The Spanish under-21 team suffered their first defeat (1-0) in the European qualifying phase during their visit to Russia. The icy grass and the -2 degrees Celsius temperature prevented them from imposing their game on those of Luis de la Fuente. More difficulties were found for the Spanish footballers on the pitch at Arena Khimki against the most difficult rival in the group. A key game that took place in its first half as expected: with little football and many fouls; quite the opposite of the premiere in the current qualifying phase between both teams played in Extremadura and which ended with a 4-1 victory for those from Luis de la Fuente.
RUS
ESP
Russia
Borisko; Silyanov, Prokhin, Kuzmichev, Stepanov; Maradishvili (Prutsev, m. 57), Mukhin, Umyarov; Sevikyan (Suleimanov, m.46), Agalarov (Tyukavin, m.58) and Khlusevich
Spain
Agirrezabala; French, Guillamón, Fontán, Miranda; Vencedor (Gragera, m.46), Turrientes (Francho Serrano, m.53), Sancet (Camello, m.69), Sergio Gómez, Abel Ruiz (Nico Williams, m.83) and Lobete (Gaspar, m.46)
Referee
Jochem Kamphuis (The Netherlands). He admonished Maradishvili (m.35), Agalarov (m.37), Stepanov (m.41), Kuzmichev (m.62) and Suleymanov (m.73) from Russia. He showed yellow cardboard to Turrientes (m.34) and Vencedor (m.45 + 1) in Spain.
Incidents
Group C qualifying match for the European Championship played at the Arena Khimki stadium (Russia).
The Spanish U21 coach already warned that it was “the most difficult game & rdquor ;. Russia was used harshly to cut the fluidity of Spain and only a header from Abel Ruiz put the goalkeeper in trouble Borisko. For their part, the locals raised concerns in the last minutes of the first half, but first Fontan and later Guillamón removed the danger with good interceptions within the area.
Luis de la Fuente He moved the team after the break in search of more rhythm to the circulation of the ball, but it was the locals who came out more plugged. Until the third time was the charm.
Notice Agalarov of Vaseline, which crashed on the crossbar, at m.56 when taking advantage of the fact that the defense of Spain fell asleep on a free-kick from Russia from their own field and Prustev had a great occasion that missed hand-to-hand by far, but Tyukavin I do not forgive.
Error of French Alexander, acting as a right-back and not as a center-back, in the exit of the ball that caught his team disorganized and the Russian attacker beat Agirrezabala with a shot from outside the area just two minutes after entering the field of play.
The game was opened, but Spain stayed in the ‘almost’ when it came to generating chances. First one’s own French by failing to finish off a loose ball inside the area at m.65 and ten minutes later a far cross shot from Sergio Gomez to which he did not manage to give the necessary thread to disturb Borisko.
Those of Luis de la Fuente They were not close to equalizing the score and this result leaves them co-leaders of Group C with the same points as Russia, but ahead due to the particular difference in goals (+2 for Spain), with four games still to be played. In addition, it prevents completing the qualifying phase for the European of the category, which will be played in 2023 in Georgia and Romania, with full points, something that no selection has achieved in all history.