Russia vs. New Zealand
I was eager to watch this game.
Gone from my thoughts was the flaccid Russia of last year’s Euros.
Gone was the blundering Russia of the 2014 World Cup, whose players, under Capello, were fearful.
I hoped to see the slick Russia of the 2012 Euros, the Russia that put four goals past the Czech Republic (before being dumped out of that tourney by the Greeks).
New Zealand, I thought, would be the ideal victim for such a Russia.
Unfortunately, I missed the first half. I got the kickoff time wrong and turned the game on rather late.
The Russians were ahead, 1–0, but only because New Zealand had scored for them. Empty seats blighted the stadium in St. Petersburg. From his V.I.P. box, Putin cast an irritated scowl.
As I watched, it became clear that these Russians were no better than, say, Peru. (The FIFA rankings have them beneath Venezuela, but that’s not right.)
The Kiwis were vastly worse, though. They looked like a team of schoolboys. Their only standout was their goalie, who made some startling saves. (His club, in Germany, is in the third division, and so I hope that this tourney brings him wider notice.)
But the onslaught could not be held back. Around the 70th minute, a neat maneuver resulted in a tap-in for the Russians. Such was what I’d hoped to see.
Gone from my thoughts was the flaccid Russia of last year’s Euros.
Gone was the blundering Russia of the 2014 World Cup, whose players, under Capello, were fearful.
I hoped to see the slick Russia of the 2012 Euros, the Russia that put four goals past the Czech Republic (before being dumped out of that tourney by the Greeks).
New Zealand, I thought, would be the ideal victim for such a Russia.
Unfortunately, I missed the first half. I got the kickoff time wrong and turned the game on rather late.
The Russians were ahead, 1–0, but only because New Zealand had scored for them. Empty seats blighted the stadium in St. Petersburg. From his V.I.P. box, Putin cast an irritated scowl.
As I watched, it became clear that these Russians were no better than, say, Peru. (The FIFA rankings have them beneath Venezuela, but that’s not right.)
The Kiwis were vastly worse, though. They looked like a team of schoolboys. Their only standout was their goalie, who made some startling saves. (His club, in Germany, is in the third division, and so I hope that this tourney brings him wider notice.)
But the onslaught could not be held back. Around the 70th minute, a neat maneuver resulted in a tap-in for the Russians. Such was what I’d hoped to see.