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Match time and location:
On June 20 at 22:00, at the "Stadium Municipal" stadium. The match will be broadcast live on the LRT cultural channel.
Tournament situation:
If Wales wins, they would be guaranteed a spot in the next stage, but playing a draw could prevent them from advancing if things go poorly in the England-Slovakia match or in other groups. On the other hand, Russia could only advance with a victory in their match today. Any other result would mean going home after the group stage battles.
News from team camps:
In the Wales national team, Joe Ledley suffered an injury in the last match, but according to "Crystal Palace" defender, he is ready for Monday's match. It is believed that the same eleven players who started the game against England will take to the field.
In the Russia national team, Oleg Shatov is injured and is likely to be replaced by Pavel Mamaev.
Coaches' comments:
Leonid Slutsky (Russia): "Every new situation is like a newly written book. You can have a lot of experience in such matches, but that may not give you any advantage or help you adapt to a new situation. Wales has two world-class players, and most of their attacks are created thanks to the quality of these players. They have good players, and I think they will try to counterattack."
Chris Coleman (Wales): "In the match against England, there was a lot of interest and everyone thinks that the loss hurt our morale, but that's not true. Our players played great, and they are in good spirits. This team has the potential to continue their fight and travel onwards. We can learn during this tournament - it's not easy, but we enjoy it. We are in a great position and should be happy. This team is just starting its journey. It's not easy, but it's a fantastic opportunity to learn and improve. Our team will benefit the most from this experience against the best European teams. This pushes us to be the best we can be."
Players to watch:
Russia: Igor Akinfeev
Even though he conceded three goals in the last two matches, Akinfeev remains one of the most important players in the Russian national team at this championship. If the CSKA player can keep his goal safe in these matches, it could help his team advance to the next stage. The Russians will be forced to attack, and Akinfeev will have to demonstrate his abilities, with perhaps the most important being his play during set pieces. Bale has already defeated their opponents twice after set pieces, and Akinfeev had to take the ball out of his goal against England following a set piece.
Wales: Gareth Bale
Bale is the top scorer for his national team, and his goals have helped the team be in a good position before the last round. The Russian national team's center-backs are not known for their speed, and in this aspect, Bale and his teammates will have a clear advantage. If Wales' star player scores again, these matches will be much easier for his team.
Predicted line-ups:
Russia: Akinfeev; Smolnikov, V Berezutski, Ignashevich, Schennikov; Glushakov, Golovin, Mamaev; Kokorin, Dzyuba, Smolov.
Wales: Hennessey; Gunter, Chester, A Williams, Davies, Taylor; Allen, Ledley; J Williams, Ramsey; Bale.
What specialists predict:
Raymond Tomayo ("Yibada"): "Wales will advance to the next stage by winning against Russia. Russia 1 - 2 Wales."
Paul Merson ("Sky Sports"): "I expect a draw in these matches - Wales will have enough if England wins. The Russian national team looks very poor in this tournament. I was disappointed by Wales' match against England, but they still have Gareth Bale. If he can show a magic moment in this match, they should have enough to advance to the next stage. Russia 1 - 1 Wales."
Cal Behrendt ("Outside 90"): "Russia needs a victory. Any other result will end their performance in the tournament. Although Slutsky's players will try to fight for three points, Wales can steal this match very quickly. A draw is enough for Wales, but if the result is level for a long time, they will have the opportunity to score a winning goal at the end of the match, guaranteeing their place in the next stage. Russia 1 - 2 Wales."
Interesting facts:
In the last three meetings between these teams, Russia has won all three matches, scoring six goals and conceding twice;
Russia has only reached the knockout stages of the European Championship once in four attempts;
Of the last seven matches, Russia celebrated a victory only against Lithuania (2 draws, 4 losses);
The three last goals scored by Russia in European competitions were all scored with a header;
In this championship, Wales scored in both matches with their first shot on goal - Gareth Bale scored both times from penalties;
Since the beginning of the qualification for this championship, Bale has directly contributed to 11 out of 14 Wales goals in official matches.
