Russia call up newcomer Samedov
Reuters - Friday 23 September 2011, 14:28
MOSCOW - Russia coach Dick Advocaat on
Friday named newcomer Alexander Samedov in his 20-man squad for
next month's Euro 2012 Group B qualifiers against Slovakia and
Andorra.
Samedov, 27, has had an excellent season so far for Dynamo
Moscow but Advocaat has been reluctant to call up the speedy
midfielder to the national team.
"Don't think that I've invited Samedov because of pressure
from the media," Advocaat told reporters.
"I think he has deserved his place in the national team with
his good performances for his club. Besides, we're missing [injured Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Dmitry] Torbinsky.
"I can't say right now if Samedov will get a chance to play
against either Slovakia or Andorra. We'll just have to wait and
see how he performs in training," added the Dutchman.
The Russians will also be without first-choice goalkeeper
Igor Akinfeyev, out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.
Russia, who lead second-placed Ireland by two points with
Armenia and Slovakia three points adrift, travel to Bratislava
to face Slovakia on October 7 before hosting last-placed Andorra in
their final qualifier four days later.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg),
Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)
Defenders: Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Alexei
Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Yuri
Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St
Petersburg), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Midfielders: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Everton), Konstantin
Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St
Petersburg), Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg), Igor Semshov
(Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoyev (CSKA Moscow), Denis Glushakov
(Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexander Samedov (Dynamo Moscow)
Forwards: Andriy Arshavin (Arsenal), Roman Pavlyuchenko
(Tottenham Hotspur), Pavel Pogrebnyak (VfB Stuttgart), Alexander
Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg).