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Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s international friendly between Russia and Peru, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Fresh from the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Peru will take on Russia in an international friendly on Wednesday.
The South Americans finished down in ninth in their CONMEBOL qualification campaign for next summer’s tournament, while Our Boys remain banned from competing in games organised by European and world governing bodies.
Match preview
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the men’s football team have been unable to compete at the 2022 World Cup or Euro 2024, while they have also not been involved in the qualification process for the 2026 World Cup.
Russia’s last competitive match was a 2022 World Cup qualifying fixture against Croatia in November 2021, which they lost 1-0, with the national team since taking part in friendlies.
Valery Karpin’s side have actually played eight friendlies this year, including two in October, beating Iran 2-1 and Bolivia 3-0, while they have been victorious in six of their eight games in 2025, remaining unbeaten.
Russia have not lost a single match since a 2-1 reverse to Egypt Under-23s in September 2023, and the national side will take on Chile in their final match of 2025 on Saturday.
Peru and Russia have locked horns on just three previous occasions, with each of those matches being friendlies, and the latter won their most recent meeting 2-0 in April 1972.
Peru, meanwhile, finished ninth in their CONMEBOL qualification section for the 2026 World Cup, with the national side failing to secure a spot at next summer’s tournament.
The White and Reds only managed to win two of their 18 matches, picking up 12 points in the process, with only Chile (11 points) performing worse in the qualification section.
Manuel Barreto’s side are without a victory since March, when they overcame Bolivia, and the national team lost their last two 2026 World Cup qualification games against Uruguay and Paraguay.
Peru returned to action against Chile on October 11, suffering a 2-1 defeat in a friendly, and they have another three matches before the end of the year, tackling Chile again on November 18 before playing Bolivia in December.
La Rojiblanca have won three of their last five international friendlies, and they will now be aiming to overcome Russia for the first time in history on Wednesday.
Russia friendly form:
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Peru friendly form:
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Peru form (all competitions):
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Team News
Russia head coach Karpin is set to make full use of his squad in this match, with two goalkeepers Maksim Borisko and Vitali Gudiyev both hoping to make their first appearances for the national side.
However, the spot between the sticks should go to Matvei Safonov, while Atlanta United’s Aleksei Miranchuk is set to be a notable inclusion for Russia in this international friendly.
Aleksandr Golovin has seven goals in 48 caps for his country, and the Monaco attacker is also expected to start, while there should be a spot in the final third of the field for Dynamo Moscow’s Ivan Sergeyev.
As for Peru, there will have to be a change in the final third of the field following the clash with Chile last time out, as Luis Ramos has not been selected in the squad.
The centre-forward spot in the side could therefore go to Yordy Reyna, who has scored twice for the national side, while Joao Grimaldo is also in line for a spot in the final third.
Diego Enriquez is in line to win just his second cap between the sticks, while Gremio’s Erick Noriega is set to be a notable inclusion in the middle of midfield for the South American nation.
Russia possible starting lineup:
Safonov; Diveyev, Osipenko, Silyanov, Gorshkov; Miranchuk, Golovin, Barinov, Fomin; Sergeyev, Tyukavin
Peru possible starting lineup:
Enriquez; Lazo, Araujo, Garces, Inga; Concha, Noriega, Castillo; Grimaldo, Reyna, Castro
We say: Russia 2-1 Peru
Peru have lost four and drawn two of their last six matches, and they will be coming up against a Russia side that are used to winning football games at the moment. It should be tight in terms of the scoreline, but we are backing Russia to shade the contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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