EURO 2012 QUALIFYING GROUP B:Andorra v Russia
RUSSIA RETURN to the stadium where they secured qualification for Euro 2008 against an Andorra team now without a victory in 31 competitive games.
Andorra caused Russia not inconsiderable distress last time the two sides met – Russia could only win 1-0 – and will be looking to improve on some – by relative standards – promising results against their guests when the Group B rivals kick off their qualifying bids.
Andorra resume their bid to take a first point in Uefa European Championship qualifying having come close in the last edition. Fernando Silva’s 87th-minute goal left them at 1-1 in a game against Estonia, only for Indrek Zelinski to snatch a 2-1 win with a goal in added time.
Defender Ildefons Lima, who plays for Swiss side AC Bellinzona, is the only Andorra player who does not play in the local league or in the Spanish lower tiers.
Rubin Kazan midfielder Alan Kasaev is the only new name in Dick Advocaat’s squad, the 24-year-old former Under-21 international having scored four goals in 17 league appearances this term. FC Zenit St Petersburg goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev returns after missing the recent friendly against Bulgaria.
