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Bale left to rue penalty miss as Russians break Welsh
hearts
Russia 2 Pavlyuchenko (pen) 22, Pogrebnyak 81
Wales 1 Ledley 67
Stuart James at the Lokomotiv Stadium
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Roman Pavlyuchenko scores Russia's opener
against Wales. Photograph: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty
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John Toshack and his courageous players could never have
imagined defeat in Moscow would be so difficult to accept. With more than
half of his first-choice team missing through injury, an embarrassing
defeat appeared likely beforehand but it was Russia, the Euro 2008 semi-finalists,
who came closest to courting humiliation. Only nine minutes remained when
the substitute Pavel Pogrebnyak drilled home to rescue Guus Hiddink's
side and deny Wales the point their belligerent performance merited.
It was a cruel moment after Toshack's callow side had responded so impressively
in the second half, having fallen behind to Roman Pavlyuchenko's penalty,
with the Tottenham striker converting only seven minutes after Gareth
Bale failed from the spot at the other end. Russia were dominant for the
remainder of the opening half but the "strong words" Toshack
provided at the interval, together with the manager's decision to push
Bale into a more attacking role, galvanised Wales and changed the complexion
of the game.
Reward duly followed when Bale wriggled clear on the right before delivering
a low cross that implored the unmarked Joe Ledley to convert. The Cardiff
City midfielder made no mistake, sidefooting into an empty net to bring
parity and send a frisson of fear down the spines of Hiddink's players.
With Russia exhilarating before the break but prosaic afterwards, Wales
were entitled to believe they would be able to secure a memorable draw
only for Pogrebnyak, the Zenit St Petersburg striker, to break the visitors'
hearts.
"I am disappointed for the players because there were a lot of young
lads out there and I thought we worked very hard," said Toshack,
whose resources were so stretched that Steve Evans, the Wrexham defender,
became the first non-league player to represent Wales in more than 70
years when he was introduced as a substitute late on. "I thought
in the second half we were the better side," added Toshack. "I
can understand the Russians thinking they just about shaded it but I thought
we deserved a point. There's no disgrace to lose 2-1 to a side like Russia,
particularly in the circumstances, but to come so close and lose the way
we did is obviously bitterly disappointing."
Toshack's frustration with the goals Wales conceded was understandable.
The first arrived in farcical circumstances, when Wayne Hennessey, who
was otherwise excellent, failed to cleanly gather Craig Morgan's defensive
header. The ball squirted clear and when Konstantin Zyrianov picked up
possession, he was too quick-footed for Carl Robinson, inviting the Wales
midfielder to dangle a leg and bring him down. Pavlyuchenko nonchalantly
did the rest, dinking his penalty over Hennessey to give Russia the lead.
Russia's winning goal could also have been prevented, with Simon Davies
culpable for squandering possession in the build-up. Andrei Arshavin,
whose only other moment of note came when he wastefully headed wide two
minutes before Ledley's equaliser, found enough space to float a cross
into the area that Zyrianov met with a powerful header. Hennessey made
a superb one-handed stop only for Pogrebnyak to turn in the rebound.
The relief was tangible on the Russian bench. This was an uncomfortable
evening for Hiddink, who endured his first unsettling moment as early
as the 15th minute when Damir Skomina, the referee, pointed to the spot
after Bale, rampaging forward from left-back, was tripped by Sergei Semak.
The Tottenham player picked himself up to take the kick but Igor Akinfeev
flung himself to his right to save. It was about the only thing Bale did
wrong, with his performance thereafter described by Toshack as "outstanding".
Others also warranted acclaim. Ashley Williams and Morgan, who play their
club football in the Championship and League One, coped admirably against
Russia's stellar forward line while Hennessey, with the exception of his
part in the first goal, enhanced his burgeoning reputation whenever the
Wales rearguard was breached. "Overall I am satisfied," added
Toshack. "But if we are going to have any chance of qualifying we
have to get 12 points by the end of March." On this evidence, that
target is not beyond Wales.
Guardian.co.uk,
September 11 2008
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