Spain opt for two man attack against Russia
Enlarge imageBy Simon Baskett
INNSBRUCK (Reuters) - Coach Luis Aragones opted to field a two-man strike force featuring Fernando Torres and David Villa in Spain’s Euro 2008 Group D opener against Russia on Tuesday.
The two-man attack meant no place for Cesc Fabregas in midfield while Brazilian-born Marcos Senna got the nod over Xabi Alonso as the holding player.
Russia coach Guus Hiddink named Roman Pavlyuchenko as the lone striker in the absence of Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has pulled out of the tournament with a knee injury.
Playmaker Andrei Arshavin is also serving the first game of a two-match suspension.
The four-man defence has an attacking edge with Yuri Zhirkov, often a left winger, at left back and Roman Shirokov in the centre instead of in midfield.
Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, 11-Joan Capdevila; 19-Marcos Senna; 6-Andres Iniesta, 8-Xavi, 21-David Silva; 7-David Villa, 9-Fernando Torres
Russia: 1-Igor Akinfeyev; 22-Alexander Anyukov, 8-Denis Kolodin, 14-Roman Shirokov, 18-Yuri Zhirkov; 11-Sergei Semak, 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 20-Igor Semshov, 15-Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, 21-Dmitry Sychev; 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko
Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)
(additional reporting by Sonia Oxley)
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
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By Simon Baskett
INNSBRUCK (Reuters) - Coach Luis Aragones opted to field a two-man strike force featuring Fernando Torres and David Villa in Spain’s Euro 2008 Group D opener against Russia on Tuesday.
The two-man attack meant no place for Cesc Fabregas in midfield while Brazilian-born Marcos Senna got the nod over Xabi Alonso as the holding player.
Russia coach Guus Hiddink named Roman Pavlyuchenko as the lone striker in the absence of Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has pulled out of the tournament with a knee injury.
Playmaker Andrei Arshavin is also serving the first game of a two-match suspension.
The four-man defence has an attacking edge with Yuri Zhirkov, often a left winger, at left back and Roman Shirokov in the centre instead of in midfield.
Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 5-Carles Puyol, 4-Carlos Marchena, 11-Joan Capdevila; 19-Marcos Senna; 6-Andres Iniesta, 8-Xavi, 21-David Silva; 7-David Villa, 9-Fernando Torres
Russia: 1-Igor Akinfeyev; 22-Alexander Anyukov, 8-Denis Kolodin, 14-Roman Shirokov, 18-Yuri Zhirkov; 11-Sergei Semak, 17-Konstantin Zyryanov, 20-Igor Semshov, 15-Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, 21-Dmitry Sychev; 19-Roman Pavlyuchenko
Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)
(additional reporting by Sonia Oxley)
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
© 2008 Reuters Click for restrictions
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