Gazzaev gives duo their chance

Defenders Vadim Evseev and Alexei Berezutski are the two new names in the Russia squad for the upcoming EURO 2004™ matches against Georgia and Albania.

Winning start
Besides the inclusion of Berezutski, a young centre-back with PFC CSKA Moskva, and Evseev, the experienced FC Lokomotiv Moskva wing-back, coach Valeri Gazzaev will look again to the men who were victorious against the Republic of Ireland in Moscow in early September, when Russia opened their Group 10 programme with a 4-2 win.

Old guard overlooked
The main heroes of that game, Andrei Kariaka of FC Krylya Sovetov Samara and FC Zenit St. Petersburg's Alexander Kerzhakov, are expected to play prominent roles again. Gazzaev has ignored the form of Russia's old guard, again leaving out Alexander Mostovoi of RC Celta de Vigo and Valeri Karpin of Real Sociedad and also dropping Spartak's Yuri Kovtun.

Laktionov recalled
Meanwhile, Denis Laktionov, who plays his football in the Korean Republic, returns to the squad in the absence of injured midfield players Yegor Titov and Marat Izmailov. Russia visit Georgia on 12 October and then entertain Albania four days later.

Russia squad
Nigmatullin, Ovchinnikov, Onopko, Ignashevitch, Evseev, Nizhegorodov, Dayev, Berezutski, Smertin, Khokhlov, Laktionov, Gusev, Semak, Yanovski, Solomatin, Loskov, Semshov, Kariaka, Popov, Kirichenko, Beschastnykh, Kerzhakov, Pimenov.