RPL players on international duty: Noboa’s first Ecuador appearance since 2019, Ejuke debut for Nigeria

On 13 October, some Russian Premier Liga players represented their national team matches.

UEFA Nations League

League C, Group 1: Montenegro 1-2 Luxembourg

Ufa midfielder Olivier Thill received a straight red card in added time for slapping an opponent three minutes after coming on as a substitute. Luxembourger finished the match with 10, while Montenegro with nine. The teams are in the top two places in the group level on nine points, but Luxembourg are ahead of Montenegro thanks to these two goals. In the November Nations League matchdays, Luxembourg will meet Cyprus on the road and host Azerbaijan at home.

World Cup 2022 qualifiers: South America

Ecuador 4-2 Uruguay

Sochi midfielder Christian Noboa played for the national team of Ecuador for the first time since 27 March 2019, when he played a half in a friendly 0-0 draw against Honduras. This season’s RPL top scorer came on in the 85th minute for his 79th cap.

The Ecuadorians went 4-0 up by the 75th minute, then conceded twice to Luis Suarez from the penalty spot by the end of the game, but achieved their first victory in 2022 World Cup qualification. Ecuador will continue their campaign with an away match against Bolivia and a home match against Colombia on 13 and 18 November respectively.

Venezuela 0-1 Paraguay

Akhmat Grozny defender Wilker Angel played the full 90 minutes for Venezuela, but his club teammate Andres Ponce was not included in the squad. The hosts conceded the only goal in the 86th minute, and in stoppage time Yangel Herrera failed to convert a penalty against the visitors. Venezuela lost their second match in a row. On 13 November Venezuela will take on Brazil away, and on 18 November face Chile at home.

Chile 2-2 Colombia

Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Wilmar Barrios played 71 minutes in his 31st game for the Colombian national team, and striker Radamel Falcao equalised in added time. After two rounds, Colombia are third in the table on four points. In November, they will play Uruguay at home and Ecuador on the road.

Friendly match

Nigeria 1-1 Tunisia

CSKA Moscow striker Chidera Ejuke made his debut for the Nigerian national team in the 78th minute. He had previously represented the country at junior and youth team level, and in the previous game against Algeria, he remained on the bench. On 9 and 17 November, Nigeria will play two matches against Sierra Leone in African Cup of Nations qualification.

2021 Under-21 European Championships qualifiers

Group 4: Greece 0-1 Croatia

Dynamo Moscow midfielder Nikola Moro played the entire match for Croatia with the captain's armband, and CSKA player Kristijan Bistrovic came on in the 66th minute. The Croats won for the third time in their last four games, keeping a clean sheet in all of them. With 16 points, they are third in the group. On 12 November they will play Scotland - who are one point ahead of them - away, and on 17 November they will host Lithuania on the last matchday.

Group 6: North Macedonia 1-1 Israel

FC Rostov forward David Tosevski played only the first half against the Israelis. The hosts fell behind in the 21st minute but avoided defeat in the fifth added minute. The North Macedonians are second in the group on 14 points. On 12 November they will meet Israel in Netanya, and on 17 November will finish the qualifiers with a home match against Montenegro.

Group 6: Spain 3-0 Kazakhstan

Sochi midfielder Akmal Bakhtiyarov appeared for the visitors in the 68th minute, when his team were losing 1-0. Kazakhstan suffered a second defeat in a row, losing the chance to take second place in the group which could have given them a chance to reach the finals. The gap to North Macedonia is now four points. On 17 November on the final matchday of qualification, Kazakhstan's youth team will play at home against the Faroe Islands.

Photo: Sergey Kulakov/Sochi; the Ecuadorian Football Federation and the Croatian Football Association