In this year the last international break came to an end. All participants of UEFA Nations League first ever playoffs are determined. Alas, the national team of Russia was left behind play-off matches, losing their tickets to the knockout stage and missing the opportunity to promote into League A.
FC Dynamo Moscow released two football players – goalkeeper Anton Shunin and left-back Konstantin Rausch – to the Russia national team. The White-Blues’ captain Shunin remained on bench in a friendly against Germany (0:3) in Leipzig and in the crucial UEFA Nations League match against the Swedes (0:2), held at the Friends Arena in Solna. Rausch faced the Germans, joining the starting XI and playing 73 minutes. On the eve of the match against Sweden Konstantin suffered an injury during the training session and was forced to miss the football evening in Solna. Dynamo masseurs – Nikolay Larin and Runis Burkhanov made a traditionally important contribution to the national team preparation.
The Lithuanian national team, leading by the captain Fiodor Černych, ended their UEFA Nations League campaign with two defeats. The Baltic team finished 4th in the League C Group 4. On the 17th of November, the Lithuanians lost to Romania by 0:3 at the Stadionul Ilie Oană. Černych spent 73 minutes on the pitch and was replaced by Šernas. Three days later in Belgrade the Lithuania national team faced Group 4 leaders – Serbia at the Stadion FK Partizan. This match turned out to be the last chance for the Lithuanians to bounce back a little, but the Serbians were not going to lose a single point. They defeated the guests by 4:1. Fiodor Černych played the entire match. However, he neither scored a goal, nor made an assist.
Dynamo’s centre-back Toni Šunjić was called up to the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the last UEFA Nations League fixture against Austria at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna (15/11/2018) and for the friendly against Spain (20/11/2018). The Bosnians gained promotion into League B and got the right to participate in UEFA Nations League playoffs. Šunjić spent all 90 minutes on the pitch against the Austrians and due to his confident actions in defence the Balkan team managed to keep clean sheet (0:0). Dynamo’s player remained on bench in the friendly against Spain (0:1) afterwards.
Right-back Svyatoslav Tses and central midfielder Vladimir Moskvichyov were invited to the Russia U-19 (players born in 2000) training camp, which took place in Paphos, Cyprus and coincided with Under-19 EURO first qualifying round. In the course of this forum the Russians had to face Latvia U-19, Cyprus U-19 and Montenegro U-19. The opener against the Latvians became extremely difficult for the Russian boys and issued in a 1:1 tie. Tses spent all 90 minutes on the pitch, while Moskvichyov was replaced in the 79th minute. However, Svyatoslav and Vladimir played two remaining matches against Cyprus (2:0) and Montenegro (2:0) without being substituted. Moskvichyov laid the first stone in the foundation of a confident victory over the Cypriots scoring in the 45th minute. In his turn, Tses was booked in the 71st minute of the last qualifying fixture against Montenegro U-19.