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By Sonia Oxley
VIENNA, June 26 (Reuters) - Coach Guus Hiddink said Russia were simply worn out by Spain and could only keep up with them for an hour in Thursday's 3-0 semi-final defeat at Euro 2008.
Russia's exciting run came to an end with a drubbing by the same team that had hammered them 4-1 in the group stage.
Having attracted attention with their passing and attack-minded style in previous matches, Hiddink's men had few shots on target after being stifled in midfield.
"We could play with Spain the first half, and part of the second half we were still in the game," Hiddink told a news conference. "But their plan to tire us by their possession game made our marking a little bit loose in midfield so we had to run a lot.
"For an hour we could move and after that it was...very difficult to play them.
"When you play Spain you know they have experience and play one-touch football and they know how to neutralise players as well. They know if they keep on touching the ball at the end the opponent is getting fatigued and then they know they can score." Playmaker Andrei Arshavin, who had caused a stir in the previous two matches with his clever runs and great vision, seemed to be trying too hard and created very little.
Hiddink said it was good for him to learn he was not always going to get things his own way.
DIFFICULT MOMENTS
"A lot of people are writing that now he can play top, top, top in all the leagues. Of course, he can but an opponent like Spain focuses on him and then he also has difficult moments. That's good for him, to have these tough games."
Hiddink refused to use the absence of central defender Denis Kolodin, who was suspended, as an excuse for the defeat. But he said it proved the team lacked adequate replacements.
"It shows that we are short in our depth of Russian players but I don't want to say the absence of Kolodin is key to the loss we had today. Of course he had a tremendous tournament," said the Dutchman. He said that he was proud of his players for getting so far, and with such an entertaining style of play, and that they would learn from the experience.
"Of course the disappointment is now in our heads but when the emotions have calmed down from this game, we are very proud of the way we have played in this tournament," said Hiddink.
