Luxembourg vs. Russia: Final score 4-0, Capello’s men make light work of Luxembourg
Russia got a routine victory against Luxembourg as they put four goals past the minnows in the UEFA World Cup Qualifying stages.
That leaves Russia still a point ahead of Portugal in the group, and they are showing no sign of relinquishing their spot and going through the playoffs.
Russia took the lead just nine minutes into the game when some typically slack defending from the hosts led to the common sight of a loose ball in the area, which Aleksandr Samedov fired home after breaking into the right-hand channel.
Viktor Fayzulin made it 2-0 not long afterwards, getting onto the end of Roman Shirokov’s chipped pass and pulling off a deceptively difficult finish by hitting a half-volley into the roof of the net from close range.
Russia were coasting as the half drew to a close, looking every bit the solid but unspectacular side that they are, and have been since Fabio Capello took over. Yet one rare lapse of concentration almost saw the hosts score a surprise breakaway goal after Da Mota’s low cross was only prevented from Luisi scoring a certain goal by a brave intervention from Igor Akinfeev.
After half-time, Russia made extra-sure of the result by increasing their lead to three goals, thanks to Denis Glushakov, who rounded off a nice passing move around a static Luxembourger defence.
Although dominant, Russia were not creating as many chances as they perhaps should’ve, owing to their insistence on dribbling through a massed opposition defence, but they did find a fourth goal when Aleksandr Kerzhakov converted Dmitri Kombarov’s low cross from close range.
