CSKA Moscow's Igor Akinfeev is shattered after seeing victory slip away [AFP]

Alan Dzagoev put CSKA ahead in the 25th minute and, although Michael Owen equalised, Milos Krasnic made it 2-1 before Aleksei Berezutski scored at the start of the second half against a home side defending poorly.

United manager Alex Ferguson, who had rested several key players, introduced Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra for the last half hour and was rewarded with goals by Paul Scholes and Antonio Valencia.

Scholes scored with a header in the 86th before Valencia equalised in injury time with a deflected shot to put United into the knockout round with two games remaining.

United tops Group B with 10 points, six more than CSKA, whose goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, stopped efforts by Scholes, Owen and Rooney in a standout performance.

"Their goalkeeper made some fantastic saves,'' Ferguson said. "We lost three goals at home and you don't like that.

"But I can't believe how many chances we did create.''

Opening shock

But CSKA scored from almost its first real attack.

Tomas Necid chested a pass on to Alan Dzagoev who burst past Wes Brown down the left and, with defender Jonny Evans racing over to cover, hit a rising left-footed shot across goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar from an acute angle.

Owen had already missed two chances when he scored in the 29th but CSKA restored its lead when Krasnic beat offside and kept calm to turn and place the ball past Van der Sar.

And it was 3-1 in the 47th when the United defence allowed a free kick from the left to reach the far post and let Berezutski head in unmarked.

United midfielder Darren Fletcher, playing his first game for a month, thought he had won a penalty shortly after when Berezutski kicked his legs from under him but the referee instead booked the Scotland international for diving.

"I cannot believe that decision,'' Ferguson said. "It's one of the worst I've seen in my lifetime.''

Still, Scholes headed in a cross from the right and Valencia, who scored United's winner in Moscow two weeks ago, got his lucky equaliser.

Wolfsburg win

Wolfsburg stayed on track to reach the knockout round by beating Besiktas 3-0.

Zvjezdan Misimovic scored with a powerful drive in the 14th minute that left goalkeeper Hakan Arikan helpless.

Wolfsburg's second goal came from midfielder Christian Gentner in the 80th minute, and Edin Dzeko scored a third with three minutes remaining.

The German champions are in second place in Group B with seven points. CSKA has four points.

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