the home side's lead at the Luzhniki Stadium with a left-footed volley just before the break.

Semir Pilic pulled on back for Poznan from a free-kick after 66 minutes.

The victory was CSKA's third win in succession in the group and moves CSKA on to nine points from three matches, five clear of Nancy and eight ahead of Poznan. Deportivo La Coruna and Feyenoord Rotterdam, who are both still without a point, meet later Thursday.

Jamie O'Hara scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham Hotspur beat Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in Group D.

The victory moves Spurs to the top of the group, level on six points with Udinese. Metalist Kharkiv shocked Galatasaray 1-0 in Group B, with Edmar snatching all three points with a winner nine minutes from time.

In Group F, Zilina and Slavia Prague got their first points of the campaign as the two sides played out a scoreless draw.