The Russian national team on Monday was able to take very important three points in the match with the Slovenian team in the qualifying round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. stage of the tournament, drew with Slovakia (2: 2). Thus, the Russian national team became the leader of Group H and guaranteed itself, at least, participation in the play-offs. There are two more qualifying round meetings ahead: in November, the match will take place at home with Cyprus and away - with Croatia. Although the main struggle for the exit from the group is still ahead, the players of the Russian national team reacted very emotionally to the victory in the match with Slovenia.
As CSKA defender Igor Diveev, who scored the first goal against Yan Oblak in the 28th minute, said that in the locker room all the players of the national team were in a good mood and played the song "Valera".
“Karpin sang with us.
There was nothing else.
We learned about the result of Croatia after the game.
Yes, we are the leaders of the group, but our task is the first place.
The most important games with both Cyprus and Croatia.
We will prepare and disassemble the rivals ", - quotes the words of Diveeva" Championship ".
THIS PUBLICATION IS AGREED WITH THE CHIEF COACH.
SPEAKERS AT MAXIMUM 🔊 pic.twitter.com/X4TcjnT1N9
- Russian national team (@TeamRussia) October 12, 2021
At the same time, Diveev admitted that he himself asked for a replacement in the match, as he felt discomfort in his groin and was afraid to aggravate the injury.
The defender left the field towards the end of the first half of the minute, instead of him the footballer of Rostov Maxim Osipenko entered the game.
“When I was on the field, the game was more equal, after the substitution I watched from the bench and chewed all my fingernails with excitement.
The main thing is that we won.
Yes, today we have scored two central defenders, but the main thing is victory, we need to prepare for the next matches, ”Diveev told TASS.
Another hero of the meeting was the defender Georgy Dzhikia.
In the 32nd minute, the Russian scored the ball into the goal of the Slovenian national team with a kick over himself.
The footballer was named the best player of the match.
"I removed the sugar - and the blows went," joked mixed martial arts fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov on his Instagram, posting a photo of Jikia in a coffee shop.
Immediately after the meeting with Slovenia on Match TV, the Spartak defender admitted that he had never practiced such attacks.
His main task was just to hit the ball, or even better - into the goal.
“A difficult trajectory, but nothing more ... We expected that there would be a lot of struggle.
Slovenia needed a victory, just like us.
I would like to mention Osipenko and Chistyakov ... All good fellows, everyone.
Do we have only defenders scoring?
I wonder where the attackers are?
... The most important thing is that the team won, it's much nicer.
All with a victory! "
- said Jikia.
Jikia also remembered about 2009, when the Russian national team under the leadership of Guus Hiddink lost in Maribor (0: 1) and could not reach the world championship.
“I saw old videos, cuts, read about deletions that were in that game,” Jikia said in an interview with the RFU press service.
"This is a story that is now over because we won."
Zenit midfielder Daler Kuzyaev, on the contrary, did not remember 2009.
The footballer noted that the Slovenes played very tough, since they played at home and wanted to take three points with their fans, but the Russian team was ready for such a development of events.
“In the second half of the second half, it was not easy, we stopped running out in counterattacks ... Slovenia had a good possession of the ball, but we won and took three points ... What were your emotions when you learned that the Croats had played a draw?
We were delighted, but there is no time to relax.
It's good that everything depends on us, we will win two matches - we are going to Qatar.
Maribor pressure?
He was not there, we even forgot that our teams performed unsuccessfully here, "Kuzyaev said on Match TV.
The football functionaries were no less satisfied with the result.
Acting President of the Russian Premier League Ashot Khachaturyants believes that in Slovenia, Valery Karpin's team showed a completely different game compared to the match with Slovakia.
“Such happiness - the team played, showed an excellent result.
We fought well, the goals were great, they showed character.
What is the cause of the fracture?
At some point it happens.
At some point, the team begins to feel like a team.
This is the most important thing - they played as a team today, ”Khachaturyants said in an interview with Sport-Express.
Speaking about the forwards of the Russian national team, Khachaturyants did not comment on the absence of Artyom Dziuba in the Zenit striker, while appreciating the actions of CSKA striker Anton Zabolotny in the attack.
“He began to strain, to win riding balls, the game shifted.
I think that he greatly strengthened the game, "Khachaturyants told Sport-Express.
The most important information came from the mouth of the President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Alexander Dyukov.
He told reporters that the contract with Valery Karpin would definitely be extended, since the minimum task - reaching the play-offs - was completed.
“Today we are all great.
Jikia scored over himself, it was generally something from beach soccer!
I can’t remember the goals I scored through myself from our team.
Apparently, Georgy watched the matches of the World Beach Soccer Championship in Moscow.
Was the game completely satisfied?
Probably not.
If I was completely satisfied, we would not have to be nervous until the last minutes.
I would not say that this is the brightest match during my presidency in emotional terms, there were other bright games of the national team, ”said Dyukov.
At the same time, the head of the RFU noted that the Russian national team players will receive bonuses only if they qualify for the world championship.