To have produced a performance this bewitching in a game they simply had to win to progress to the quarterfinals says much for the resolve Hiddink has instilled in this team.
Coming into their own
Russia are the youngest squad at these finals and, at times, can be prone to naivety. Spain tore them to shreds on the break in their opening group game. Yet, as an attacking force, they have come into their own at an opportune moment.
They were untouchable here, leaving the Swedes dizzy and deflated, to secure a place in the knockout phase of a major tournament for the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Hiddink was always likely to be the man to force progression having never failed — with Holland twice, South Korea and Australia — to qualify from the group, yet this filled him with added pride.
“A game against Holland will be special,” he conceded. “I know the coach, I know the squad which I worked with several years ago. But, above all, it’s special that we both play our style. It’ll be an interesting clash.
Fighting display
“Against Spain we were naive. This was adult, more streetwise football. After Spain I did not offer my team advice. I demanded a response. If you want to play at international level, the demands I lay down mean you can go one of two ways: either fly or fight. They chose to fight. I’m especially proud because of the progress we’ve made in a few days.
“They play modern football. The only criticism I can make of them is that we don’t score enough off the opportunities we create. But, if you see where Russia have come from, then this is already a success.”
There is potential here to be tapped. Such was the urgency in their approach that they should have had this game won before the break. Only profligacy spared the Swedes utter humiliation.
The slick Russian passing moves were glorious at times, invariably orchestrated by the restored Andrei Arshavin —he did not return as captain — but inevitably involving the galloping full-backs Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov and the pivotal Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Ripping through
That the Scandinavians retained any hope of progress beyond the 50th minute was unfathomable with Russia’s brand of total football having ripped through them at will.
Pavlyuchenko’s opener was fitting in its pinpoint precision. Igor Semshov secured possession and Konstantin Zyryanov found space, the right-sided midfielder sprinting forward as Sweden backed off with Anyukov tearing upfield to appear from nowhere on his inside and accept the first squared pass.
When the full-back shipped it on with Sweden utterly shapeless and lost, Pavlyuchenko calmly placed his shot across and beyond a helpless Andreas Isaksson.
That took the breath but the second, if anything, was even more entrancing.
Mikael Nilsson’s punt downfield had suggested relief but, instead, the loose ball was gathered well inside his own half by Zhirkov and, with Russian bodies pouring forward, the disorganised Swedes were effectively punctured already.
Zhirkov, Arshavin and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov all accepted possession in turn, with Zhirkov’s final pass swept in by Arshavin. There is no resisting such brilliance. The Swedes were left wheezing at the speed at which this game had escaped them.
They struck the bar through Henrik Larsson’s flick, the veteran squeezing a yard away from Denis Kolodin, but that was as good as their evening got.
At times, Isaksson stood alone. When he was bypassed, the woodwork came to Sweden’s aid, Pavlyuchenko ramming against the post from Bilyaletdinov’s lay-off and Zyryanov doing likewise late on.
Defying belief
Quite how the outstanding Arshavin or Pavlyuchenko failed to add to their tallies defied belief with Sweden’s inability to counter-attack at pace leaving them helpless.
“Arshavin is a player who can make a difference,” said Hiddink.
“We tried to play him between their back line and their defensive midfielders because we knew Sweden do not cover between their lines. They prefer coming up against two strikers with their backs to goal,” he added.
On Wednesday night the Swedes could not cope. Oranje beware.
The result: Russia 2 (Roman Pavlyuchenko 24, Andrei Arshavin 50) bt Sweden 0.
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