Russia rues missed chance, eyes Greece
Source: AFP |
June 14, 2012, Thursday
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RUSSIA yesterday rued a missed opportunity of becoming the first team to reach the Euro 2012 quarterfinals, after drawing 1-1 with co-hosts Poland in a highly-charged encounter.
Full-back Sergei Ignashevich said he was upset with the result of Tuesday's match in Warsaw, which saw CSKA Moscow's Alan Dzaegov give Dick Advocaat's men a half-time lead, only to see Poland skipper Kuba Blaszczykowski cancel it out in the second.
"We had a good chance to make it to the play-offs but missed it," said Ignashevich, who also plays for CSKA. "Naturally we're all upset with it.
"I think on Saturday (in its final Group A match against Greece) we will need to grab the initiative from the start and never give it back to the Greeks."
Zenit St. Petersburg goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev also said he was disappointed with the draw, which followed Russia's 4-1 demolition of the Czech Republic 4-1 in its opening match last week.
"You always have a feeling of a loss when you have a lead but at the end you finish level with your rivals," he said. "But nevertheless with this result we made a step forward. And best of all, our fate is still in our own hands."
Advocaat maintained after the game that his side played the better football on the night, in a match loaded with historical and political baggage because of the turbulent, often bloody shared history of the two nations.
Soft pitch
Ignashevich, however, suggested the pitch at the National Stadium did not help the fluidity of Russia's passing game. "It's hard to combine throughout the entire match on the soft pitch of Warsaw stadium," he said.
European champion Spain similarly blamed the pitch in the northern Polish city of Gdansk after its 1-1 opening draw in Group C against Italy on Sunday.
Midfielder Roman Shirokov, however, suggested at least they will be prepared for the surface when they take on Greece at the same ground.
"Here in Warsaw the pitch at the local arena is beneath all criticism. It's too soft and uneven. But the Spanish players complained that in Gdansk it's even worse," he said. "So, we'd better stay here. At least here in Warsaw we know what we can expect.
Full-back Sergei Ignashevich said he was upset with the result of Tuesday's match in Warsaw, which saw CSKA Moscow's Alan Dzaegov give Dick Advocaat's men a half-time lead, only to see Poland skipper Kuba Blaszczykowski cancel it out in the second.
"We had a good chance to make it to the play-offs but missed it," said Ignashevich, who also plays for CSKA. "Naturally we're all upset with it.
"I think on Saturday (in its final Group A match against Greece) we will need to grab the initiative from the start and never give it back to the Greeks."
Zenit St. Petersburg goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev also said he was disappointed with the draw, which followed Russia's 4-1 demolition of the Czech Republic 4-1 in its opening match last week.
"You always have a feeling of a loss when you have a lead but at the end you finish level with your rivals," he said. "But nevertheless with this result we made a step forward. And best of all, our fate is still in our own hands."
Advocaat maintained after the game that his side played the better football on the night, in a match loaded with historical and political baggage because of the turbulent, often bloody shared history of the two nations.
Soft pitch
Ignashevich, however, suggested the pitch at the National Stadium did not help the fluidity of Russia's passing game. "It's hard to combine throughout the entire match on the soft pitch of Warsaw stadium," he said.
European champion Spain similarly blamed the pitch in the northern Polish city of Gdansk after its 1-1 opening draw in Group C against Italy on Sunday.
Midfielder Roman Shirokov, however, suggested at least they will be prepared for the surface when they take on Greece at the same ground.
"Here in Warsaw the pitch at the local arena is beneath all criticism. It's too soft and uneven. But the Spanish players complained that in Gdansk it's even worse," he said. "So, we'd better stay here. At least here in Warsaw we know what we can expect.
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