The Brunei Darussalam national football team entered a new chapter under the leadership of newly-appointed head coach Vinícius Eutrópio, suffering a heavy 11-0 defeat to Russia in an international friendly held at Krasnodar Stadium, Krasnodar, last Thursday.
The match marked a significant milestone for both Brunei and Russia, as it was the former’s first encounter against a European team, with the match being played in European soil no less. As for Russia, the result set a new benchmark, breaking their previous record 9-0 victory over San Marino during the Euro 2020 qualifiers back in 2019
Brunei, the third-lowest ranked Southeast Asian nation in the FIFA rankings, faced an uphill battle from the very start, with Ivan Oblyakov finding the net within the opening minute. Oblyakov initiated the play with a well-placed pass to Andrei Mostovoi, who delivered a cutback that allowed Oblyakov to poke the ball home from close range.
Russia showcased both pace and precision in their second goal, with Mostovoi threading a perfectly timed pass to Danil Krugovoi. The defender’s overlapping run resulted in a dangerous cross, which Brunei’s Nurikhwan Othman inadvertently turned into his own net in the 7th minute, extending Russia’s lead.
Despite their best efforts, Brunei struggled to contain the one-time European champions. Evgenii Morozov added a third for Russia, capitalizing on a defensive error following a corner. For the next 19 minutes, Brunei managed to keep their 34th-ranked opponents at bay, only to see Oblyakov double his tally in the 28th minute, heading home after being set up by Fedor Chalov via a brilliant team move.
The relentless Russian offense continued, with Chalov and Mostovoi combining effectively. A missed opportunity off the crossbar by Chalov allowed Oblyakov to exploit the space, adding another header from close range.
Three minutes into the second half, substitute Lechi Sadulayev scored with a header from a Krugovoi cross, further stretching Russia’s dominance. Sadulayev soon played a critical role again, beating Brunei’s defense with clever footwork after a back-heel from Mostovoi and setting up Nikita Krivtsov for a precise low finish.
Russia’s captain, Aleksandr Chernikov, contributed to the scoreline by setting up substitute Tamerlan Musayev, whose thunderous shot left Brunei goalkeeper Jefri Ishak with no chance. Mostovoi finally got his reward in the 67th minute, striking a deflected shot from the edge of the box to claim a well-deserved goal.
Chernikov then cemented his leadership with a powerful header, matching Russia’s previous biggest victory. In a rare moment of relief for Brunei, Hakeme Safiuddin forced Russia’s substitute goalkeeper Stanislav Agkatsev into a save with a long-range effort in the 73rd minute, earning the visitors a corner.
However, Russia hit double digits shortly afterward, with debutant Aleksey Batrakov scoring a composed finish into the bottom corner. The rout was sealed when Arsen Adamov, another substitute, headed in Krugovoi’s pinpoint cross, completing a memorable night for both the Russians and Bruneians alike.