Russia, for ingenuity

Reason for celebration for Russia ... at least until Saturday. The team of Guus Hiddink, with an image very different from that offered to Spain, failed to pass the quarter-finals after passing over a loose Sweden and was measured at the sensation of the tournament, Holland.

From the outset, Russia took over the command to make clear its intentions. The touch of Arshavin, the crack of Zenit who lost the first two games through suspension, was a plus for the team Hiddink in the final stretch of countryside, where imagination rules. Quality of Ras east to the ball on the Nordic centimeters.

One of the cool mediapunta forced to Isaksson hard at a center poisoned from the left that surprised the goal of Manchester City. With boilers society between Arshavin, Ziryanov and Pavlyuchenko operating at full capacity, the Russian goal seemed only a matter of time. And this was, of course, after a superb combination of his best men. Anyukov took advantage of a Ziryanov interned in from the right to serve Pavlyuchenko, who did not spare the first clear he had to send it inside. Award more than deserved by the record and the best Russian game.

Sweden, spurred by both, it clung to his best weapon, and at a snowy, only larguero prevented Larsson achieve a tie. A mirage in front of the red tide, determined to win by KO. Pavlyuchenko responded with a new genius in a ball impossible that repelled the crosshead. Another warning for the team Lagerback, impotent in the exchange of blows.

With the game on the board won in a clear way for Hiddink, Lagerback bet in the second part by the pressure that he missed the first. Sterile attempt, when Zhirkov, very incisive, braided five minutes with a combination of manual Arshavin, who rounded off his great performance with a goal.

Outside yes, Sweden was unable, no longer rising, but planting a minimal resistance to an imperial Russia at times. The passage of minutes and the physical superiority of the Nordic offered more consistency, although no news of Ibrahimovic, renqueante his knee throughout the tournament. For Swedish relief, lack of targeting Ziryanov and Pavlyuchenko in separate contras avoided humiliation.(source: elmundo)