Russia call up Chalov and Akhmetov for Euro 2020 qualifiers

Moscow, Russia: Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov on Monday called up promising uncapped duo Fyodor Chalov and Ilzat Akhmetov for the start of the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.

CSKA Moscow striker Chalov, this season's leading scorer in the Russian Premier League, and midfielder Akhmetov, 21, named the country's best young footballer last year, were both included in a 26-man squad.

The 2018 World Cup hosts travel to Brussels to face top-ranked Belgium in their opening game in Group I on March 21, and then play neighbouring Kazakhstan in Astana three days later.

Arsenal Tula full-back Maxim Belyaev and Vitesse Arnhem defender Vyacheslav Karavaev were also called up for the first time.

Monaco midfielder Alexander Golovin, Lokomotiv Moscow forward Fyodor Smolov and Istanbul Basaksehir's Fyodor Kudryashov returned to the squad after missing the decisive 2-0 UEFA Nations League defeat by Sweden last November.

Cherchesov omitted former Germany youth internationals Roman Neustadter and Konstantin Rausch, while Zenit St Petersburg's Andrei Lunev is set to take over in goal following the international retirement of Igor Akinfeev.

Squad: 

Goalkeepers: Marinato Guilherme (Lokomotiv Moscow, Andrei Lunev (Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow)

Defenders: Maxim Belyaev (Arsenal Tula), Georgy Dzhikia, Ilya Kutepov (both Spartak Moscow), Vyacheslav Karavaev (Vitesse/NED), Fyodor Kudryashov (Istanbul Basaksehir/TUR), Andrei Semenov (Akhmat Grozny), Kirill Nababkin, Mario Fernandes, Georgy Schennikov (all CSKA Moscow)

Midfielders: Ilzat Akhmetov (CSKA Moscow), Yury Gazinsky (Krasnodar), Alexander Golovin (Monaco/FRA), Roman Zobnin (Spartak Moscow), Vladislav Ignatiev, Alexei Miranchuk, Anton Miranchuk (all Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexei Ionov (Rostov), Daler Kuzyaev, Magomed Ozdoyev (both Zenit St Petersburg), Denis Cheryshev (Valencia/ESP)

Strikers: Artem Dzyuba (Zenit St Petersburg), Fyodor Smolov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Fyodor Chalov (CSKA Moscow)