Russia v Moldova background
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Article summary
Four draws in UEFA club competition provide the backdrop as Russia and Moldova meet in their first competitive game in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group G.
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Article body
Two former Soviet republics meet for the first time in a competitive game in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group G, with past meetings between Russian and Moldovan clubs suggesting a tight encounter.
Match background
• The sides' only previous senior encounter was a friendly at Republika Stadium in Chisinau on 4 June 2000, which Russia won 1-0, Maxim Buznikin scoring the only goal on 14 minutes – it was the first of the striker's five goals in eight appearances for Russia.
• The nations have met in seven UEFA age-group competitions, with Moldova's record W0 D1 L6. That one draw came in their most recent encounter, a UEFA European Under-21 Championship meeting in Yekaterinburg on 10 September 2012 which ended 2-2. Russia were on target for a 2-1 win, Maxim Grigorev (74) and Fedor Smolov (81) having responded to a 43rd-minute opener from Anatoli Cheptine, but Ion Jardan levelled two minutes into added time.
• All four of the meetings between the nations' clubs in UEFA competitions have ended in draws; FC Spartak Moskva eliminated FC Sheriff on away goals in the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, drawing 1-1 in Tiraspol and 0-0 in Moscow. More recently, FC Anji Makhachkhala drew 0-0 with Sheriff in Tiraspol and 0-0 in Ramenskoye in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League group stage.
• Alexandr Curteian, who took over as Moldova coach on 24 September, won the Russian Cup with FC Zenit in 1999.
