Former CSKA defender Vladimir Ponomarev spoke about a recent friendly between the Russian and Serbian national teams, expressing his view that Valery Karpin’s squad would have made a strong showing at the 2024 European Championship in Germany if they had earned the chance to compete. He emphasized that with the national team assembled in its best form, including all foreign-based players, the team could present a compelling performance to European observers.
Ponomarev noted that the group of young players in the squad showed maturity on the field, suggesting that they would have progressed from the group stage and offered something valuable to the continental championship. He believed the team possessed the depth and talent to compete at a high level and earn a positive result against the best teams in Europe.
The friendly, held at the VTB Arena in Moscow, concluded with a decisive 4-0 victory for the Russian side. The goals came from Anton Miranchuk, Maxim Osipenko, and Alexey Miranchuk, who converted a penalty. In the 88th minute, Arsen Zakharyan added another goal for Russia, but the effort was ruled offside due to a prior infringement by Ivan Sergeev. In stoppage time, Sergeev ultimately found the net, confirming the final tally and providing a late flourish to the match for Russia.
Early in the match, Serbia faced a setback as Milan Gajic, a defender for CSKA Moscow, received a red card, reducing their side to ten men in the 21st minute. The incident set the tone for the remainder of the game, with Russia controlling play and shaping the tempo from start to finish.
The coverage of the match was managed through a live online broadcast, providing updates and summaries as the events unfolded across the 90 minutes of action.
Looking ahead, Valery Karpin’s squad was scheduled to face Paraguay in an upcoming Moscow-hosted fixture on March 25, continuing a stretch of preparations and test matches designed to refine the team’s structure and lineups ahead of more competitive fixtures in the calendar.
In reflection on the Serbia match, Vladimir Ponomarev expressed satisfaction with the performance of the foreign-based players who contributed to the display. He highlighted their positive impact and suggested that their involvement helped elevate the overall level of the team during the international friendly.