Russia ready after convincing win

Russia 4-2 Romania 
Russia clinched the Cyprus Football Association tournament with a comfortable friendly victory against Romania in Nicosia today.

First meeting 
The Russians had qualified for the final of the four-team contest with a 1-0 win against their Cypriot hosts yesterday. Romania made it through with a 2-1 victory against Slovakia. Despite going a goal behind in today's first-ever meeting of the sides, Valeri Gazzaev's men battled back and were deserved winners.

Surprise lead 
Sebastian Tamas put the Romanians in front with a header from Cristian Dancia's cross on eleven minutes but Russia fought back with three goals in 12 minutes. First Florin Soava deflected a cross into his own net on 29 minutes before 24-year-old Andrei Karayka made it two five minutes later by connecting with a Rolan Gusev cross. Then, with Romania hoping for half-time, Denis Evsikov found Andrei Arshavin and he made no mistake to score his team's third in the 41st minute.

Two penalties 
Gusev put the game beyond the Romanians with a 58th-minute penalty after Dmitri Kilichenko was brought down. Anghel Iordanescu's men did close the gap with a spot-kick of their own in the 70th minute, converted by Stefan Grigorie, but it failed to spark a Romanian revival.

Qualifying boost 
The tournament triumph is a boost for Russia ahead of their next UEFA EURO 2004™ group qualifier in Albania on 29 March. Russia, with two wins from two in the qualifiers, are second in the standings behind Switzerland but have played a game less. Romania, second in Group 2, travel to third-placed Denmark on the same day.