If you ask anyone in Russia what they know about Iraq, the majority will probably name Saddam Hussein. And even knowledgeable fans will find it hard to name at least one Iraqi footballer. One will remember recent Kazan defender “Rubin” Ali Adnan, the other will remember Manchester United’s young talent Zidane Iqbal. Maybe that’s all.
That’s why the Iraqi team, which played against the Russian team in Saint Petersburg in the second friendly match of March, is a real terra incognita for our football fans. Certainly, the 68th position in the FIFA,Football,Soccer rankings implied that the Russians would not be opposed by a scapegoat, but by a completely competitive team.
And it happened. If the Iraqis were smarter and more skilful, in the first half, they could lead with a big score. Two of the three dangerous moments at the gates of the Russian national team were created by Sergei Pesyakov, as if he had forgotten that his task was completely different. In the 9th minute, the Russian goalkeeper gave the ball to his opponent and Ali Al-Hamadi hit the empty goal, as Spartak’s Ruslan Litvinov headed the ball past the target. In the 11th minute, Al-Hamadi misses the target a bit, and three minutes later, Pesyakov decides to help the Iraqis again: another defeat, Al-Hamadi shoots again, but the ball hits Rostov defender Maxim Osipenko .
Russia and Iraq football teams
Photo source: Mikhail Shapaev / RFU
It was only at the end of the first third of the half that Valery Karpin’s wards managed to move the game away from their goal, but it was not possible to move it to someone’s goal. another. The game of the Russian team was too passive. But the Middle Eastern guests did not stop and staged a few good attacks, in one of which Pesyakov parried the ball with his foot. He, in stoppage time, once again one-on-one with Al-Hamadi, deprived him of the ball in a tackle outside the penalty area.
Karpin was not very happy with such a game, and during the break he explained that it was impossible to act so badly forward. And the team took the demands into account: in the second half it became clear who was the boss on the pitch. In the 50th minute, Anton Miranchuk, who appeared on the pitch, opened the scoring by successfully finishing the ball after a clumsy shot from Alexander Sobolev, which was parried by the goalkeeper. And on the 58th, an unusual event happened for the Russian national team – Sergei Pinyaev scored, becoming the youngest goalscorer in its 31-year history.
Russia and Iraq football teams
Photo source: Mikhail Shapaev / RFS
At the end of the hour, the Iraqi team was pinned in its penalty area, and the score could well have increased. But at first Miranchuk and Osipenko didn’t realize their chances, then Sobolev charged into the cross. The Iraqis were exhausted, but they defended bravely and didn’t miss again. However, in any case, a successful half-time, a worthy victory and parting with the March training camp turned out to be positive for the Russians.
Valery Karpin: In the first half, you had to play, not roll the ball to the goalkeeper
Match protocol
Russia – Iraq – 2:0 (0:0) March 26. St. Petersburg . Stadium “Gazprom-Arena”. 24,000 spectators Judge – Riskullaev (Uzbekistan) Russia: Pesyakov, Osipenko (Khlusevich, 67), Silyanov, Denisov, Litvinov, Glebov, Fomin (Kuzyaev, 67), Prutsev (Ant. Miranchuk, 46), Oblyakov (Karavaev, 80) , Pinyaev (Zinkovsky, 72), Sobolev (Tyukavin, 72) Iraq: Hassan, A. Adnan, Nadim, Faez, Raed (H. Adnan, 74), Bayesh (Ali, 66), Rashid, Attvan (Nabil, 81) , Iqbal, Al-Hamadi (Farkhan, 74), Hussein (Rostam, 81). Goals: 1:0 Miranchuk (50), 2:0 Pinyaev (58). Warned: Glebov (90+2) – Bayesh (45), Hussein (56). Eliminated – Kuzyaev (90+4).
