Russia – Serbia – 4:0
The friendly between the Russian national team and Serbia carried significant significance and drew keen interest. This match was not Russia’s first of 2024, a year in which the national squad had not played against European teams since a suspension that began in spring 2022 following the start of a special military operation.
Serbia, known for a strong, assertive style, features players who compete with top clubs across Europe and in Saudi Arabia, where a number of Serbs have joined elite squads. The presence of players like Alexander Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has long been noted, and the Serbian lineup included several standout figures from both European leagues and beyond, such as the talents in Italy’s Serie A and the prominent Saudi club Al-Hilal.
Fans packed the VTB Arena, filling almost every seat in a stadium that hosts around 25,000 spectators. The atmosphere was electric throughout the game as supporters demonstrated strong enthusiasm for the national teams.
Before kick-off, the stadium hosted a signing ceremony featuring prominent former national teammates Evgeniy Aldonin and Dmitry Sychev, with several well-known players arriving ahead of the scheduled start time to participate in the event.
A moment of silence echoed across the arena to honor Vasily Utkin, who had passed away the day before. A video montage of his most memorable broadcasts played on the scoreboard, followed by a solemn minute of reflection.
On the field, Grigory Leps opened proceedings with a patriotic performance while Pelageya delivered the national anthem of Russia, setting a resolute tone for the match.
From the outset, the home team took a clear route toward victory, pressing high and trying to dominate possession. Early exchanges featured a few sloppy touches from both sides, yet the Russian side sought to create space and control the tempo as the Serbs looked to adjust their shape on the field.
Serbia fielded a lineup that relied on freshness from the bench, keeping Milinkovic-Savic, Mitrovic, Filip Kostic, and Lazar Samardzic as reserves and opting for a shape that diverged from previous formations. Nevertheless, players like Dusan Tadic, Andrija Zivkovic, and Luka Jovic appeared among the starters. Milan Gayich, then playing for CSKA Moscow, created a notable moment when he attempted to stop a one-on-one opportunity, earning a crucial intervention from the back line. A pivotal decision followed when the Turkish referee initially signaled a penalty and sent off a defender, only to overturn the call to an offside and later confirmed it through VAR, resulting in a penalty being awarded.
Anton Miranchuk converted from the spot, placing the ball high into the top corner and leaving the goalkeeper with little chance. The deadlock was then broken by a well-executed sequence from Alexander Golovin, who floated a precise ball to Konstantin Tyukavin. The resulting shot was converted by Maxim Osipenko from the edge of the penalty area, giving Russia the lead in the early stages of the game.
After the interval, both coaches reshuffled their plans. Serbia brought on many of their leading players who had started on the bench, while Russia brought in Alexey Miranchuk from Atalanta and Arsen Zakharyan from Real Sociedad, among others who started the match on the bench. The Serbs pressed to turn the tide, yet Safonov produced several standout saves to keep them at bay while his teammates maintained intensity across the pitch.
Gorshkov pushed forward along the left flank, repeatedly tormenting the visitors and delivering an assist to Alexey Miranchuk as the forward finished decisively to extend the lead and boost the crowd’s energy. The bench celebration was contagious as teammates joined in the elevated mood on the field.
Moments later, Zakharyan, who had just scored his first goal for Sociedad in La Liga, found the target again with a long-range strike. Although an offside call briefly interrupted the sequence, the young midfielder continued to influence play, driving the tempo and creating chances for his teammates. In the end, Ivan Sergeev came off the bench to add a final touch, sealing a 4:0 result with a composed finish after a precise cross from Zakharyan.
Russia not only secured its first win of the year against a respected opponent, but also earned a measure of revenge from a recent loss to Serbia in the UEFA Nations League, a 0:5 defeat in Belgrade. Looking ahead, another match is scheduled for March 25 at the same venue, with Paraguay traveling to Moscow from South America for a compelling test against the home side.