Cherchesov still stopped Haaland. And you didn’t even need a gun
Dmitry Zimin September 6, 2024, 19:27 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Kazakhstan survived the Norwegian stars in the Russian coach’s debut match. But it won’t be any easier in the Nations League.
You cannot envy Stanislav Cherchesov. Nobody gave him time to adapt to work with the Kazakhstan national team. Five days ago the players gathered for a team meeting, got together, trained, and then the match against Norway. The same one where Holland, Sørloth and Odegaard terrify opponents with their surnames. All this took place in the League of Nations. After the successful work of Magomed Adiev, Kazakhstan moved from league C to league B and at the same time received more status opponents. In addition to the Norwegians, the group includes Austria and Slovenia, participants in Euro 2024. So Cherchesov will definitely be interested.
Before the match, the former Russian national team coach was calm. And he joked a lot with journalists. For example, he answered the question of how to stop Haaland. The question quoted Guardiola, who said: Even a man with a gun cannot stop a Norwegian. Cherchesov said that they then used another weapon: a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
But Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken was serious: he spoke of the 11-hour flight and that he would leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup selection process was completed, regardless of the result. Many in the country were surprised by this news. But the team confirmed: this story will in no way affect the motivation and mood against Kazakhstan.
Norway was the clear favourite despite the away game, simply because of the quality of its players. But the Kazakhs have the same problems: a considerable number of older players, who are diluted by youngsters. Cherchesov started in a 5-4-1 formation, leaving Alip and Zainutdinov, well known to the Russian public, in the main line-up.
Kazakhstan – Norway
Photo: AP/TASS
The scenario of the match was clear straight away. It was obvious. Cherchesov played for the result, although the packed stadium expected something different. Kazakhstan sat in their own half of the field and allowed the opponent everything, but only outside their area. The Norwegians had a lot of possession, winning corner after corner, but the defence was too tight. By the middle of the first half, the visitors had completed 70% of their possession, taking six shots, but none on target. The home side skillfully blocked all accesses and did not allow any chances to be created.
One did emerge: in the 31st minute, another slow positional attack led to a cross from the flank, Alip lost the fight against Sørloth and passed to Horn. But the midfielder hit the crossbar instead of the net.
The Kazakhs were unable to respond with anything; they only ran away a few times during more or less significant attacks. Half of the game came at half-time. 11 hits to two. And neither team was successful.
Complete designs for Cherchesov in the League of Nations:
Cherchesov’s first matches with Kazakhstan. The Russian coach immediately found himself in a difficult situation
The coaches made no changes, but the course of the match did not change. Some really wanted to score, but were unable to. And the latter defended heroically with minimal damage. In the 55th minute, the Norwegians created another great chance: Nusa sent the ball powerfully towards the goal, where Haaland put his foot in, but the ball hit the post instead of the goal.
By the 65th minute, Cherchesov had already substituted three players. Such intensive defending required fresh forces. Solbakken delayed this. He really believed in those on the field. True, if in the first half they were unable to cope with the opponent, in the second it was naive to expect it. Odegaard still managed to shoot on goal. But nothing dangerous. In the 88th minute, the Norwegians included Shatsky in the match for the second time. And the goalkeeper did it again.
Erling Holland
Photo: Zuma/TASS
Yes, the visitors completely outplayed Cherchesov’s team in statistical terms: 19 shots, 12 corner kicks. But Kazakhstan survived. And in the second half they even had some good attempts themselves.
Stanislav Salamovich starts his new job with a positive result. Although, to qualify for more, on his own field, of course, it is necessary to score three points.
In just three days, Kazakhstan will have another match: away against Slovenia.
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