Russia loses chance to secure place in World Cup
Published: 10 October, 2009, 20:58
Edited: 11 October, 2009, 20:00
More than 70,000 fans at Moscow Luzhniki arena and millions across Russia witnessed the national football team lose a crucial preliminary match against Germany.
"The Russians were on the attack after the break, but the tactical fouls – traditionally a German virtue – reared their ugly head." Thank you. You know it, sure. That's the way we behave here in Germany, every day... Russia's team is among the best in the world, no doubt. I will be pleased to see them in South Africa, probably again in a very good and fair game against our team. And again with a German victory, I hope ;-)










I think we can take some very good points from that game. Certainly Germany did nothing wrong, and the win is theirs and congratulations to them for that. But what I liked was our ability with fast movements to disrupt a bigger slightly slower team on the turn. Certainly down the sides we had some interesting chances developing, no doubt we should have converted the first opportuinity by rounding the keeper, rather than checking inside. But that's the way it goes sometimes. What I liked was that just like in Euro we looked comfortable with the big teams, and they don't come much bigger than Germany. So well done also to us, it was certainly a game with some exciting moments, I felt our through balls were just a bit over hit, maybe it was the surface, and again that's the way it goes. But all in all we are moving on up in footballing terms, we will grow stronger and stronger from this. Let's realise where we have come to and play well and qualify through the other route. Success to us! Yes we have weeknesses like a big strike outside the box and an ability to threaten on corners, but we can work and overcome that. A big question has to be asked though as to the use of Swiss officials in a Russian EU member game. The swiss having produced their recent report drivel, can hardly be expected to be different in a refereeing sense. In big games like this the officials must be unbiased. We were playing Germany not the EU. But I suppose when the Lisbon treaty comes in the EU should be forced to only field a single team!