Grenada’s national football team faced a tough challenge in their historic international friendly against Russia on Wednesday, suffering a 5-0 defeat at the VTB Arena. Despite a brave showing, the Spice Boys struggled to contain a dominant Russian side that controlled possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
Russia opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Danil Prutsev, who capitalized on a well-placed pass from Lechi Sadulaev to slot the ball into the bottom right corner. Grenada managed to hold firm for the next 25 minutes, with goalkeeper Chad Phillip making several crucial saves to keep the scoreline respectable. However, the hosts doubled their lead in the 42nd minute when Arsen Adamov found the net following a corner. Just a minute later, veteran striker Artem Dzyuba extended Russia’s advantage to 3-0 with a composed finish from close range.
Grenada made changes at halftime, with goalkeeper Jason Belfon replacing Phillip, but Russia continued their dominance in the second half. Daniil Fomin added a fourth goal in the 53rd minute, converting from close range after a swift counterattack led by Dzyuba. The final blow came in the 59th minute when Zelimkhan Bakaev struck a precise left-footed shot past Belfon to make it 5-0.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Grenada had a few positive moments, including a long-range effort from Joshua Isaac in the 61st minute that forced a save from Russian goalkeeper Stanislav Agkatsev. The visitors also held their own in physical battles, winning several free kicks in their defensive half. However, injuries and fatigue took a toll, with Ethan Telesford requiring treatment in the 78th minute before being able to continue.
Russia continued to press for more goals late in the match, but Belfon produced some fine saves, including a crucial stop in the 90th minute to deny Bakaev’s curling effort from outside the box.
The defeat marks a learning experience for Grenada as they continue their efforts to develop on the international stage. While the result was a tough one to take, the exposure against a high-quality opponent will be invaluable as they prepare for upcoming CONCACAF fixtures.