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Russia six-shooters show no mercy
by Pavel Gognidze
Russia 6-0 Kazakhstan
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Pavel Pogrebnyak (images.mirror.co.uk)
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Six different players were on the scoresheet as Russia crushed
Kazakhstan 6-0 in Moscow in their first warm-up fixture before UEFA EURO
2008T.
Brushed aside
Pavel Pogrebnyak and Vladimir Bystrov struck before half-time, Konstantin
Zyrianov added the third midway through the second half, while Diniyar
Bilyaletdinov, Dmitri Torbinskiy and Dmitri Sychev scored three more in
the last five minutes as Russia overwhelmed the former Soviet republic
in the teams' first encounter.
Advantage
Russia, spearheaded by UEFA Cup joint-leading marksman Pogrebnyak, created
their first chance as early as the second minute, when David Loria had
to parry an angled strike from Bilyaletdinov. Pogrebnyak then came close
to connecting with Roman Shirokov's cross, before Kairat Nurdauletov's
handball on 26 minutes resulted in a penalty converted by the FC Zenit
St. Petersburg goal machine. Igor Semshov and Pogrebnyak had further opportunities
but it was Bystrov - from Pogrebnyak's low ball across goal - who netted
with an emphatic finish just under the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.
One-way traffic
Coach Guus Hiddink made four substitutions at the interval, but Russia
came back out even stronger with Zhirkov missing by centimetres when he
tried to lob Loria following a majestic pass by Bilyaletdinov. Torbinskiy
was next to test the Kazakhstan keeper with a powerful shot after more
good work by Bilyaletdinov, before Russia finally scored again on 58 minutes.
With Torbinskiy and Bilyaletdinov involved once more, Zyrianov smashed
in his goal following a mistake by Samat Smakov. Soon after, Igor Akinfeev
showed his goalkeeping credentials by pulling off a fantastic reflex save
from Kazakhstan captain Nurbol Zhumaskaliev.
Late flurry
Russia responded to this warning with three late goals. On 85 minutes
Roman Pavlyuchenko was brought down in the box and Bilyaletdinov tucked
home the penalty. Four minutes later, Pavlyuchenko won an aerial challenge
and Sychev sent Torbinskiy clear into the area to make it 5-0. The last
goal by Sychev was the best of the night - Zhirkov provided a teasing
cross from the left, and the FC Lokomotiv Moskva striker connected with
a diving header to seal a convincing victory.
Russia 6 - 0 Kazakhstan
Pogrebniak, 27 (pen)
Bystrov, 45
Zyrianov, 59
Bilyaletdinov, 85 (pen)
Torbinsky, 89
Sychev, 90
Yellow card: Kolodin, 12
Russia: Akinfeev, Kolodin (V. Berezutski 59), Shirokov (Ignashevich 63),
Anyukov (Sychev 46), Bystrov (Saenko 46), Zhirkov, Semshov (Torbinskiy
46), Bilyaletdinov, Semak, Zyrianov, Pogrebnyak (Pavlyuchenko 46).
Kazakhstan: Loria, Nurdauletov, Kuchma, Smakov, Irismetov, Skorykh, Karpovich
(Khokhlov 59), Ashirbekov (Kukeev 79), Aliyev (Logvinenko 44, Ibrayev
79), Suyumagambetov (Ostapenko 46), Zhumaskaliev.
International Match
23rd May 2008
Ground: Lokomotiv
Att: 10,000
euro2008.com,
23 May 2008
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