We´ll learn from Germany defeat, says Hiddink

Russia coach Guus Hiddink insisted his team will keep learning from their 2-1 defeat to Germany as they prepare for their next World Cup qualifier against Finland on Wednesday.

Goals by Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack and Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski put Germany 2-0 ahead at half-time here Saturday before Russian play-maker Andrei Arshavin scored a second-half goal for the guests.

The win puts Germany top of Group Four on seven points, while Russia are fourth in the table ahead of their showdown with Finland in Moscow.

Hiddink praised his side for their response having come close to forcing an equaliser and almost taking a valuable point from Germany.

“In the break, I told them they had dropped back into their old ways and were sitting back too much,” said the 61-year-old Dutchman.

But in the second-half only good work from Germany goalkeeper Rene Adler, making his international debut after first-choice Robert Enke broke his hand last week, kept the Russians out as both Arshavin and striker Pavel Pogrebnyak went close.

“We showed we learnt a lot during the game,” said Hiddink.

“And if we play in the same way as we did here in the second half, then we will qualify for the World Cup.”

At Euro 2008 Russia were superb against Sweden in the group stages and beat the much-fancied Netherlands in the quarter-finals before losing to eventual winners Spain in the semi-finals.

But the Russians' lack of confidence in Dortmund played into German hands.

“At the beginning of the game we were apprehensive,” admitted goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

“The Germans saw that and attacked us constantly in the first half.”

Russia should have taken the lead after just three minutes when Zenit St Petersburg striker Pogrebnyak wasted an opportunity in front of goal.

“He was probably a little bit asleep, he normally sticks that sort of chance in the back of the net,” said Hiddink.

“If we had taken the lead, it would have been a different style of game.”

While the Russian media praised their team for an impressive second-half performance, Arshavin said his team had failed in their mission to leave Dortmund with a point.

“The result on the scoreboard is the most important thing,” said the 27-year-old, who believes Finland will pose just as much as a challenge.

“Finland play attacking football and they will not be easy – we have to forget worrying about points and concentrate on some hard work.”