The first match of the Russian national team in the second draw of the League of Nations took place at the VTB Arena stadium in Moscow.
According to the UEFA regulations, the meeting with the Serbian team was held without spectators, which did not prevent Stanislav Cherchesov's wards from achieving a confident victory.
The hosts upset Marko Dmitrovich three times and confidently started the tournament, conceding only one goal.
If the application of the Russian national team for the next two Nations League matches did not surprise the fans and specialists in any way, then the main team still presented a couple of surprises.
Firstly, Anton Shunin unexpectedly took the place at the goal, having previously only entered the field three times in the national team's jersey.
The nominally right defender Vyacheslav Karavaev was transferred to the left flank of the defense, and Yuri Zhirkov was located in the position of the left attacking midfielder.
At the same time, flank players Rifat Zhemaletdinov and Andrei Mostovoy, as well as a powerful forward Nikolai Komlichenko, were not even on the bench.
Stanislav Cherchesov did not change his favorite game model and decided to play according to the 4-2-3-1 scheme.
Roman Zobnin and Magomed Ozdoev took the places in the center of the midfield, and Zelimkhan Bakaev was a little higher.
The role of the right midfielder, as expected, went to Alexei Ionov, and the central forward - to Artem Dzyuba.
The Serbian national team was certainly not inferior to their opponent in terms of skill.
The middle line seemed especially formidable, in which it is worth mentioning the stellar Sergey Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio, Dusan Tadic from Ajax, and Philip Kostić from Eintracht.
The only striker was the top scorer of the previous UEFA Nations League, Aleksandar Mitrovic, leaving Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic and Rubin player Djordje Despotovic in reserve.
Unlike the Russians, the Serbs have not yet qualified for Euro 2020.
Lyubisha Tumbakovic's wards finished third in their qualifying group and could not immediately get into the number of 24 participants in the tournament.
They will be able to compete for a ticket in October, however, it will not be easy to achieve success.
First, they will meet with the Norwegians, and then - with the winners of the confrontation between Scotland and Israel.
The choice is made. # OurFriendspic.twitter.com / sWuX665PsF
- Russian national team (@TeamRussia) September 3, 2020
Surely, many assumed that the Russian national team, as the host of the field, would take the initiative into their own hands, but in reality everything turned out differently.
Cherchesov's wards tried to play a short pass, but regularly made losses in the central zone, where Nemanja Gudel and Nemanja Maksimovich were on duty.
In the first 20 minutes, the Russians could not create anything dangerous at the opponent's goal, but they could have conceded more than one goal.
Sergei Milinkovic-Savic had a couple of good chances to excel, and Dusan Tadic almost went to a rendezvous with Shunin.
The Russians could compensate for the problems in the combinational game with a successful set piece.
In the 24th minute, the hosts got the right to take a corner and almost opened an account.
Georgy Dzhikia made a discount in the center of the penalty area, and Artyom Dziuba shot from the air.
Marko Dmitrovic miraculously parried the blow, and the defender cleared the ball from the goal line.
As it turned out, this episode became one of the key ones in the first half.
It was after him that the Russians began to act much more actively and were able to take the game away from their goal.
It was not possible to fully take control over the course of the meeting, but Shunin no longer had to help out his partners.
At the same time, the hosts were very close to making the first goal in 2020.
Dziuba won the fight in the penalty area and executed a cross, but Bakaev from five meters could not get into the empty net.
🇷🇺 Artem Dzyuba's penalty is his 10th goal in his last 10 games for Russia 💪 # NationsLeaguepic.twitter.com / 1Bftnrvyss
- UEFA Nations League (@ EURO2020) September 3, 2020
The break seemed to have a negative impact on the actions of the guests.
The Serbs were too relaxed in the second half and immediately paid.
The fast attack of the Russian national team ended with the fall of Bakaev in the opponent's penalty area.
Strahinya Pavlovich received a yellow card, and Dziuba brilliantly performed a kick from the “point”.
Gradually, the difference in the level of readiness began to affect more and more.
In the RPL, the season has already started long ago, which is why domestic football players are in good shape, which cannot be said about representatives of the leading European championships.
The Serbs were noticeably tired, and only Tadic continued to keep the level.
The Ajax midfielder acted inventively and could not only score himself, but also make an assist.
But Mitrovic did not understand his plan.
As a result, Karavaev's fantastic blow turned out to be victorious.
By the middle of the second 45-minute, Zenit's defender finally got used to the left flank and began to move forward more and more actively.
During one of these connections, he shifted to the center and irresistibly shot into the far nine.
Dmitrovich had no chance.
True, at a certain moment Vyacheslav began to flirt, for which he was immediately punished.
Darko Lazovic broke through the curb and shot at Mitrovic, who chalked up the 35th goal in 56 games for the national team.
A minute before that, Andrei Semyonov was replaced.
The Akhmat defender injured the back of the thigh and gave way to Roman Neustedter.
True, the last word remained with the owners. Nine minutes before the end of regular time, Dziuba took advantage of the gross mistake of former Spartak defender Nikol Maksimovich and set the final score. The Serb slipped out of the blue and lost the ball, while the Russian shot aptly from outside the penalty area. With 26 goals, Artyom caught up with Vladimir Beschastnykh and took second place among the top scorers in the history of the Russian national team.