WORLD CUP: Russia nearly pay for Akinfeev howler

GROUP H

RUSSIA 1-1 KOREA REPUBLIC

TUESDAY 17TH JUNE – CUIABA

After a dismal first 45 minutes, Fabio Capello’s Russians fought back from a goal down to clinch a vital point from their first game against Hong Myung-bo’s South Korean side.

The Russians suffered a major blow after defending well throughout, after a horrid mistake from goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. The CSKA stopper and opposite number Jung Sung-Ryong had endured difficult nights in terms of catching the ball, and it would prove to be to the detriment of Fabio Capello’s side in Cuiaba.

Akinfeev tried to catch a goal-bound effort from substitute Lee Keun-Ho but it bounced out of his hands and into the net on 68 minutes to hand Hong Myung-Bo’s men the lead at the Arena Pantanal.

Russian brought big burly striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov off the subs bench and he came to Akinfeev’s rescue six minutes later. Tucking away an equaliser just three minutes after coming on, taking advantage of a scramble in the box created by a dangerous ball in from another substitute Alan Dzagoev. This was the veteran striker’s 26th goal, which ties him for the nation’s all-time goal-scoring record with Vladimir Beschastnykh.

TEAMS

RUSSIA: Akinfeev, V. Berezutski, Ignashevich, Kombarov, Yeshchenko, Glushakov (Denisov 72), Fayzulin, Shatov (Dzagoev 59), Samedov, Zhirkov (Kerzhakov 71), Kokorin.

GOALS: Kerzhakov 74.

BOOKINGS: Shatov 49.

KOREA REP: S-R Jung, S-Y Yun, Y-G Kim, H-M Son (B-K Kim 84), C-Y Park (K-H Lee 56), Y Lee, J-C Koo, K-Y Han, S-Y Ki, C-Y Lee, J-H Hong (S-H Hwang 72).

GOALS: K-H Lee 68.

BOOKINGS: H-M Son 13, S-Y Ki 30, J-C Koo 90.