Vyacheslav Malafeev, the former goalkeeper for Russia’s national team, shared his thoughts on Matvey Safonov’s performance. He did not claim Safonov is the best keeper in the squad, but he pointed out that Safonov sometimes eats too much pride on the field. The comment appeared in Sports Express, reflecting a candid assessment from a veteran who has watched the current crop of goalkeepers closely.
Malafeev emphasized that while Safonov shows promise, there are other capable shot-stoppers within the national pool. He urged Safonov to raise his consistency and cut down on mistakes, arguing that steady play is the key to earning a more secure spot on the team. His critique focuses on the need for fewer errors in order to reach higher levels of performance and reliability in international fixtures.
Earlier this week, Russia hosted Cameroon in a friendly at the VTB Arena in Moscow. The match finished 1-0 with Fedor Chalov netting the decisive goal for the home side. The result showcased a compact defensive effort and moments of attacking focus that helped secure the win in front of the home crowd. The game provided a platform for various players to demonstrate their form ahead of upcoming selections and training plans for the national team.
Looking ahead, Russia is set to face Kenya in a match scheduled for October 16. The venue is reported to be a hotel-based camp in Turkey, a setup chosen to facilitate training and team chemistry away from the bustle of a normal tournament environment. After this encounter, the national team will wrap up its current training camp and plan a subsequent camp in mid-November, continuing preparations for the next phase of competition and potential qualifiers. The logistics of these camps reflect a broader strategy to balance match readiness with player welfare, ensuring robust preparation across different training environments.
In other football developments, Andrey Kobelev recently expressed a viewpoint opposing the suggestion that the Russian Football Union should relocate its administrative and competitive focus to Asia. The dialogue around federation alignment continues to attract attention as teams and officials weigh long-term strategic goals, competition calendars, and regional development opportunities for Russian football. This ongoing discussion underscores the diverse opinions within the sport about how best to structure national football governance and competitive participation on the world stage. [Citation: Sports Express]