Russia could not beat Qatar. The series of failures continues

The match ended in a draw with a score of 1:1. Ahmed Alaeldin scored for Qatar in the 70th minute. In the 90th minute, Alexander Soldatenkov saved the Russian team from defeat.

The Russian team players started the match with good motivation. Qatar, as a rival, seems more interesting than conventional Kyrgyzstan. For the first twenty minutes, Karpin’s team dominated the field. They possessed the ball and the space on the pitch, created chances and returned the ball quickly if it was lost. Qatar, on the contrary, played very modestly.

The first shot on target in Qatar was made by Golovin, who tried to be a leader on the pitch and take the initiative. The Monaco midfielder shot into the far corner, but goalkeeper Barsham saved his team’s goal. There were also moments with dangerous set pieces, but Karpin’s team was unlucky.

In the second half of the first half, Russia’s game stopped going well. The players were tired and therefore had difficulty returning the ball. The Qataris, on the contrary, were getting closer and closer to the gates of Safonov. The defense did not always keep pace with the host players, and here the Russian goalkeeper had to help. Initially, Russia had the advantage in shots, but at the break the statistics were equal – 6:6.

In the second half, the Russian team again had a productive period, but much less than in the first half. The Qataris were starting to feel in control of the pitch. Safonov kept a clean sheet during the match and Lantratov, who came on in the 68th minute, conceded almost immediately. But we can’t blame him. Khlusevich made a mistake and left spaces on the right flank, where Alaeldin’s cross came from.

The Russian team finished the match with an almost entirely fresh squad. Only Litvinov and Golovin remained from the starting lineup. Not that it helped much in attack, but we still had chances. In terms of shots in the second half, Russian footballers beat the Qataris – 6:4. And in the 90th minute, Soldatenkov managed to save the team from defeat by scoring from a corner.

“I liked the first 20-25 minutes. That’s the kind of game you want to see from the national team for 70-80 minutes. And what happened next – we have to understand it. Maybe the strength disappears after 20 minutes,” Karpin said after the match.

The failures of the Russian team continue. Players lack teamwork and concentration. That’s not to say there aren’t good times. There is a positive dynamic and Karpin must develop it.

Yahya Hasanov, Athletistic