Rubin keep hopes alive

The Rubin skipper made no mistake on the stroke of half-time after Jesper Gronkjaer handled in the box in a generally poor game that saw the previously exciting Copenhagen play negatively in a match that, had they won, would have seen them qualify.

Teenage substitute Kenneth Zohore was denied a last-gasp leveller by a super save from Sergei Ryzhikov but Rubin deserved the win that keeps their hopes alive.

Stale Solbakken’s team stay second behind group leaders Barcelona but, with one match remaining, Rubin are just one point shy of the Danish side although must better Copenhagen’s result against Panathinaikos with their last game at the mighty Barcelona.

The stakes were high for Rubin, who needed to win to maintain their hopes of a second-round place, while Copenhagen could have all-but secured passage into the last-16 with a draw.

But the first half was poor, with conditions cold, blustery and difficult and neither side particularly adventurous in attack.

On eight minutes there were some half chances for the hosts as Swedish defender Mikael Antonsson made an important interception before Ecuador midfielder Noboa had an effort blocked.

Copenhagen’s best opportunity of the half fell to Costa Rica winger Christian Bolanos, who got his finish all wrong after excellent work down the left by Denmark veteran Gronkjaer.

Sergei Kornilenko fired just wide from the edge of the box but visiting keeper Johan Wiland watched it all the way as the game threatened to degenerate into a dirge.

On the stroke of half-time an excellent call from referee Martin Atkinson sparked the match into life.

Minutes after booking Aleksandr Ryazantsev for diving inside the box, the Englishman awarded the Russian a free-kick for a similarly theatrical tumble on the wing.

Atkinson then pointed to the spot after Gronjkaer flicked the subsequent cross away from Noboa when, from most angles, it seemed that the Rubin captain had headed it on: Noboa smashed the ball into the roof of the net to score his - and his team’s - second Champions League group stage goal of the campaign.

The second half started well enough as Rubin upped the ante with a more direct approach to goal.

The best early chance fell to the visitors though, as Czech defender Zdenek Popsech got forward from right-back and smashed in a drive that was well saved by keeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

Having lost 1-0 in Denmark, Rubin bombarded Copenhagen’s box in search for a second goal that would give them the edge on head-to-head.

But Solbakken’s side looked dangerous on the break, with Oscar Wendt denied an effort on goal by a superb block from winger Gokdeniz Karadeniz.

A strange half of football developed, with the leading side making the running and the trailing team sitting back and looking for counter attacks.

Karadeniz was a stand-out for the hosts, getting the better of Wendt down the right wing, but he was not helped by a lack of movement from central runners.

Eventually Rubin seemed willing to settle for a narrow win, as Copenhagen started to press for an equaliser against the now deep-lying hosts.

There was little for either keeper to do though, with Copenhagen’s best effort a low shot well blocked by Noboa and Wiland in the visiting goal barely touching the ball.

The introduction of 16-year-old forward Zohore livened things up and, with a quarter of an hour left, the Danish youth international exchanged passes with the hitherto quiet Dame N’Doye, who hit the bar with a dipping finish.

But for all their pressure, Ryzhikov was largely untested and Rubin almost grabbed a late second, Karadeniz forcing a smart stop from Wiland after racing away on the break.

There was further drama as, in the third and final minute of stoppage time, Rubin’s defence failed to deal with a long ball and Zohore turned brilliant to smash a finish on target: he was denied by the flying form of Ryzhikov and Rubin held on for the win.