Russia vs Sweden

The final group game of the UEFA Euro 2008 was upon us and it was winner takes all as Russia faced Sweden in Tivoli, Austria. Spain already qualified when they beat the Swedes thanks to a last minute goal from David Villa, the same man who got a hat ric against the Russians in a 4-1 win. The 2 teams today both beat defending champions Greece and are locked on 3 point. So the winner finishes second in the group and plays the Netherlands in the quarter finals.

Lars Lagerback named an unchanged line up from their heart breaking 2-1 defeat to Spain. Guud Hiddenk on the ohter hand had Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin, who scored in the UEFA Cup final, back from suspension. Dmitri Torbinsky was sacrificed. 

And the Arshavin got the first scoring opportunity of the match when he headed a Anyukov cross over the bar. 

Pavlyuchenko got in a brilliant low cross from the right but striker Diniyar Bilyaletdinov could not get to it in time. 

Arshavin did not let his team down as he had a brilliant goal bound cross-shot sent over the posts by the fingertips of Igor Akinfeev. A wonderful ball but an even better save. 

It was them who finally broke the dead lock in the 24th minute. A bit of great football was given its just reward as Semshov played a square ball for Anyukov and the 25 year old unselfishly played it in for Pavlyuchenko who shot into an open goal from 12 yards. Beautiful football and a beautiful goal with it. 

Bilyaletdinov then shot just wide of the target from the egde of the area. It was all Russia at that moment. 

Sweden had their first chance fall to Henrick Larsson. A wonderful cross was headed by the former Barcelona man as it went above the Russian keeper Akinfeev before hitting the crossbar. So nearly the priceless equalizing goal. Lagerback`s men just need a draw to secure a place in the next round as they have a stronger goal difference than their opponents. 

Isaksson was kept busy first from Zyrianov header which he clawed away and then beating a long range shot from the same man.

1-0 Russia at the break in a match completely dominated by them. They had 13 shots to Sweden`s 3 at the break and Guud Hiddenk is looking strong to face his own country, the Netherlands, on Saturday. 

At Russia continued from where they left off. 5 minutes into the second 45, they doubled their lead. Zhirkov charged down the left flank on a counter attack and passed it to Arshavin who shot cleanly into the bottom conner from 10 yards out. Fantastic goal and just as well constructed as the first. 

Yuri Zhirkov could have made it 3-0 at the 70th minute but his curling free kick went just above the bar. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has 2 goals in 2 matches, messed up a great cross from Larsson. The Inter Milan striker headed down instead of heading straight and the keeper managed to save it.

But it was Hiddenk`s men who were doing the business and they hit the post again. Zyrianov came in from the left hand side but his right footed shot was rebounded off the woodwork. 

Ibrahimovic had a free kick from a good range but ruined a fabulous chance as he shot well over the goal and wasted a chance to get his side back into the game. That really summed up Sweden`s afternoon. 

Goal scorer Pavlyuchenko received almost an inch perfect cross from the right hand side but shot straight into the gloves of Sweden`s Manchester City keeper. 

The same man missed again just moments later as he did well to get a lot of space in the box but fired Saenko`s cross wide of the goal. Chance after chance went begging for Russia, and even though at 2-0 they were safe, the game could really have been a high scoring one.

And in the end fortune favors the brave and Russia, who really took the game to Sweden, will go through into the knock out rounds for the first time ever since the Solvet Union split up. Guud Hiddenk`s men are playing beautiful football and with the return of Andrei Arshavin, who had a man of the match performance today, write them off at your own risk. We`ll see them in action next on Saturday as they take on the mighty dutch in what will probably be the most entertaining of the 4 quarter finals.