National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) Erast Taraskin made the kick off and thus started the match. In the 4thth minute of the game Erast Taraskin who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but U21 Netherlands's Gerard Kikkert was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. The corner led to U21 Russia's Grigoriy Zheglov getting away a dangerous shot that went just outside the goal. When U21 Russia's Grigoriy Zheglov in 5 game minutes managed to cut through with the ball in front of the goal, only having to shoot. Gerard Kikkert guarding the goal like a pit bull was extremely focused and managed to reach the ball just by the crossbar before it went in. In the 6th minute Leonid Mironov shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerard Kikkert saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Leonid Mironov fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 11th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gerard Kikkert having to interfere. Gerard Kikkert made an important save on a dangerous shot by Aleksandr Belousov in the 13th minute. The crowd rose to their feet as U21 Russia's Aleksandr Belousov slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Gerard Kikkert. That made the score 1-0 after 13 minutes of play. 18 minutes into the match, U21 Russia's Erast Taraskin sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Gerard Kikkert narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After 20 minutes of play, U21 Netherlands's Egbert Dissels made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Evgeniy Butusov was left in no man's land by his defense there! Egbert Dissels received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 23rd minute. Evgeniy Butusov tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. U21 Netherlands's Gerard Kikkert played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Erast Taraskin in the 26th minute of play. Leonid Mironov succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 2-1 in the 28th playminute. The audience thought a goal was coming when Erast Taraskin got free with Gerard Kikkert in the 34th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Evgeniy Butusov took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Davy Klaassen, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Davy Klaassen in the 42nd minute of play forced U21 Russia's goalkeeper Evgeniy Butusov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Davy Klaassen in the 45th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Evgeniy Butusov saved U21 Russia from getting behind. The supporters of U21 Netherlands booed when U21 Russia was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 45 match minutes in a wonderful position. Marat Zinovev didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 46 played minutes, U21 Netherlands's Leendert Plenter shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Evgeniy Butusov came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in U21 Netherlands reached it.

51 minutes into the match, U21 Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Leonid Mironov came free, but Gerard Kikkert reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The U21 Russia fans' excitement grew in the 53rd match minute when U21 Russia's Aleksandr Belousov looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 3-1 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. 57 minutes into the game, Teun Hellemons lined in a short shot 3-2 behind a frustrated Evgeniy Butusov. In the 61st minute Lev Kozel shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerard Kikkert saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. U21 Netherlands made a substitution. Luc Stühling replaced Meindert van den Hoogen. In the 65th minute of the match U21 Russia got a corner. U21 Netherlands's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Nikita Solomakhin ran over to the corner to take the kick. Evgeniy Butusov came out of the goal in the 66th minute to try and stop a shot by U21 Netherlands's Teun Hellemons. But to his dismay, Teun Hellemons quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-3. If Lev Kozel had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 74th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. U21 Netherlands made a substitution. Ronny Huisman replaced Davy Klaassen. Gerard Kikkert showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Leonid Mironov, who was totally free with the ball in the 80th minute. 82 minutes into the match, U21 Netherlands's goal looked a bit too open when Lev Kozel came free, but Gerard Kikkert reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 83rd minute U21 Russia were awarded a corner. Nikita Solomakhin went to the cornerflag to take it. The corner ended in Nikita Solomakhin almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but U21 Netherlands's Gerard Kikkert did a great save. After 90 played minutes U21 Russia got a freekick which was hit by Marat Zinovev. After 93 played minutes U21 Russia got a freekick which was hit by Lev Kozel. U21 Netherlands's Max Heinen was standing unmarked in front of the goal when he, in the 95th play minute, got the ball and easily drilled it into the goal. The U21 Russia supporters were disappointed that their team didn't take anything from the match, despite matching U21 Netherlands's performance. The match ended with a win for U21 Netherlands.