Kerzhakov edges Russia past Portugal

Aleksandr Kerzhakov's sixth-minute strike proved sufficient as Russia earned a slender 1-0 win at home against Portugal.

The hosts could hardly have dreamt of a better start. Kerzhakov found himself one on one with Rui Patrício after a lovely pass from his FC Zenit St Petersburg team-mate Roman Shirokov and sent the keeper the wrong way.

Portugal pushed hard in response and after Cristiano Ronaldo and Hélder Postiga missed the target, the visitors had a great chance to equalise. Miguel Veloso's 15th-minute free-kick from the right was met by a Bruno Alves header that caused problems for Igor Akinfeev. Kerzhakov almost doubled his tally before the interval, but fired wide from eight metres after taking advantage of some slack Portuguese marking.

Portugal took the initiative in the second half, but the Russian defence were faultless, quickly snuffing out any danger. The hosts counterattacked well, but Denis Glushakov's shot from the edge of the area was straight at Patrício. Portugal did their best for the remainder of the half to salvage a point in Moscow, but failed to create any clear-cut opportunities and could not prevent Russia making it nine points from nine in Group F.