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Lokomotiv Moscow held firm with 10 men to claim a creditable point from their tricky UEFA Cup tie at Palermo.
Neither side could make the breakthrough at La Favorita but Palermo, sixth in Serie A and top of Group B heading into the game, missed an opportunity after Dmitri Khokhlov was dismissed late on.
Khokhlov was sent off after fouling Simone Barone but the visitors held on without alarm through the closing stages.
Lokomotiv's Andre Bikey had the first chance of the game when he shot wide from 12 yards but Palermo also showed some attacking intent.
Paul Codrea tried his luck from a free-kick but fired straight into the wall and Andrea Caracciolo twice shot wide.
Salvatore Masiello and Simone Pepe also sensed opportunities to open the scoring for the Italians but neither could work a way past goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov with long-range efforts.
The first keeper to be tested was Palermo's Mariano Gonzalo Andujdar after 40 minutes when he had to deal with a Marat Izmailov shot.
Palermo looked to increase the tempo early in the second half and Pepe shot over from 12 yards soon after the restart.
Fabio Grosso forced a save from Ovchinnikov and Masiello and Stephen Makinwa both had attempts blocked.
Lokomotiv then had a rare sight of goal through Vladimir Maminov, who had a shot blocked by Christian Terlizzi, but as time wore on the visitors looked just as likely.
Izmailov and Malkhaz Asatiani - twice - both failed to hit the target and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov also made Andujdar save as the visitors rallied midway through the second half.
Terlizzi could have given the hosts the lead in the 69th minute but headed over from a Codrea corner.
Lokomotiv may have feared the worst when Khokhlov was given his marching orders 10 minutes from time but Palermo were unable to prise open their defence. | Source: Soccernet | Nov.04.2005 |
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