It took Spain more sweat and toil than they had anticipated but, in a game
that saw a red card for Roman Sharanov and a glut of bookings, Inaki Saez's side
got off to the start to the Euro 2004 finals they had dreamed off.
With Portugal surprisingly losing the earlier game in Group A against Greece,
the Spanish must really fancy their chances of a quick route into the quarter
finals.
The decider came with substitute Juan Carlos Valeron's first touch after Saez
had made drastic changes on the hour to haul off star men Fernando Morientes and
Ruben Baraja.
And the man from Deportivo was cool and controlled in the box to fire home
Carles Puyol's right wing cross a minute later.
Spain, with little winger Vicente outstanding in the first hour, should have
run away with this one.
But injury-ravaged Russia defended bravely and created a few dangerous moments
of their own.
In the end though it was class and skill that won the day rather than a side
prepared to notch up the bookings trying to stay in the chase.
Spain decided to go with the youth of Iker Casillas in goal and not veteran
Santiago Canizares, but otherwise it was the expected team with skipper Raul and
Real Madrid clubmate Fernando Morientes up front.
Russia, robbed of half of their best defence in the week before the
tournament, had new skipper Alexei Smertin at the back, the on-loan Portsmouth
midfielder allowing a gap for another veteran in Aleksandr Mostovoi into
midfield.
Many thousands of Spanish fans had flooded across the border, just 50 miles
away, to outnumber the Russians three to one in this impressive new stadium,
where from the very top you could see the Algarve coastline glinting in the
sun.
There was also a large contingent of England fans here, the cross of St George
hanging from all vantage points. These fans combining a holiday with the
football and preparing for a three-hour rush up the motorway to Lisbon for the
France game in 24 hours.
It was Spain who dominated early on, Raul shooting wide and Morientes seeing a
close range effort blocked.
Russia had barely got out of their half when Rolan Gusev was booked for
bringing down Vicente.
The next Russian into the book was Roman Sharonov, for again bringing down
Vicente, the little Valencia winger showing what a fine player he is becoming.
But Spain, having not nailed their opponents when in command, could have been
behind at the break.
They were stopped from taking the lead when Casillas made an instinctive save
to keep out Dmitri Alenichev coming in on the left unmarked and another save
from the same player - this time from 20 yards - a minute later.
Casillas again got down well to his right to push away an edge of the box
drive from Aldonin, the Russians having now come out of their shell.
Referee Urs Meier was in action again on 43 minutes, this time booking a
Spaniard, Baraja for pulling back Mostovoi.
Spain started the second period like the first, hurling men forward and Raul,
Morientes and Carles Puyol went close.
But on 59 minutes coach Inaki Saez opted for drastic action, taking off Baraja
and Morientes and sending on Xabi Alonso and Juan Carlos Valeron.
And the changes worked a treat with Spain taking the lead a minute later
through Valeron, who had been pushed into at attacking midfield role leaving
Raul on his own up front.
The goal came when Puyol surged to the line and pulled the ball back for the
Deportivo star to take control, create space and fire the ball past
Ovchinnikov.
Carlos Marchena was next booked for a foul on Mostovoi and then the Russians
changed their formation, taking off Aldonin and sending on youngster Dmitri
Sychev up front.
Dmitri Bulykin finally got away from Ivan Helguera on 84 minutes and was sent
flying by a charge from Albelda, which cost him a shoulder problem and a
booking.
Two minutes from time Russia were down to 10 men when Sharonov got a second
yellow card for blocking Fernando Torres run on the edge of the box. In injury
time Radimov was booked for a foul on Valeron.
That summed up the tone of the match, Russia stretched to contain cleverer
opponents, the game having eight bookings and a sending off.
Teams
Spain: Casillas, Puyol, Marchena, Helguera, Bravo, Etxeberria,
Albelda, Baraja (Alonso 59), Vicente, Raul (Torres 77),
Morientes (Valeron 59).
Subs Not Used: Canizares, Aranzubia, Capdevila, Luque, Gabri,
Cesar, Joaquin, Xavi, Juanito.
Booked: Baraja, Marchena, Albelda.
Goals: Valeron 60.
Russia: Ovchinnikov, Evseev, Smertin, Sharonov, Sennikov,
Gusev (Radimov 45), Alenitchev, Aldonin (Sychev 68), Mostovoi,
Izmailov (Kariaka 74), Boulykin.
Subs Not Used: Malafeev, Akinfeev, Semshov, Kerzhakov, Aniukov,
Kirichenko, Bystrov, Loskov, Bugaev.
Sent Off: Sharonov (88).
Booked: Gusev, Sharonov, Smertin, Aldonin, Radimov.
Att: 30,000
Ref: Urs Meier (Switzerland).
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