Russia’s November Camp Opens with a Dushanbe Test Ahead of the Asian Tour
Valery Karpin led the national team through a November session that aligned with the global spotlight on the World Cup in Qatar. While plans moved forward for an Asian tour via the Dushanbe-Tashkent corridor, a different moment unfolded off the field as a famous interview with Piers Morgan kept the football world talking about Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes in the Portuguese camp.
The first stop on the road was Tajikistan. On November 15, a flight carrying Russian players touched down in Dushanbe, and the squad trained the following day in anticipation of the friendly. The surface at the Central Republic Stadium stirred real concern because the pitch was laid over concrete, turning the match into a high-risk event where injuries loomed larger than usual. At the pre-match press conference, Karpin explained that the oldest, most experienced players would not be trusted to handle the synthetic surface, leading to an experimental starting lineup.
In goal, Spartak’s Alexander Selikhov started between the posts. The defensive line featured Daniil Khlusevich (Spartak), Alexander Soldatenkov (Soviet Wings), Maxim Osipenko (Rostov), and Artem Makarchuk (Sochi). The midfield included Rostov’s Daniil Glebov, Lokomotiv’s Anton Miranchuk, and Rostov’s Daniil Utkin, while the forward trio comprised Lechi Sadulaev (Akhmat), Fedor Chalov (CSKA), and Sergey Pinyaev (Krylya Sovetov).
The last name on that list would leave a lasting mark in the history of the Russian national team, becoming the youngest player to debut for the side and echoing the earlier feat of Igor Akinfeev 18 years prior.
The Dushanbe arena buzzed with energy as all 20,000 tickets sold quickly, energizing Tajikistan’s supporters. Yet the atmosphere carried a note of tension: power briefly failed an hour and a half before kickoff, and a near-stampede at arena entrances added another layer of drama. In the end, no spectators were hurt, and the match went ahead as scheduled.
From the opening minutes, Russia pressed to control the tempo. In the sixth minute, Pinyaev cut in from the left and delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Chalov found himself unmarked. The ball arrived a touch too strong, and possession slipped away to Tajikistan. A similar sequence occurred ten minutes later when the home goalkeeper, Rustam Yatimov, wandered off his line to clear space for Chalov, but the CSKA forward could not convert the chance.
As the first half wore on, play slowed. The pitch’s limitations prevented the visitors from relying on rapid wing play, since any misstep could lead to a stumble or a serious injury. The two teams entered the interval level at 0:0, each side acknowledging the challenge of the surface.
During the break, Karpin made three changes. Vladimir Sychevoi earned his first national-team cap, replacing Chalov. Sergei Pesyakov came on for Selikhov, and Arsen Zakharyan appeared in goal, with Anton Miranchuk making way.
Sychevoi’s first touch came in the 49th minute when Vahdat Khanonov collided with the attacker and went down, ending up on the turf. Moments later, Pesyakov suffered a sprain while attempting to collect a pass from a defender. He left the field, aided by captain Daniil Glebov, and Anton Shunin took the gloves.
Shunin’s entry coincided with a late scare as, in the 58th minute, a Tajik attempt skimmed the post, though the linesman ruled the ball was controlled well enough for a comfortable stop by the Dynamo keeper. The home side had moments, but the Russian defense kept its shape under pressure.
Into the second half, Utkin found space in the middle, with Sadulaev helper plays opening up a chance that the Rostov midfielder navigated into a shot that struck a defender and stayed out for a corner. As the clock ticked, neither side could unlock the other’s defense with clear-cut chances; the teams traded holds and breaks but could not convert. Substitutions for Russia with five minutes remaining—Andrey Mostovoy and Daniil Fomin—failed to alter the balance of play.
With time running out, the Russians surged again, pushing towards the Tajik goal in waves. A late volley for goal was halted when a previous foul halted the momentum: Maxim Osipenko had been penalized after a disputed challenge as Arsen Zakharyan delivered the corner. The final whistle confirmed a goalless draw, reflective of a disciplined performance on a difficult surface.
After the match, the team prepared to check into a hotel before continuing to Tashkent to face Uzbekistan on the opening day of the 2022 World Cup schedule—the kickoff from Moscow time slated for 15:00 on Sunday.