icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
26 Jan, 2010 10:33

Finns destroyed by Russia at Bandy World Cup

Russia has encountered Finland in the second match of the Bandy World Championship, currently being held in Moscow. Sergey Firsov's men hardly broke a sweat to beat Finland, 12-4.

Just before the tournament started Russia's head coach Sergey Firsov said Finland was a very strong team, they have a new generation of players and it would be a difficult match for Russia.

The best of the Finns play in the Swedish bandy league which is considered to be one of the best in the world, so they have the facilities to progress quickly.

Finland is the only other team to have won the World Championship besides Sweden and Russia, and they have always finished in top four.

So this game promised to be a tricky one… but Finland did not trouble the Russian side much.

Russia broke the deadlock after seven minutes of play but Finland answered back quickly to tie the score, 1-1.

But then Russia turned the game their way, giving their opponents no chance to come close, and took a 6-2 lead at half time.

After the break Russia's head coach let players with a lack of match play take to the rink.

They were hungry for goals and just continued to increase a comfortable lead for the Russian side. And the outcome was clear long before the final whistle.

Russia played in an attractive attacking manner, scoring plenty of great goals.

Finland answered with four, and three of them were scored from the corners, so Russia's coaching staff will have to think more about defensive play on set-pieces.

The match ended 12-4 to Russia.

And it is no surprise this tournament's top scorer Pavel Ryazantsev, managed to get four.

“I don't think that Finland wanted to lose by such a score – they always try to play tight and tough. In spite of lacking some key players that they used to have a few years ago, Finland still have their style of play. Of course they try to play like Sweden, but this is a different level of play. Nevertheless, it is always hard to play against them,” Pavel Ryazantsev said.

And the Russian netminder believes the outcome of the match was fair.

“I have always had a dream to be on the Russian national side and my dream eventually came true, now I have to set up a new aim for myself and try to achieve it. The Russian team played confidently and the result was well deserved,” Roman Chernikh said.

This was Russia’s second game and second win at the tournament after thrashing Kazakhstan 14-2 in the opener.

Podcasts
0:00
25:36
0:00
25:12