Kyrgyzstan – Russia, September 24, 2022: midfielder Daniil Utkin, debut goal for the national team
On September 24, the Russian national team played the first match in 2022. The rival was modest Kyrgyzstan – 95th place in the international FIFA rankings. Debutants suddenly appeared in the remaining national squads: Sergey Borodin, Danil Krugovoy, Alexander Kovalenko, Roman Yezhov, Daniil Khlusevich, Alexander Silyanov, Artyom Makarchuk, Daniil Utkin and Maxim Glushenkov. And one of them became the hero of the meeting.
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Midfielder “Rostov” Daniil Utkin entered the field in the second half. And in the 89th minute, the midfielder took advantage of an error in the defense of the Kyrgyz national team. He jumped out to the opponent’s goal and with a non-working right leg accurately gave the ball into the corner. This goal won the Russian team with a score of 2:1, and Utkin entered his name in history. He became the 13th player who managed to win in the first match for the national team. “Championship” remembers the rest of the heroes, the items submitted to this achievement.
Daniel Utkin
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, Championship
Dmitry Popov
In 1992, Dmitry Popov played for Spartak Moscow. He received an invitation to the Russian national team for a friendly match with Mexico (2:0). The head coach of the national team, Pavel Sadyrin, used him as a right back. The player returned to base and in the 66th minute scored the debut goal set in foreign currency. Assisted him, by the way, Valery Karpin. In total, Popov played 21 matches in the national game, scored four times and gave an assist.
Dmitry Popov
Photo: Getty Images
Igor Simutenkov
In 1994, the Russian team went to the World Cup, and on their return they played a friendly match with Austria (3:0). Head coach Oleg Romantsev gave a chance to young Igor Simutenkov, who at that time was 21 years old. The striker is back in the main. In the 82nd minute, with the score 2-0, the national team earned a penalty. The forward converted it and immediately left the field. After the appearance, Simutenkov collected 20 times for the national team, scored a head and gave an assist.
Igor Simutenkov
Photo: RIA Novosti
Valery Kechinov and Mukhsin Mukhamadiev
Valeria Kechinova and Mukhsina Mukhamadieva first committed a crime in the Russian national team in 1995. Forwards also made their debut under Oleg Romantsev. They took place in the Euro 1996 qualifying match with the Faroe Islands (3:0). Kechinov opened the score in this meeting, and Mukhamadiev finished it. This game remained the only one in the jersey of the national team. And Valery went on the field in it (2 + 1 in six meetings).
Mukhsin Mukhamadiev and Valery Kechinov
Photo: RIA Novosti
Sergey Grishin
Right midfielder Sergei Grishin first joined the Russian national team in 1997. Head coach Boris Ignatiev called him to the 1998 World Cup qualifier. The debut took place in a meeting with Luxembourg (3:0). Grishin went on as a substitute immediately after the break, scoring his debut goal for the national team in the 55th minute. In total, the midfielder has three matches in the national team, and one assist was added to the goal.
Sergey Grishin
Photo: FC Dynamo Kyiv
Oleg Kornaukhov
The left-back began his career at CSKA, where he moved in 1998. There he was noticed by head coach Anatoly Byshovets and called Kornaukhov to a friendly match with Brazil. Multiple world champions calmly moved the opponent with a score of 5:1. However, he promoted activity among Russians. Oleg entered the field instead, played 69 minutes, scored a goal and received a yellow card. But after such a performance, he never appeared on the field in a national team shirt.
Oleg Kornaukhov
Photo: Alexander Safonov, “Championship”
Pavel Pogrebnyak
Forward “Tom” Pavel Pogrebnyak progressed rapidly, so he got into the Russian team in 2006. He was called by Guus Hiddink, who was gathering the team for the selection for Euro 2008. The forward received an invitation to a friendly match with Latvia (1:0), in which he became the main character. The head coach gave a drop-down for only a few minutes, but during this time he managed to win and win. In total, at his own expense, Pogrebnyak collected 33 times for the national team, scored eight goals and gave many assists.
Pavel Pogrebnyak
Photo: Alexander Safonov, “Championship”
Fedor Smolov
The striker made his debut in the Russian national team in 2012. After the failure of the Euro, Fabio Capello tried new forwards and challenged Smolov to a friendly match with the USA (2:2). it took the player a minute to score for the first time for the national team. Fedor’s career in the national team turned out to be a swing: from 16 + 4 in 45 meetings to a disappointing panenki in the quarterfinals of the home World Cup with Croatia (2:2, 3:4 pen.).
Fedor Smolov
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, Championship
Oleg Shatov
Oleg Shatov also made his debut for the Russian national team only a little later – in 2013. The midfielder was called up to the national team for friendly matches: with Iceland (2:0), he returned as a substitute immediately after the break with the score 1:0, and in the 66th minute the final score was set with an accurate blow. Throughout his career, the midfielder was tormented by expectations, but he managed to play 28 meetings for the national team, scored two goals and gave five assists.
Oleg Shatov
Photo: Alexander Safonov, “Championship”
Alexander Golovin and Alexey Miranchuk
They were also first introduced to the national team by Fabio Capello. In 2015, the national team planned a friendly match with Belarus (4:2), and the midfielders were included in the squad. Oleksandr returned as a substitute in the 62nd minute, and scored his debut goal in the 77th minute. He became a turning point and helped to level the score, and in the future – to snatch victory. Now the midfielder has 45 caps, five goals and 13 assistants. The winning goal in that meeting was scored by Alexey Miranchuk. By September 2022, he has 41 meetings, six goals and five assists.
Alexey Miranchuk and Alexander Golovin
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, Championship
Alexander Sobolev
Alexander Sobolev has moved up in the Russian national team since 2019, Stanislav Cherchesov is an active player on the retail list several times. But the striker got his chance only in October 2020. The national team played a friendly match with Sweden (1:2). The striker entered the field after the break, actively clung to the balls and in the 91st minute he nevertheless scored his debut goal. True, at the end of the meeting, it will not arise in any way. Sobolev took for the national team eight times, scored four photos and gave the transfer.
Alexander Sobolev
Photo: Dmitry Golubovich, Championship
Utkin has already entered his name in the Russian national team in history. But the future of the national team is still vague. The next scheduled friendly matches against Iran and Bosnia and Herzegovina are in danger of being cancelled.