Russia
Monday, October 1, 2012
Article summary
Russia have a proven pedigree in reaching final tournments, and have embellished that record with qualification for the 2013 UEFA Women's EURO.
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Russia have proved consistent performers since their team was formed, reaching the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-finals and usually qualifying for UEFA Women's EURO.
The one they missed was 2005 when they lost to Finland in the play-offs but that year they won the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship and members of that generation, including Elvira Todua, Elena Morozova and Elena Terekhova, have now become the core of the senior squad. They returned to the finals in 2009, beating Scotland on away goals but exiting in the group stage, and again needed a play-off this time, seeing off surprise package Austria. That two-legged tie were the first games in charge for Sergei Lavrentyev after he replaced Farid Benstiti following his return to France in the summer.
Qualifying round: Group 1 runners-up, P10 W7 D1 L2 F31 A6 Pts22
Play-offs: v Austria W2-0(a), D1-1(h), agg: W3-1
Key players
Elvira Todua (goalkeeper, FC Rossiyanka), Elena Morozova (midfielder, FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk), Natalia Shlyapina (forward, FC Rossiyanka)
Coach: Sergei Lavrentyev
Date of birth: 9 April 1972
Club career: FC Dynamo Moskva, FC Krasnoznamensk, FC Arsenal Tula, FC MChS-Selyatino Selyatino, FC Torpedo-ZIL Moskva
Coaching career: FC Nara-ShBFR Naro-Fominsk, SHVSM Izmailovo women, Russia women
Lavrentyev started his football career at the FC Dynamo Moskva academy, but failed to break into the senior squad and was limited to the role of reserve team striker. After spending a decade at lower-tier clubs, he became a youth coach and also worked in amateur football.
From February 2011, Lavrentyev was in charge of SHVSM Izmailovo and led them to fifth place in the Women's Premier Division. He was officially appointed as Russia coach on 19 October 2012, and started his reign by beating Austria in the play-offs to reach the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 finals.
Qualifying top scorer
Natalia Shlyapina 7
Tournament record
2009: group stage
2005: qualifying play-off
2001: group stage
1997: group stage
1995: quarter-finals
1993: quarter-finals (as Soviet Union/CIS)
Other honours
2005 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship