Two goals conceded and a minimum of points: Russia lost to Sweden in the League of Nations

Dziuba in the start and half empty stands

The match with Sweden summed up the results of a very eventful and eventful year for the Russian team, and Stanislav Cherchesov’s charges had an excellent opportunity to complete it on a positive note.

At the same time, fans until recently hoped that the game at Friends Arena would turn into a friend for Russia, since in the fall Stanislav Cherchesov was faced with enormous personnel problems.

However, the Swedes last week beat the Turks and were able to take the first line in the group in the event of a home victory over the Russians.

Cherchesova faced a difficult task before the wards - to keep the attacks of motivated Swedes in an extremely weakened composition. Due to various injuries, the team’s coaching staff could not count on a number of leaders.

And given the large number of football players who completed the international career, the national team roster completely changed beyond recognition. Cherchesov could count only on five people who took to the pitch in the world championship games - Artem Dzuba, Alexey Miranchuk, Yuri Gazinsky, Alexander Erokhin and Daler Kuzyaev.

At the same time, the participation of Dziuba in the decisive match of the League of Nations until the last moment was in question. The attacker injured his knee in a game with CSKA and seemed unable to help the national team in the next matches.

As soon as it became known that the meeting with Sweden would be a fateful status for the team, Artyom quickly flew to Stockholm. But the fans and experts still had fears that they would not be able to enter Dziub’s field.

Their assumptions were not justified - Cherchesov released the captain in the starting lineup. The rest of the composition strongly resembled a roster for a friendly game with Germany. Vladislav Ignatiev appeared on the left instead of the injured Konstantin Raush, and Dmitry Poloz replaced Alexei Miranchuk on the flank of the attack.

@TeamRussia starting lineup for the match with Sweden pic.twitter.com/E2po9JIL9C

The Swedes had only one personnel problem. Tre Linerof’s main defender Viktor Lindelöf was injured in a match with Turkey and risked not playing against Russia. However, the footballer took part in the pre-match training session and, as a result, traditionally made a duet in the center of defense with the ex-captain of Krasnodar Andreas Grankvist. Among the starting 11 players turned out to be the southerners' midfielder Viktor Klasson.

But the Swedish fans on Tuesday obviously let us down. Friends Arena did not even fill up to half in the decisive match.

The advantage of the Swedes and the “goal in the locker room”

The Swedes from the first minute identified their advantage and took the ball under control. The home team had to go forward to score and earn three points. The Russians quietly retreated to the defense and began to act the second number.

In general, the opponent showed not too high speeds, and for the time being, Cherchesov's wards coped with the task. However, the alarm was too much a passive game of the national team. The guests absolutely could not get the transition from defense to attack and did not hold the ball at all.

As a result, by the 13th minute of the meeting, the Swedes advantage in possession of the ball reached an impressive 76%. Dzuba ahead had to fight alone with the central defenders, and even if he won the fight, the striker did not have enough understanding with Poloz and Alexey Ionov.

The pressure of the Swedes at the gates of Lunow increased. At the 26th minute, Markus Berg, after filing from the flank, struck his head into the hands of the Russian national team goalkeeper. And soon Lunev already saved for real, pulling the projectile out of the corner at the corner feed.

At this point, Cherchesov’s wards finally managed to move the game away from their own gates and even create a dangerous moment with strangers. Daler Kuzyaev took the ball from an opponent near a foreign penal and brought Ionov to a rendezvous with Robin Olsen, but the goalkeeper of Rostov was unable to break through.

Shortly before the break, the hosts earned another corner, and after filing and a successful rebound Lindelöf sent a projectile into the net.

Three attackers in the end and the fatal goal of Berg

Now the Russian team needed to score, and Cherchesov decided to make the first substitution during the break, which turned out to be quite unexpected for the fans. Instead of the unsuccessfully acting Poloz, defensive midfielder Ruslan Kambolov entered the game. Footballer "Rubin" took place in the center of the field, and Kuzyaev rose a little higher.

The Swedes, like the national team, calmly gave the initiative to the opponent in the second half. Alas, the Russians were unable to put in front of them insoluble tasks. Strong Dziuba with all his strength clung to the ball along with high Erokhin, but they practically did not receive support from the depth. Ionov completely dissolved on the field.

Most often, the guests were forced to act on the right flank, but Ignatieff diagonally into the penalty area frankly failed. And Artyom himself had a very difficult time. Nababkin on the left side of the attack almost did not connect.

Twenty minutes before the final whistle, Cherchesov went all-in and instead of Ionov, released second striker Anton Zabolotny. In the end of the unsuccessfully folding matches, Sergei Semak repeatedly used this bunch in Zenit.

Immediately after that, the Swedes increased their advantage in the long run. Lunev with great difficulty coped with a blow at close range, but could not do anything with finishing moves from Berg.

After that, the chances of the Russian team to recoup have become almost zero. In the end Cherchesov threw Ari into battle, but the team no longer had the strength to attack.

The Russian national team deserved a raise in class, however, a large number of injuries noticeably weakened the team, while other team leaders, for example, Dzyuba and Kuzyaev, looked tired.

Nevertheless, the team proved itself worthy and lost only in the last match. Now, football players will be able to get through to Euro 2020 through the qualifying tournament, which starts in the spring of 2019.