Day 6 - Group B: Russia v. Slovakia
posted by The Blue Devil @ 8:40 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Contributors
Previous Posts
- France 2016 Predictions Game - Group Stage Update #1
- Day 5 - Group F: Portugal v. Iceland
- Day 4 - Group E: Italy v. Belgium
- Day 4: Group D: Spain v. Czech Republic
- Day 3 - Group C: Germany v. Ukraine
- Day 3 - Group C: Northern Ireland v. Poland
- Day 3 - Group D: Croatia v. Turkey
- Day 2 - Group B: England v. Russia!
- Day 2 - Group B: Wales v. Slovakia
- Day 2 - Group A: Switzerland v. Albania
58 Comments:
The teams out on the pitch in Lille now:
Russia (4-2-3-1) Akinfeev; Smolnikov, V Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Golovin, Neustadter; Kolkorin, Shatov, Smolov; Dzyuba.
Slovakia (4-3-3) Kozaczik; Pekarik, Skrtel, Durica, Hubocan; Kucka, Pecovsky, Hamsik; Mak, Duda, Weiss.
Russia in red get us underway in Lille.
One of the Russian players has had his hand trod on early doors and is receiving treatment.
Mak is fouled down the right wing, and will take the free-kick for Slovakia. It’s swerved in and nutted behind by Kokorin. Nothing comes of the corner.
Not a great start to the game in terms of quality or intensity. Whatever happened to the fast start that both sides promised?
This has been one of the poorest displays so far. Every set piece has gone straight to the opponent. It suits me, though. I'll take a 0-0 draw followed by an England win tomorrow morning. Blow up, ref!
Shatov with a hilarious slice well wide.
As well as England played on Saturday, and they were good, there was always the nagging sense that Russia might actually be crap. The first 17 minutes have done nothing to compromise that perception.
Dzyuba with a nice run but he ruined it with a silly flop in the area. The ref was having none of it.
A half-chance for Russia. Smolnikov’s chipped cross is looped gently towards goal by the head of the backpedalling Dzuyba, eight yards from goal, but the ball travels so slowly that Kozacik has time to run across his line and pat it down.
Oh - Smolnov with a decent chance there, whistling a shot just wide left of the goal.
Half an hour gone here and I'm already goal starved.
GOAL! Weiss jinks inside his man and fires home Slovakia's first goal at these championships.
1-0!
A good goal but not good news for England. A Slovakia win would keep all four sides active in the group into the third match on Monday.
Hamsik played a huge role in that one, spraying a 45 yard ball to Weiss to start the move.
YESSSSSS! Just tuned in to see the Russkies get pegged back. I thought that Weiss had blown it with his seemingly pointless drag-back.
I suppose a 1-1 draw is what I should be hoping for, but the Russkies are a shower, their mouthy players, their odious quasi-state sports committee, and their decision to open the gulags and pour their criminal element into Europe. The sooner they are out the better.
You digging that Amons track?
GOAL! Hamsik has done it again!
Morning, mate - I woke up too late to download the track yet, as I was busy setting up the thread. But I'll do that at half-time. Thanks for sending it along. Having my brekkies now.
And that's half-time. 2-0 Slovakia at present. Not ideal for England but it means that England would top the group with even a 1-0 win, as Wales and Slovakia would be on 3 points and Russia on 1.
YESSSSS! They're going home, their going home, those Russian gangsters are going home. We'll just have to beat the Welsh and then the Slovaks. It's in our hands.
Nearly 10am, mate. Get a move-on.
I know - I'm off to the office after this one for a couple of meetings. But home for the French - no heavy lifting today.
We're back on at Lille for the second half now. Slutsky has made two changes to his starting line up.
Wales’ result looked good on Saturday; it looks even better now because Slovakia look a capable side. If England lose tomorrow, it’ll be squeaky-bum time before the final game.
An hour in now and Russia haven't managed a single chance in this second period. It's looking dire for them now.
Duda comes off and Adam Nemic, the NYC FC player, comes on for Slovakia.
Goalscorer Weiss departs, replaced by Dusan Svento, a defensive player.
Slovakia are taking some heat out of the game with a long spell of passing.
Smolnov with a nice run down the left flank earns a free kick. They'll need to take advantage of this one if they're to get back into this one.
Kokorin comes off to be replaced by Shirokov.
Hamsik heads clear from a poor free kick.
Russia’s good spell lasted about four minutes, and now Slovakia looked comfortable once again.
Mak comes off to be replaced by Duris. Last sub for Slovakia.
GOAL! YESSS!!!! Shatov scores for Russia to put Slovakia on the back foot again.
Russia on it again - they've got the momentum back now. Russia seem to only start playing after the 80th minute.
Sorry, that was Glushakov with the Russian goal; Shatov laid it on for him. We still haven't had a player who has scored two.
Slovakia are suddenly all over the place, and now Russia have a corner.
The corner is punched away nervously by Kozacik. Goals may be overrated but they certainly change games.
Russia have a problem: Shatov is holding his groin, and they’ve used all three substitutes.
Smolnov with another amazing, mazy run but he ran into trouble.
Slovakia are just barely hanging on now; come on, you Russians!
Skrtel gives up another corner - come on!
Still five minutes and stoppage.
Shatov is carrying on, and seems to be okay. Slovakia are camped in their own third.
Oh - Glushakov had a chance to score his brace - hit it wide!
Slovakia break free through Hamsik but is shut down.
Slutsky looks to be having a coronary. Adrian Healey told a ribald tale a moment ago about how his playing career was ended by a bizarre spinal injury that he incurred while trying to rescue a neighbor's cat up a tree.
Slovakia looking pretty shaky right now. Slutsky encouraging this period of siege by the Russians.
Dzyuba had a chance there but his shot was blocked out.
Apparently a flare was just fired off by one of the Russian fans. What have you got, UEFA?
Three minutes of stoppage time to come - come on, you Reds!
Oh - useless ball in there.
Last chance saloon for Russia - decent free kick chance now.
The shot is deflected out for a corner - this will be the last action of the match.
Full-time - Slovakia hang on for a very good win, which means that they'll qualify with a win or draw against England.
It's not the ideal result for England but it certainly clarifies things. England will need a win tomorrow against the Welsh.
I'm off for a shower and then to work for a few hours. I'll be pedaling home in time for the French v. Albanians.
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