Manchester, November 28:

CSKA Moscow became the first team to qualify for the UEFA Cup knockout phase on Thursday, while Tottenham and Manchester City took giant strides in that direction with their second straight group stage wins.

The Russians — winners in 2005 — beat Lech Poznan 2-1, Tottenham defeated NEC Nijmegen 1-0 and Manchester City won 2-0 at Schalke. MSK Zilina and Slavia Prague each won their first point in Group F by drawing 0-0, while Group B leader Galatasaray lost 1-0 at home to Metalist Kharkiv.

In Moscow, Alan Dzagoev put CSKA ahead in the 31st minute with his third goal of the Group H campaign. Yuri Zhirkov doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, volleying home from close range after latching onto Anton Grigoriev’s long ball. Semir Stilic threatened a Lech comeback when he pulled one back for the Polish visitors in the 66th.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, who replaced Juande Ramos after the team’s Group D campaign began with a 2-0 loss to Udinese, was confident they will progress after a second straight win in the competition at Nijmegen. “With six points it’s job done,” Redknapp said. “It was difficult, the pitch wasn’t particularly good and it was difficult to pass the ball, but we were strong and solid and never felt in any danger.”

Jamie O’Hara headed into an unguarded goal in the 14th after striker Frazier Campbell, on loan from Manchester United, rattled the crossbar. Heurelho Gomes, so often error-prone in the Spurs goal since joining from PSV Eindhoven, reacted well to pump away Moestafa El Kabir’s hard shot in the 23rd and Chris Gunter was equally alert to hack clear.

Manchester City showed that the newly wealthy Premier League side aren’t reliant on Brazil forward Robinho, who was out with an ankle injury. Robinho’s place was taken by Daniel Sturridge, who provided the cross that Benjani Mwaruwari slotted into an open goal at the far post in the 32nd minute after Stephen Ireland failed to make a connection.

Ireland, who had a goal ruled out for offside at the end of the first half, completed a comfortable night for City. Benjani’s shot was badly cleared and the ball landed in front of Ireland, who struck into the net under the advancing Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

With two wins out of two, City should advance from Group A, and Schalke, who have four points from three matches, should also progress by beating FC Twente next week.