Soccer: No new faces in Russian squad to face Ireland

Russia coach Oleg Romantsev has named a strong 20-man squad for the upcoming friendly clash with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

Romantsev has not included any new caps in his party that will take on Mick McCarthy’s side in 12 days time.

Among the notable names in the squad are Celta Vigo pair Alexandr Mostovoi and Valery Karpin, and Spartak Moscow’s dangerous 27-year-old striker Vladimir Beschastnykh, who has scored 23 goals in 60 internationals.

The Dublin encounter is the start of Russia’s World Cup build-up, with further matches against Estonia and France scheduled for March 27 and April 17 respectively.

Squad: Alexandre Filimonov (Dinamo Kiev), Rouslan Nigmatullin (Verona); Yuri Kovtun (Spartak Moscow), Igor Chugainov (Uralan Elista), Viktor Onopko (Real Oviedo), Dmitri Khlestov (Besiktas), Yuri Nikiforov (PSV Eindhoven), Viacheslav Daev (CSKA Moscow); Egor Titov (Spartak Moscow), Serguei Semak (CSKA Moscow), Alexei Smertin (Bordeaux), Alexandre Mostovoi (Celta Vigo), Valery Karpin (Celta Vigo), Dmitri Alenichev (FC Porto), Rolan Gusev (CSKA Moscow), Dmitri Khokhlov (Real Sociedad), Andrei Kariaka (Krylia Sovetov Samara); Vladimir Beschastnykh (Spartak Moscow), Alexander Panov (Dinamo Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Lokomotiv Moscow)