【Euro Cup Big Prediction】Group 03 match: Russia vs England

Russia is a team with excellent cohesion, relying on concise and smooth teamwork to break through their opponents’ defenses. Compared to several other Eastern European teams, the Russian team plays a cleaner style of football, committing fewer fouls and receiving fewer cards. The defense is Russia’s biggest weakness; Belozutsky will turn 34 this month, and Ignashevich is also 36 years old. Their speed of movement and turning is slow, so the defense does not move forward very far. Russia’s play in the middle and forward areas is highly entertaining; their attacking players use flexible movement and quick passes to create direct passes, diagonal moves, and triangular formations, thereby generating high-quality shooting opportunities. With Zagoyev’s departure, Denisov in the defensive midfield role will become the core of the midfield, serving as a key link in the transition between attack and defense. Juba in the attacking line is the team’s top scorer in the European qualifying matches; he has a straightforward playing style, and his 1.94 meters height gives him an advantage when competing for headers. When Kokorin and Shatov pass balls in from the flanks, Juba can cause quite a problem for the opponents in the center of the field. Although Russia scored 18 goals in the qualifiers, a figure that seems impressive, 11 of those goals were scored against Liechtenstein, so their value is limited.

Prospects: The team is likely to finish at the bottom of the group. Russia’s first opponent will be England, and the strength of the English team in this Euro Cup tournament cannot be underestimated. The attacking lineup led by Harry Kane and Waldi will pose a serious challenge to Russia’s aging defense. In the next two matches, whether facing Slovakia or Wales, Russia does not have a decisive advantage in strength. Zagoyev's departure has a significant impact on the team, making it even more difficult for Russia to secure a spot in the next round*.

Highlights of the match: 1. England seeks revenge: The Three Lions will face their old rival Russia in their first match at the European Championship; the two teams were in the same group during the 2008 European Championship qualifiers. At that time, England lost 1-2 away from home to their opponents, and then was defeated 2-3 at home by Croatia; as a result, they finished in third place in their group by just 1 point and missed out on qualifying for the 2008 European Championship. With these two teams meeting again after 9 years, England certainly wants to use Russia as a stepping stone to secure a successful start to this European Championship. 2. Two key Russian players are missing: Russia lost two important players ahead of the Euro Cup, namely Denisov and Zagoyev, which has a significant impact on their midfield strength. The Daily Mail warns England to be careful of the 20-year-old Golovin, who is considered Russia’s Ronaldo. Smolov, who can play as a winger and striker, might be Russia’s secret weapon; last season he scored 24 goals for Krasnodar, and in Russia’s national team he has scored 5 goals in 14 appearances. 3. England’s starting lineup revealed: The Mirror disclosed England’s starting lineup ahead of the match. In the striker position, Kane took precedence over Leicester’s top scorer Vardy to start in the team; Lallana and Sterling played on the flanks, while Rooney, Dail and Alli formed the middle three. The two center-backs were Cahill and Smalling. Five players in this starting lineup come from Tottenham, and Hodgson hopes they will bring out the best in each other on the field.