Spartak’s former owner and Russian football leaders react to the Iraq friendly
In the wake of the March 26 friendly in St. Petersburg, Leonid Fedun, the former owner of Moscow Spartak, noted that several players from the Russian national team drew praise from their peers and observers. The match ended 2 goals to 0, with Anton Miranchuk and Sergey Pinyaev finding the net for Valery Karpin’s squad. Pinyaev, at 18 years old, set a new mark as the youngest scorer for the national team, surpassing a previous record held by Dmitry Sychev.
Commenting on the performance, Fedun highlighted Pinyaev as a standout for his age and performance level. He also pointed to Litvinov, noting that a crucial save in the first half might have changed the course of the game. Among others, Sobolev was praised for linking midfield and attack effectively and was credited with a near double contribution in goals. Glebov was also recognized for delivering a solid and high-quality display on the field, according to the remarks attributed to Fedun and reported by Sport Express [Source: Sport Express].
Earlier, on March 23, Karpin’s team played Iran in Tehran and secured a 1–1 draw, continuing a challenging period of national team fixtures that tested the players ahead of future engagements. The broader context includes the 2022 decision by FIFA and UEFA to suspend Russia from all events governed by those bodies, a measure that has influenced how the national team and Russian clubs compete in international football along with ongoing discussions about development and form within the system. These developments have been part of ongoing conversations among coaches, players, and observers about the path forward for Russian football [Context: FIFA and UEFA decisions].
Former Spartak player Alexander Mostovoi offered critical assessments of the national team’s performance against Iraq, underscoring how strategic choices and on-pitch execution shaped the result. His perspectives contribute to a wider debate about tactical setups, player development, and the standards expected of the national side as it navigates an evolving international landscape.