How Russia qualified into the play-offs
Twenty-two points were enough for Guus Hiddink’s team to secure the second spot in their group with four points beyond Finland and four points behind Germany.
The Russians enjoyed a good run throughout the European World Cup qualifiers which faltered towards the end as they lost to Germany and only drew away to Azerbaijan.
These results cost them the first automatic spot in the group which was rather won by the 2006 World Cup hosts Germany.
However, the second spot to guarantee a place in the play-offs was deservedly and safely secured.
How Slovenia qualified into the play-offs
The situation was tighter at the top for Slovenia.
After ten matches, Slovenia found themselves two points behind Slovakia with twenty points thanks to a good number of six victories during the qualifiers.
Thirteen goals in four consecutive matches marked by four clean sheets in a row (two against San Marino, and one against Poland and Slovenia respectively) injected more excitement towards the end of the World Cup campaign.
Although these impressive statistics weren’t sufficient for Slovenia to push their way for automatic qualification in South Africa, they were important for them finish second well above the Czech Republic.
Statistical analysis between Russia and Slovenia
As the first leg of this encounter will be played in Moscow, we take a close look at Russia’s home performance compared to Slovenia’s away form.
Russia never drew on home soil in the World Cup qualifiers but they did lose once amid four victories. Out of the overall nineteen goals that they netted during the campaign, more than half were scored in Russia.
Meanwhile, only one third of the six goals that they conceded throughout came at home.
Fortunately for the Russians’ coach Guus Hiddink, Slovenia’s away form was far from being consistent and convincing.
In five away matches, Slovenia score six goals but also allowed three to enter into their net. They also picked up only seven points from a possible fifteen away from home.
Analytically, Russia are tipped as favorites to defeat Slovenia in Moscow on Saturday. The visitors on that day could still spark up a surprise though as the game of football is very much unpredictable.
However, there are few possibilities that such an upset will happen as Slovenia’s coach Matjaz Kek explained to fifa.com earlier in October:
“I cannot say that I am happy with the draw. Slovenia will have to be at their very best because Russia are a really strong team.
“I’d have liked to have played the first game in Maribor, Slovenia. But you cannot have everything.
He concluded:
“We need to put two excellent performances together and have a bit of luck too.”
Russia’s man squad:
Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA), Vyacheslav Malafeev (Zenit), Vladimir Gabulov (Dynamo Moscow)
Defenders: Aleksandr Anyukov (Zenit), Aleksey Berezutsky, Vasily Berezutsky, Sergey Ignashevich (all from CSKA), Yury Zhirkov (Chelsea, England), Denis Kolodin (Dynamo Moscow), Renat Yanbaev (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Midfielders: Diniar Bilyaletdinov (Everton), Vladimir Bystrov, Igor Denisov, Konstantin Zyrianov, Igor Semshov (all from Zenit), Aleksey Rebko (FC Moscow), Sergey Semak (Rubin), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA), Dmitry Torbinsky (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Forwards: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal, England), Aleksandr Kerzhakov (Dynamo Moscow), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham, England), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Stuttgart, Germany), Dmitry Sychev (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Slovenia’s man squad:
Goalkeepers: Samir Handanovic (Udinese), Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta)
Defenders: Miso Brecko (Koeln), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble), Branko Ilic (FC Moscow), Bojan Jokic (Sochaux), Matej Rozic Mavric (Koblenz), Marko Suler (Gent)
Midfielders: Valter Birsa (Auxerre), Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Robert Koren (West Bromwich), Rene Krhin (Internazionale), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Tom Tomsk), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse), Anton Zlogar (Omonia Nicosia)
Forwards: Zlatko Dedic (Bochum), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Gent), Milivoje Novakovic (Koeln), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional)
