SOCCER/ Euro 2004 Qualifying Group 10/ Russia 4; Switzerland 1: The Republic of Ireland's position in Group 10 of the European Championship qualifiers was clarified last night in Moscow by virtue of the home side's convincing victory before a 30,000 crowd at the Locomotiv stadium.
Brian Kerr's team must now beat Switzerland in Basel next month to finish as runners-up, if as expected the Russians win against Georgia in their final match at last night's venue. The home side were emphatic winners against a Swiss team that flattered initially, taking the lead only to crumble defensively.
That aspect of the visiting team's display will give the Irish management encouragement as Murat Yakin and Stephane Henchoz couldn't cope with the power and pace of hat-trick hero Dimitry Bulykin. Having made his debut against Ireland at Lansdowne Road last Saturday and served notice of his burgeoning talent, Bulykin was exceptional, albeit facilitated by questionable defending.
This Swiss side, missing four first team regulars, could not have envisaged such an anaemic defensive performance and coach Koebi Kuhn will be livid with the space that his team afforded their hosts.
Of minor consolation will be the performance of twin strikers Stephane Chapuisat and Alexander Frei, who linked intuitively, causing huge problems for the Russian defence. They served notice of what Ireland can expect next month in Basel, especially prompted by brilliant midfielder Hakin Yakin, who missed last night's match.
Ironically it was Switzerland that made the brighter start, the clever movement of Chapuisat and Frei, bamboozling the Russians. The home side's left back Andrei Solomatin, one of four changes from the Dublin match, looked particularly ill at ease.
If the Russians were dropping too deep then the same can be said of the Swiss defence, who rarely got tight enough, particularly on Bulykin, in the opening 45 minutes.
It was the home side that eked out the first clear cut opportunity on 10 minutes but Alexander Kerzhakov shot hastily and wildly over the crossbar from 10 yards.
Switzerland's riposte was swift, Chapuisat easily losing his marker in the Russian penalty area and sliding the ball across the face of goal. Andrei Karyaka, under pressure from Frei, panicked and drove the ball high into his own net.
One glaring absentee for the visitors was goalkeeper and captain Jorg Stiel. His deputy Pascal Zuberbuehler contributed hugely to the Russians' equaliser. A rush of blood saw him charge to the corner of his penalty area for a ball he had no chance of winning and while scrambling to regain his ground could only watch as Rolan Gusev's cross was headed home by Bulykin.
The tall striker was proving a handful for the Swiss defence, a point he reinforced with a superb second goal on 33 minutes, the culmination of a sustained bout of pressure from the home side.
There seemed little danger when he picked up the ball 30 yards out from the Swiss goal but he drove at the heart of the defence, benefited from an untimely slip by Murat Yakin, to muscle his way past three defenders and calmly wrong foot Zuberbuehler from eight yards.
Russia started the second half tentatively but encouraged by poor Swiss defending increased their lead on 59 minutes. Karyakov had a shot deflected wide by Zuberbuehler but from Mostovoi's corner Bulykin rose, virtually unchallenged six yards from goal, to head Russia's third and his hat-trick.
Mostovoi added a fourth soon after and Switzerland's night of misery was completed when midfielder Richardo Cabanas was sent off three minutes from time and will now miss the Ireland game.
Meanwhile, Georgia's faint hopes of qualifying from Group 10 came unstuck after a 3-1 defeat to Albania in Tirana last night. Besnik Hasi put the home side ahead after 52 minutes and that lead was doubled two minutes later through Alban Tare.
Shota Arveladze got a goal back for the Georgians in the 63rd minute but Alban Bushi ensured the three points for the home side with a 80th minute strike.
Brian Kerr was denied the opportunity of being present at last night's match in Russia due to an "air traffic control restriction" in Moscow. Kerr and his assistant coach Noel O'Reilly intended to fly out to the Russian capital yesterday morning but decided not to travel when it became apparent that they would have missed the start of the game because of the delays.
RUSSIA: Ovchinnikov; Radimov, Solomatin (Sennikov 46), Smertin, Karyaka, Ignashevich, Onopko, Gusev (Izmailov 58), Bulykin, Mostovoi, Kerzhakov (Sychev 77). Goals: Dmitry Bulykin 20, 33, 59; Mostovoi 72.
SWITZERLAND: Zuberbuehler; Meyer, Berner (Wicky 71), Henchoz, M Yakin, Vogel, Cabanas, Mueller (Huggel 64), Frei (Rama 79), Celestini, Chapuisat. Goal: Karyaka og 12. Red Card: Cabanas.
Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy).Group 10
