Aston Villa 1, CSKA Moscow 1: Bill Howell's big match verdict

Feb 19 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

TOM Cruise plays Ethan Hunt as he uses fingertip precision to climb a treacherous stretch of rock without ropes, harnesses or even a net.

But Martin O’Neill is adamant that his Villa side will not need a Mission Impossible to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

It may take something similar, though, in the winter chill of Moscow in seven days, without the skin tight black lyrca outfits.

“It will be difficult. They have got the away goal so we will have to score,” he said.

“But it’s not Mission Impossible. We have done well enough away from home this season to give ourselves a great chance. It all depends what team we put out.”

The 78,000 Luzhniki Stadium has been the graveyard of the good and the not so good in recent years and ideally Villa would have wanted to travel with an advantage.

Can they achieve what Steve McClaren’s England failed to do?

And before them Arsenal, or the likes of Deportivo la Coruna, Hamburg, Glasgow Rangers or Paris St Germain.

If Villa are to take any heart with them to Moscow it will be in the recent performances of the likes of Porto and Inter Milan, or in recent seasons PSV Eindhoven, Marseille and Chelsea.

The omens are not good – not even for a side who have just managed a record-breaking seven straight league wins on their travels.

Only twice have Villa drawn the first leg at home of a two-legged tie in Europe and both times they have gone out – against Helsingborgs in September 1996 and in 1978 against Barcelona

It may take something akin to the steel, the resolve and the heroics shown at Dynamo Berlin, Dynamo Kiev and Anderlecht, on the great European march to Rotterdam for Villa to progress now.

The hint from O’Neill that a few changes to the team will be made for the second leg will lengthen the odds of progression yet further.

Guus Hiddink and Roman Abramovich sat in the Trinity Road stand, with Everton boss David Moyes close by.

They’ll have learnt nothing new about Villa.

In Stiliyan Petrov they have a play-maker busting a gut to sign a new contract, and on this form you’d just want to keep him waiting.

In Gareth Barry they have a player well worthy of the occasion.

Gabby Agbonlahor may have forgotten how to head a ball but his work outside the penalty box is often a joy to behold.

Ashley Young certainly has not forgotten how to deliver a pin-point cross with either foot, although he was wasteful at times against Moscow.

John Carew scored a splendid goal to give Villa hope but is well short of the player he was before injury last year, while in defence Luke Young’s athleticism and strength continues to allow him to stand out.