Russian massacre ends Euro 2020 hopes for Cyprus

UEFA EURO 2020 QUALIFIERS - GROUP I (MATCHDAY 8)

Cyprus saw their slim chances to qualify for UEFA Euro 2020 come crashing to a halt as they were on the wrong end of a 5-0 beatdown at home to Russia.

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Denis Cheryshev led the way with two goals, and Artem Dzyuba, Magomed Ozdoev and Aleksandr Golovin all found the back of the net as well. Cyprus were also down to 10-men after a half hour, and had to change goalkeepers on a night where nothing went right for them.

Cyprus remain in third place in Group I, but now 11 points adrift of Russia with just two matches remaining. On the other hand, with the win, Russia have qualified along with group leaders Belgium - who Cyprus are 14 points behind.

Cyprus have still never beaten Russia, and have only ever earned one draw against them. This was their fourth-ever loss to Russia since Russia was re-established in 1992. They also lost all four times they played against the Soviet Union, of whom Russia retains their history for FIFA purposes.

THE MATCH

Cyprus hosted Russia at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia for matchday eight action in Euro 2020 qualifying. Cyprus were without their best player in Pieros Sotiriou who isn’t 100% healthy. The Russian visitors wasted no time putting the Cypriot goal under siege, a Russian corner set up a free header for Georgi Dzhikiya, but mercifully for Cyprus, it screamed back off the crossbar. This, however, ended up being merely a warning shot. Matija Spoljaric had a free-kick against the run of play, but in the end, the ball bounced innocently in on the Russian goalkeeper Guilherme.

In the ninth minute, Russia meant business. Denis Cheryshev picked the pocket of Chambos Kyriakou, sped past him and beat Konstantinos Panagi with a nice finish at the near post, the Russians paying off their territorial domination.

The Russians continued to carry the play, and they struck again in the 22nd minute. Aleksei Ionov made a pass across the goalmouth, it went off Ioannis Kousoulos, and seemed to be going out for a corner, but Cheryshev kept it alive along the goal line, and played it in front for Magomed Ozdoev who smashed it past Panagi to make it 2-0.

Things went from bad to worse for Cyprus. Kostas Laifis fouled Sergei Petrov hard and was shown a yellow card, but he continued to plead his case, and was quickly shown another yellow, two yellows make a red, and he was sent off. Russia smelled blood after that. Ionov dribbled around Giorgos Merkis, but Panagi stopped him in tight. Then Panagi made a great save on a well-placed header from Artem Dzyuba. Not long after, however, Panagi appeared to pull a muscle in his thigh, and after a few minutes of trying to stay in the match, he was replaced in goal by Urko Pardo. Pardo was immediately pressed into action and he denied Dzyuba, and then made a great save on Cheryshev, keeping the score at 2-0 in favor of Russia at halftime.

The Russians continued to dominate the second half. Dzyuba laid it off for Ionov, Pardo made a great save, and Merkis was there to clear it off the line. However, the seemingly inevitable third goal came in the 79th minute, Cheryshev played in a cross that Dzyuba nodded past Pardo to make it 3-0.

Pardo who had been so good since coming into the match in relief, then made a bad mistake, turning the ball over to Zelimkhan Bakaev, he fed Dzyuba, and he set Aleksandr Golovin for an easy goal in the 89th minute.

In stoppage time, the Russian visitors tacked on yet another goal, Ozdoev laid off for Dzyuba who set up Cheryshev for his second goal of the match, capping off the scoring, and sending Russia to UEFA Euro 2020 next summer.

LINEUPS

Cyprus (Ran Ben Shimon): 1. Konstantinos Panagi(GK)(‘40 12. Urko Pardo), 3. Nikolas Ioannou, 4 Giorgos Merkis(Captain), 6. Michalis Ioannou, 7. Panayiotis Zachariou(‘36 17. Renato Margaca), 8. Chambos Kyriakou, 13. Ioannis Kousoulos, 16. Matija Spoljaric(‘80 15. Fotis Papoulis), 18. Kostakis Artymatas, 19. Kostas Laifis, 20. Ioannis Kosti

Russia (Stanislav Cherchesov): 1. Guilherme(GK), 5. Andrei Semenov, 6. Denis Cheryshev, 7. Magomed Ozdoev, 10. Ilzat Akhmetov(‘61 8. Daler Kuzyaev), 13. Fedor Kudryashov, 14. Georgi Dzhikiya, 17. Aleksandr Golovin, 21. Aleksei Ionov(‘77 2. Zelimkhan Bakaev), 22. Artem Dzyuba(Captain), 23. Sergei Petrov(‘37 15. Vyacheslav Karavaev)

by Marios Antoniou

Image Source: SportFM CYP

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