Rui Patricio held his head when the final whistle was blown at the Estadio do Dragao last Friday. His mistake, a poor low pass within reach of Eden Ben Basat, cost Portugal two points, which almost certainly sends the happy Russians to next year’s carnival in Brazil.
Russia’s rampant win that same night, 4-0 away to Luxembourg, coupled with Portugal’s draw, means they need just a single point in Baku on Tuesday. Capello’s men lead the group by three points and are +7 in goal differential against their Iberian rival.
Kokorin Effect
The Dynamo forward’s presence has been a tremendous boost this fall. Though absent from the scoresheet on Friday, he was a key figure for Capello and co. Coming off a series of outstanding performances in the league, his mobility and unselfishness worked well with the rest of the team. His movement opened up a lot of space for the lone striker Kerzhakov. Kokorin is very close to becoming a top-class European forward.
Capello Effect
The genius taskmaster from Italy brings something that the Russians lack - focus in the game. His strict regime is built on creating a more disciplined, united Russia team. Having stumbled so often at the final hurdle, the biggest country in the world now has one foot in South America. With a solid backline throughout the qualifiers, Capello emphasized on the importance of defensive midfielders such as Denisov and Glushakov to tidy up at the back, just like Pirlo and De Rossi for Italy. Only the loss in Belfast showed where the side needs to improve. Capello will not allow another slip-up in Baku this Tuesday.
Kerzhakov Scoring Again
The bull-powered striker is the heart of Russia’s offense. Whenever he is in his finest form and scoring, Russia should expect a goal, at least, in every match. The partnership with Kokorin is proving fruitful for him, and he is also helped by consistent appearances and fine displays for Zenit. His class could be used to nurture the likes of Dzyuba, Smolov and Cheryshev in the future.
Reliable Options at the Back
One problem in the national team is finding somebody who can replace the influential Ignashevich at the centre. But there was Granat, stepping out into the light with a fine showing during both Luxembourg matches. Dyakov could also be used in the future, while Makeev’s speed might be useful against the pacey strikers. At the flank, the emergence of Kozlov gives Capello a healthy group of players in addition to Anyukov. Kombarov has sealed his place on the left, and Capello is more than lucky to have Parshivlyuk, Smolnikov and maybe Eschenko in a few more weeks. An improving Logashov and Schennikov are the other options for the Italian. Between the sticks, Akinfeev has been influential through and through, and Lodygin provides a reliable backup for him.
Romp in Luxembourg
The win against minnows like Luxembourg was expected, and gave a big boost in the hunt for an automatic spot in Brazil. Glushakov repaid Capello’s trust with an outstanding performance and the attacking lineup looked sharp, too. Between the posts, Capello stuck with Akinfeev, instead of giving us Lodygin’s highly anticipated debut. A tremendous result, physically and mentally, for Russia ahead of the crucial Azerbaijan showdown.
Ahead of Azerbaijan
Russia heads to Baku, with a single point granting them the spot they missed four years ago due to Germany. Confidence is high on the team, especially with the victory in Luxembourg. Capello need to ensure his players are fully focused ahead of the match. He opted against resting his main players, with the exception of Denisov, during the match against Luxembourg. Thus it will be interesting to see how the players’ stamina and mental approach will hold up to the pressure. Azerbaijan will be a steady, defensive unit team that can give Russia’s attacking lineup a hard time. Capello needs to figure out something to unlock the defense, in order to avoid a repeat of last October’s sluggish affair at Luzhniki.
Preferred Lineup
Akinfeev - Kozlov, V. Berezutski,Ignashevich, D. Kombarov - Glushakov, Denisov - Samedov, Shirokov,Kokorin - Kerzhakov.
Verdict
Azerbaijan 0-1 Russia.
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