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By Karolos Grohmann
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The hosts of Russia have exceeded expectations after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a victory over the penalties in Spain but they will need more firepower if they want to give Croatia a run for their money on Saturday.
The Russians played with five in the back and just a lone striker at Artem Dzyuba and he worked against Spain.
After playing more than 1,000 pbades without ever threatening the Russians in the area, the Spaniards made it easier for the hosts, who are the lowest ranked team in the tournament. [19659003MaisceneserapaspareilcontrelaCroatielanationbalkaniqueayantelleaussibesoindepénalitéspourdevancerleDanemarkdimanchemaisayantdéjàmontrédeséclairsdeleursuperbeattaquequandilsontbattul'ArgentineleNigériaetl'Iceland[19659003] With players such as worl The clbad midfielder D Luca Modric and Series d & # 39; senior strikers including Mario Mandzukic, Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic, Croatia will challenge the backline of Russia far more than Spain, Diego Costa, in the game.
Zlatko Dalic's team has scored at least two goals in each of its three group matches, including the dismissal of three unfortunate opponents of Argentina, to claim one of the dark horses of this tournament.
Their attacks will also take all kinds of forms, they are quick breaks, long crosses for Mandzukic,
dominant in aerial battles, or individual demonstrations of skills and powerful blows in or around the surface.
They will certainly not be as one-sided as offensive options
The Russians breathed a collective sigh of relief after clinching an eighth place and unleashing wild celebrations across the vast country, but coach Stanislav Cherchesov tried to keep his players on the ground.
The only other time the team has faced an attacking team in this tournament – Uruguay – Russia lost 3-0 without real resistance.
"I had to persuade them that it was the only way (against Spain) because they do not like this system," said the coach, whose camp also shot on a goal in two hours of play.
Cherchesov knows that his players have followed his plan to sit down and impregnate Spanish attempts to pursue his much-feared tiki-taka pbad game but against Croatia his team will have to score and just Dzyuba may not be enough.
Russia will be without midfielder Yuri Zhirkov who is injured in the leg but Cherchesov is »
" We are working after every game and now we have time to check who is ready to do what (against Croatia ). We look at who is fit, less fit. On the physical plane, we can show more here. "
As for his reserved celebrations that were limited to a brief raise at the final whistle, Cherchesov said:" It's the beginning and I have to save my emotions for later. "
(Report by Karolos Grohmann, edited by Amlan Chakraborty)
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