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Russia 0-1 Slovakia: Akinfeev Blunder Condemns Hosts To Defeat
The Slovakians pulled off a remarkable win thanks to a robust rearguard action and a little luck...
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By Gary Niblock
Dick Advocaat may have taken to Russian football like a duck to water during his time at Zenit St Petersburg however he will be scratching his head as to how Russia fell to Slovakia today.
Coming after their failure to qualify for the World Cup which baffled Advocaat's compatriot Guus Hiddink, this surprise defeat represents another setback for Russian football as an individual error from one of its golden boys proved decisive.
Against the run of play, Miroslav Stoch fired Slovakia into the lead after 27 minutes with a thumping strike from just outside the area after he picked up a loose clearance from Igor Akinfeev.
Russia had begun the match in upbeat fashion and repeatedly pressured their opponents into mistakes with both Igor Semshov and Roman Shirokov testing out Jan Mucha early on.
On the stroke of half-time, Pavel Pogrebnyak spurned a golden chance to equalise as he sliced his effort wide from close range. Moments later, Marek Hamsik almost made the Stuttgart striker pay but his effort was pushed away by Akinfeev.
Minutes into the second half, Stoch had a chance to double his tally after a great run from Hamsik but his near post shot was parried behind by Akinfeev.
The home side had a goal chalked off for offside when Konstantin Zyryanov was rightly adjudged to have been beyond the last defender.
Andrey Arshavin wasted a particularly good opportunity for the dominant Russians when he turned on a sixpence before somehow volleying wide from close range with Mucha helpless.
A chaotic last quarter ensued in which Aleksandr Anyukov was denied a penalty and Alan Dzagoev's free-kick was saved by Mucha, who put on a fine goalkeeping display.
Slovakia, with six points from six travel to Yerevan next month to face Armenia while Russia, who have three points from their two games face a tricky trip to Dublin to take on Ireland.
Coming after their failure to qualify for the World Cup which baffled Advocaat's compatriot Guus Hiddink, this surprise defeat represents another setback for Russian football as an individual error from one of its golden boys proved decisive.
Against the run of play, Miroslav Stoch fired Slovakia into the lead after 27 minutes with a thumping strike from just outside the area after he picked up a loose clearance from Igor Akinfeev.
Russia had begun the match in upbeat fashion and repeatedly pressured their opponents into mistakes with both Igor Semshov and Roman Shirokov testing out Jan Mucha early on.
On the stroke of half-time, Pavel Pogrebnyak spurned a golden chance to equalise as he sliced his effort wide from close range. Moments later, Marek Hamsik almost made the Stuttgart striker pay but his effort was pushed away by Akinfeev.
Minutes into the second half, Stoch had a chance to double his tally after a great run from Hamsik but his near post shot was parried behind by Akinfeev.
The home side had a goal chalked off for offside when Konstantin Zyryanov was rightly adjudged to have been beyond the last defender.
Andrey Arshavin wasted a particularly good opportunity for the dominant Russians when he turned on a sixpence before somehow volleying wide from close range with Mucha helpless.
A chaotic last quarter ensued in which Aleksandr Anyukov was denied a penalty and Alan Dzagoev's free-kick was saved by Mucha, who put on a fine goalkeeping display.
Slovakia, with six points from six travel to Yerevan next month to face Armenia while Russia, who have three points from their two games face a tricky trip to Dublin to take on Ireland.
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