The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Sorry Scots run ragged by rampant Russians
●Deadly Dzyuba runs roughshod over Dark Blues
Artem Dzyuba talked up Scotland’s lack of belief in its national side but last night at the Luzhniki Stadium, he did his level best to kill it.
Two goals spearheaded a second-half demolition of Steve Clarke’s side that in the first 45, had done their utmost to contain him.
But a man who clearly thrives in being Russia’s talisman revelled in the chance to be the hero. On a night where the Russian public turned out in force to welcome their team back to the Luzhniki for the first time since beating Spain at the World Cup last year, Dzyuba picked up where he left off on that summer afternoon.
For Aberdeen’s Mikey Devlin, making his international debut, it was a baptism of fire he is sure to remember. Dzyuba, on this form, would take some stopping.
Devlin’s tale has been one of overcoming his own body’s failings. He was out injured long-term when he got his move to Aberdeen and had to wait six months for his debut. When he was primed for his Scotland debut a year ago, in the double-header against Albania and Israel, a foot injury saw him ruled out of not just those games but also the Betfred Cup final against Celtic. A hamstring issue suffered on Europa League duty at the start of this season has restricted him to six appearances.
Scott McKenna’s own hamstring problems have given him his Dons place back alongside Andy Considine, while enforced absences of Grant Hanley, Liam Cooper, McKenna and John Souttar handed him his Scotland opportunity.
His form at club level has been patchy but given his previous ill-timed misfortune, perhaps some luck was due.
Body pivoting left to right as play switched, left arm and then right pointing out stray red shirts, enthusiasm abounded from Devlin’s early contributions. Going up against Dzyuba, who delivered a target-man masterclass in Russia’s 2-1 win at Hampden last month, was a physical battle Devlin was always going to be the underdog in. But, stepping off the opposing skipper by a yard or two, knowing he was quicker across the ground, gave him greater time to make his move.
The defensive unit Devlin was part of were restrictive and sensible in the first period. Dzyuba did Dzyuba things without troubling the goal, Fedor Kudryashov blazed high into the home fans behind the goal and the only relative moment of worry came when Aleksandr Golovin, after being chopped down by another debutant John Fleck, brushed the roof of the net with a free-kick.
Blue shirts pounced on Dzyuba the moment he tried to take control of the ball but Golovin was needing closer attention.
Glimpses of how he ran the show in Glasgow were starting to emerge again