Match № 4

The match № 4, group stage, first tournament day

RUSSIA – MOLDOVA 4:1 (1:1)

January 3rd, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 2500 spectators

Referees: Stanislav Vasiliev, Igor Sukharyonok, Kirill Bolshakov

Russia: Rudakov, Nikolaesh, Marchenko, Buranov, Novak (Nesterenko, 59), Lanin (Frolov, 46), Maximenko (Ageev, 57), Guliev (c), Anisimov (Panteleev, 62), Belikov (Zuev, 46), Cherov (Sheydaev, 46)

Head coach: Dmitry Homukha

Moldova: Cebotari, Osipenko, Svinarenco, Macritchii V.(c), Golubev, Macritchii A. (Apostol, 90), Berestean, Zabun (Curtejan, 65), Andriuhin, Cucovei (Bejenari, 57), Gustiuc

Head coach: Ghenadie Pushka

Goals: Anisimov (25), Macritchii V. (32), Sheydaev (74), Frolov (84), Panteleev (90, pen.)

Yellow cards: Nikolaesh (65), Berestean (83)

Best players: Alexandr Ageev, Valerii Macritchii

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Russia Dmitry Homukha:

– We had many newbies today on the field, plus the functional conditions, start of the trainings - as the result the beginning of the match was rather crumpled. But when we began to act accurate, assembled – it transferred to the goals at once.

– Before the start of the tournament you said, that your team would come with experimental staff. But Danila Buranov has already played on two tournaments and you kept him as an experienced person, who can gather players, or there are different reasons for it?

– It's a pity, but we had not so many players who can substitute the main staff of the team, so we had to keep some players in order to have some changes for the positions of midfielders.

– In the second half, players who came with substitutions managed to score. Can you say it was natural, or it was the will of a case?

– The players, who came with substitutions, are the players of the regular staff and we expected that they could improve the team play coming to the game. Our expectations came true.

– Mistakes in the centre of the defence that we could note during first half, out one to one, missed penalty kick – how can you explain it, discordance?

– We gathered this team recently. Before the New Year we could work together not more than a week. That is why we can tell about discordance. Many players do not have the experience of international matches and played for the national team for the first time. It was their first match on this level and excessive excitement didn't let them show their best.

– Anton Mitryushkin had a very good press after the European championship, but you let him a rest on this tournament and put in the line-up Maxim Rudakov. What are your impressions – is he similar by potentials with Mitryushkin and can he be a competitor for this position?

– He didn't have the experience in national team – that is why he is here. But according to his performance and having one more person from St.Petersburg for this position, we want them to make a good rivalry on this line. We are satisfied with the player that we have now, but the competition is always good.

Head coach of the team Moldova Ghenadie Pushka:

– First of all I'd like to congratulate my colleague with the win. Of course we yielded up the initiative consciously; we lacked the fitness a bit. Yet, we could stand at least those 75 minutes.

– Have your players under your coaching scored goals more beautiful than today's – a direct free kick into the Upper V with a ricochet from the bar?

– A similar goal was scored when I was an assistant coach. We played against Romania, and the goal was very much like today.

– You've said your team had yielded up the initiative consciously, while your players looked much stronger that the Russians. What was the reason of such tactics?

– These tactics were changed because of the lineup. We lost 5 players in the last moment, and we were realizing that we wouldn't go against the European Champions straight ahead.

– But there were not so many of those European Champions?

– I mean the country – European Champion. We don't have such a range of players as you have.