Russia must learn fast to progress: Hiddink

Hiddink’s team, full of young players in their first major tournament, have just days to turn things around before facing holders Greece in their next Group D match on Saturday.

“We have to learn to play a bit more counter (attack),” he said. “It is difficult to mature in three days. We have to learn very fast. Some of it you don’t even learn in three years.”

He said the fact that 22 of his 23-man squad play in the Russian domestic league was not helping.

“They don’t have to play every week in very tough, high-paced games where they cannot make an error without being punished,” he said.

MISSING PAIR

Shorn of their two best forwards — the suspended Andrei Arshavin and injured Pavel Pogrebnyak — the Russians were at a disadvantage before the match even started.

As well as class, the pair add big-stage experience with both having played important parts in Zenit St Petersburg’s run to the UEFA Cup title last season.

Neither will be available to face Greece but Russia can take small comfort from the fact that striker Roman Pavlyuchenko netted against Spain to put behind him a poor few months.

They also had several other chances, including when Konstantin Zyryanov hit the post just after they went 1-0 down, and put together some nice passing moves that were at least attractive to watch if not productive.

“The way the team plays is encouraging,” said Hiddink. “We don’t have to change drastically … going with this experience I hope we catch up with the others.”

Whatever happens in the next two matches, Russia will simply enjoy the experience.

“I would have been much more disappointed, and so would the players, to have just been watching this tournament in front of the television at home,” said Hiddink.