Hat-trick no big deal for Pavlyuchenko

Roman Pavlyuchenko told UEFA.com he was "not a hero" after deputising in style for the injured Aleksandr Kerzhakov with a hat-trick in Russia's 3-1 UEFA EURO 2012 win against Armenia.

Tottenham Hotspur FC striker Pavlyuchenko was called upon to replace Kerzhakov when the latter suffered a thigh problem in the final training session before Saturday's Group B encounter. He fully embraced the understudy role by cancelling out, on the volley, Armenia's opening goal from Marcos Pizzelli, before scoring two more in the second half – first following a slick move, then from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute.

However, he refused to revel in those achievements after full time in St Petersburg. "I am not a hero," he told UEFA.com. "Of course I am delighted to get three goals but I do not believe we did anything special. Three goals do not mean I am in brilliant form – I've just done my job. I should also thank my team-mates who created the goals. Aleksandr Anyukov's cross for the first meant all I had to do was take care with my finish. The second was even easier – a tap-in."

Russia had been held 0-0 by Armenia in Yerevan in March and could ill afford a repeat result in a section where they sit level at the top with the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia on 13 points. "You have to give credit to Armenia who put in a good performance in Saint Petersburg," Pavlyuchenko, 29, added. "They scored one and had chances to get another, but I think we wanted the win a bit more."

Having taken to the pitch in determined mood, Russia were unnerved to fall behind to Pizzelli's 25th-minute strike. "The players talked together a few days before the match, to encourage each other to get our teeth into Armenia," said Pavlyuchenko. "We said we had to press them from the off and show them who is the home team. We pressed, we attacked and then we conceded a goal. That was a shock because we were on top at the time."

Even though Pavlyuchenko found the equaliser within 60 seconds, that did not spare Russia a half-time harangue from coach Dick Advocaat. "We equalised quickly, but then had a tough conversation with Dick Advocaat at the interval which helped us improve in the second half and go on to win," said a player now with 19 goals from 40 national-team appearances.