Euro 2016: Napoli’s Marek Hamsik exposes Russian futility while Slovakia earn landmark victory

Russia 1 Slovakia 2

Uefa may not need to throw Russia out of Euro 2016. Their Group B opponents could do that for them.

The threat of expulsion hangs over the Russians after their rioting fans’ misbehaviour in Marseille. Their players’ mediocre showing against Slovakia in Lille left them with a solitary point from two games. Fail to beat Wales on Monday and they may beat a humiliating return home, in disappointment at on-field events rather than in disgrace because of off-field aggression.

Their hooligans do not, but the Russian team punches below its weight. Theirs is a country of 143 million. They lost to Slovakia, which has a mere 5 million inhabitants. Their next opponents, Wales, come from a principality of 3 million.

Russia do not possess a player of the potency, pedigree and panache of the magnificent Marek Hamsik, their tormentor in chief, but they nevertheless have a capacity to fail when pitted against those with lesser resources. They were lacklustre at the 2014 World Cup, contrived not to qualify from perhaps the weakest group in Euro 2012 and missed the 2010 World Cup altogether.

The vast amount of money in the Russian game has produced neither outstanding individuals nor a group with a formidable sense of teamwork. There was a sense of spirit when they came from behind to procure a barely deserved point against England and again when they scored a late goal against Slovakia.

This time, however, it was not enough. A late bombardment did not yield a second equaliser and Russia stare into the abyss.

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EUFA Euro 2016:
Russia - Slovakia
X-10min@ 1.14
Romania - Switzerland
X-10min@ 1.13
France - Albania
X-10min@ 1.18
England - Wales
X-10min@ 1.15
Ukraine - Northern Ireland
X-10min@ 1.14
Germany - Poland
X-10min@ 1.18
Italy - Sweden
X-10min@ 1.13
Czech Republic - Croatia
X-10min@ 1.14
Spain - Turkey
X-10min@ 1.16
Belgium - Republic of Ireland
X-10min@ 1.16
Iceland - Hungary
X-10min@ 1.14
Portugal - Austria
X-10min@ 1.15
Switzerland - France
X-10min@ 1.16
Romania - Albania
X-10min@ 1.15
Slovakia - England
X-10min@ 1.17
Russia - Wales
X-10min@ 1.15
Ukraine - Poland
X-10min@ 1.15
Northern Ireland - Germany
X-10min@ 1.22
Croatia - Spain
X-10min@ 1.16
Czech Republic - Turkey
X-10min@ 1.16
Hungary - Portugal
X-10min@ 1.17
Iceland - Austria
X-10min@ 1.15
Italy - Republic of Ireland
X-10min@ 1.15
Sweden - Belgium
X-10min@ 1.16
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As hosts of the 2018 World Cup, they are one of the few teams who could be forgiven for prioritising another tournament. Yet they are not. Theirs is one of the older groups in France. Their centre-backs’ combined age is touching 70. Their squad features a solitary player under 25. They seem neither a team for the future or for now.

The losses of the injured, pivotal pair of midfielders, Igor Denisov and Alan Dzagoev, are mitigating factors. Their deputies, Roman Neustadter and Aleksandr Golovin, were so ineffectual they were both replaced at half-time.

Winger Aleksandr Kokorin, long touted as Russia’s great talent, flattered to deceive again. Instead, their hopes rested with the enigmatic Artom Dzyuba. He is a giant with a fondness for mazy runs, a winger trapped inside a target man’s body. At least he offered a team lacking inspiration or ideas something different. There is a strange lack of ambition about Russia. They have height – Denis Glushakov scored their second header in as many games – which enables them to go direct in the closing stages but not much speed.

A rare exception was the electric Oleg Shatov. Igor Smolnikov, the raiding right-back, was the other to add dynamism, but he was caught out of position when Vladimir Weiss struck.

The scorer was almost a subplot, however, such was the beauty of the build-up. Slovakia supplied two high-class goals, each illustrating Hamsik’s catalytic qualities. For the opener, the Napoli playmaker dropped deep to pierce the Russian defence with a wonderful diagonal pass. Weiss latched on to it, cut inside and beat Igor Akinfeev. That was Hamsik the creator. The second was Hamsik the scorer, showing the range of his gifts. He collected Weiss’ shot corner, turned on to his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable shot that arrowed in off the far post.

Hamsik was outshone by colleagues in defeat to Wales but this underlined his status as Slovakia’s talisman and great talent. His was among the outstanding individual performances of Euro 2016 so far, ranking alongside those of Dimitri Payet, Toni Kroos, Andres Iniesta and Leonardo Bonucci.

Each plays for one of Europe’s established powers. Hamsik does not, but Slovakia are acquiring a taste for upsetting bigger nations. They beat Spain in qualifying and Germany in a friendly and have now claimed a third major scalp. If Russia rank as a major scalp.

CREDIT TO:http://www.thenational.ae/sport/euro-matches/euro-2016-napolis-marek-hamsik-exposes-russian-futility-while-slovakia-earn-landmark-victory