Armenia on song as Russia come calling
Monday, January 10, 2011
Article summary
Unbeaten in three UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers, Armenia will look to rise to the challenge of hosting Group B leaders Russia as they bid to break their duck against their visitors.
Article top media content
Article body
Unbeaten in their last three UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers, Armenia will look to rise to the challenge of hosting Group B leaders Russia as they bid to break their duck against their visitors.
Match background
• Russia have won all three of their away games to date to take top spot in the section, but Armenia are one of three sides to have picked up seven points, and have not lost in three competitive matches since a 1-0 opening-day home defeat by the Republic of Ireland.
• Armenia and Russia have met only twice before, having been pooled together in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2000. Their first encounter was in Yerevan on 27 March 1999, when two Valeri Karpin goals and a late third by Vladimir Beschastnykh earned the visitors a 3-0 win.
• Beschastnykh and Karpin – now coach of FC Spartak Moskva – scored a goal apiece as Russia won the rematch 2-0 on 4 September 1999. Armenia have thus never managed either a point or a goal against their visitors.
