Moldova v Russia background
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Article summary
Moldova can finish no higher than fifth in Group G, but they can still do a huge amount of damage to Russia's UEFA EURO 2016 hopes as the sides meet again.
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Article body
Moldova earned a surprise draw in their last meeting with Russia, and can cause more mischief as the visitors to Chisinau aim to edge closer to UEFA EURO 2016.
• Bottom of the section, Moldova can finish no higher than fifth.
• Russia can finish no higher than their current second place; they have a better head-to-head record in their matches against third-ranked Sweden in the event that the sides finish level on points.
• If Russia win in Moldova and both Sweden and Montenegro drop points, they qualify with a match to spare.
• After facing Moldova on 9 October, Russia host Montenegro three days later in their final Group G game.
Previous meetings
• Alexandru Epureanu replied moments after Artem Dzyuba had put Russia ahead from the spot as Moldova claimed a 1-1 draw in Moscow in the teams' first Group G encounter last October.
• The two countries' only previous senior fixture was a friendly at Republika Stadium in Chisinau on 4 June 2000, which Russia won 1-0, Maxim Buznikin scoring on 14 minutes. It was the first of the striker's five goals in eight appearances for Russia.
Form guide
• Moldova are without a win in eight Group G games (D2 L6); their last competitive home victory was a 3-0 success against San Marino on 11 October 2013.
• Russia won both of their September matches, against Sweden and Liechtenstein, without conceding – their first outings under new coach Leonid Slutski, who is coaching Russia in tandem with his club role at CSKA Moskva.
Disciplinary
• Alexandru Gaţcan and Victor Golovatenco serve one-match bans against Russia; Serghei Gheorghiev and Alexandru Dedov will incur a suspension with their next yellow cards.
• Denis Glushakov will incur a suspension with his next yellow card.
Trivia and links
• 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 tie in Yekaterinburg on 10 September 2012 which ended 2-2.
• All four of the meetings between the countries' clubs in UEFA competitions have finished as draws. Spartak Moskva eliminated 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, Anji Makhachkhala held Sheriff 0-0 in Tiraspol and 1-1 in Ramenskoye in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League group stage.
