After their spectacular run as the host team during the recent 2018 World Cup, which saw them reach the quarter-finals before losing dramatically to Croatia on penalties, Russia will now shift their focus on qualifying to the first-ever edition of this competition taking place in the Middle East.
Russia’s Group H commitments will kickstart with an away game against Malta at the National Stadium, in just the second meeting between these two country.
The only previous head-to-head fixture between Malta and Russia was back in 1996, with the Russian side emerging winners 2-0 in a friendly game.