Euro 2008: Russia 2-0 Sweden, Shocking Qualification for Russia (Full Match Report and Video)

After both teams beat Greece and lost to Spain, the pressure was on in this game. Russia needed a win, where as Sweden could get through with a draw. Russia knew that they were under pressure, and Guus Hiddink was especially feeling the heat, as he was offered a four hundred thousand pound bonus if his Russian side got through to the quarter finals.

Russia started the game better, playing fast football and catching the Swedes out. A combination of good saves, hitting the post, missing chances and simply not engineering chances well enough meant that after twenty five minutes the game was still goal less.

But then, a moment of genius from Russia produced the first goal of the game: an excellent run by the winger, who passed the ball in to the area for the under lapping right back, who then played the ball back to Roman Pavlyuchenko who neatly finished the move, playing the ball calmly in to the bottom corner.

Sweden never really looked like scoring, and Henrik Larsson had the closest chance, heading the ball on to the post, although this would have been extremely flattering if it had gone in.

In the second half the story was much the same, and Russia got a quick goal, when a sweeping move was converted in to a goal by Andrei Arshavin, who had a brilliant game.

Russia looked likely to score more, and in the last ten minutes they should have scored at least two goals, and must have had five or six good opportunities, including a couple of headers from point blank range.

Overall a good performance by Russia, who knock Sweden out the tournament, and reach the knock out stage of a major tournament since they were the Soviet Union.

Final Score:
Russia 2 – 0 Sweden

Watch the Russian historic GOALS:

View Comments June 19th, 2008