The organizers prepared for this game, it should be noted, with dignity. The entertainment program for the fans began three hours before kick-off. All spectators were transported as in an oriental fairy tale: dancers met people on the fan promenade, technical zones for photos and master classes worked near the stands. In general, there was something to do while waiting for the teams to enter the field.
After a draw with Iran, our team was criticized. It’s easy to understand the skeptics: in Tehran, the Russians miraculously saved a draw, largely due to the extravagance of the hosts at each other’s gates. If the Iranians had been a bit more lucky, the score could have been big, but it was 1:1.
The words of the head coach of our team, Valery Karpin, made a lot of noise. One day before the meeting with Iran, the specialist pointed out that he did not remain in his post. More or less the same thing was repeated by Karpin before the meeting with Iraq.
– Are you willing to resign if we give in to Iraq? And what will change? Will we be returned? No. Yes, I just do not cling to a place in the national team, as well as in “Rostov”. I like being in the national team, but if they throw me out, so be it. What, am I going to die for this? – Karpin emotionally reacted to the question of a possible dismissal.
Be that as it may, the team should not have had problems with the mood and motivation for the game with Iraq. In addition, in comparison with Iran, the starting lineup has almost completely changed, with the exception of two central defenders and one midfielder – Maxim Osipenko with Ruslan Litvinov, as well as Danila Glebov. From the very first minutes, the main talent of Russian football appeared – the midfielder of the Moscow “Locomotive” Sergey Pinyaev, and in the attack, the place of the Rostovite Nikolai Komlichenko was taken by the forward of “Spartak” Alexander Sobolev.
Let’s be honest: little is known about the Iraqi team, unlike Iran, in our country. Mehdi Taremi (Porto) does not have stars of his level. However, even before the meeting in St. Petersburg, Karpin warned that it would definitely not happen with the Iraqis.
– With the new coach Jesús Casas, Iraq has already played five games, we have a rough idea of how they work. Although it is clear that they do not play football schemes, but footballers. However, I would not single out someone in the opponent’s lineup, like Taremi himself among the Iranians. At the same time, Iraq is a solid and physically strong team. It will definitely not be easy,” said Valery Georgievich.
Karpin was right. Over the course of the first half, the Iraqis were not only able to open an account, but score a few goals. It is completely incomprehensible what happened to the experienced Sergei Pesyakov – the Rostov goalkeeper made two monstrous mistakes, hitting the ball against opponents. Fortunately, the strikers of the Iraqi national team did not use their chances, but events on the field clearly did not develop according to our scenario. Not surprisingly, at some point, about 24,000 fans in the stadium began to boo the national team.
During the break, Karpin replaced Spartak’s Danila Prutsev with Anton Miranchuk. The move worked: the Lokomotiv midfielder opened the scoring as soon as the second half began, being the first to shoot after Alexander Sobolev’s goal. Well, the final score was set by Pinyaev, who scored after a solo pass – 2: 0. By the way, Pinyaev became the youngest scorer in the history of our team at the age of 18 years and four months, breaking Dmitry Sychev’s record. He won Russia, and surely now the pressure on the team will be a little less. That, however, does not negate the fact that the team has obvious problems in the game. And it is necessary to address them as soon as possible.
