St Petersburg: Hosts Russia eased to a 2-0 win over New Zealand here Saturday in the opening match of the Confederations Cup, a tournament seen as a test for the country before it stages next year’s World Cup.
Midfielder Denis Glushakov flicked the ball over goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic in the 31st minute as New Zealand defenders rushed back to try to clear it off the line. New Zealand’s Michael Boxall got a touch on the ball and was credited with an own goal.
Scoring chances came early for Russia, playing with confidence and unexpected flair, a powerful header by defender Viktor Vasin bouncing off the inside of the post before being cleared by New Zealand’s Michael McGlinchey off the line.
Marinovic kept his team in the match early in the second half with back-to-back saves, diving to punch away a header by Dmitry Poloz before scrambling to his left to smother a rebound attempt by Aleksandr Erokhin.
But weak defending allowed Russia’s Fedor Smolov to slip past the New Zealand defence and tap in a low cross by teammate Alexander Samedov in the 69th minute.
World Champions Germany and the champions from FIFA’s six confederations are competing in the two-week tournament that will allow Russia to test its soccer infrastructure in four of the 11 cities hosting World Cup matches.
Russia were under pressure before the match began with the country’s President Vladimir Putin in the gallery. Manager Stanislav Cherchesov said after the game that it was a huge relief for him to come away with a victory in the opening game.
The fact the leader of the country came to the match is on the one hand an additional positive, but it is also an additional responsibility,” Cherchesov, whose team face Portugal, Wednesday, told reporters. “We coped with the task before us.”
