Euro 2012: Russia v Czech Republic – in pictures

The Russian fans are out in force in the City stadium. They'll be hoping their team can go one better than last time round where their ambitions were scuppered by eventual winners Spain Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Maybe this chap looks upset because they'd run out of Russian Navy hats at the fancy dress shop and he was left with this fright mask/wig combo Photograph: Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters

Maybe these Czech fans are a bit pensive because of Funtik Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

The Czech's start the game the brighter of the two sides, here's Theo Gebre Selassie, left, going past Russia's Yuri Zhirkov Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

It'll be no surprise if Russia's Konstantin Zyryanov, right, comes out second best in this clash with Jan Rezek of the Czech Republic as Russia have the lightest squad at Euro 2012, giving away seven kilos per man to today's opponents Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

After a quarter of an hour Petr Cech is picking the ball out of the Czech goal after it was hammered home from 12 yards by Alan Dzagoev after Alexander Kerzahov's header came back off the post Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Cue Russian celebrations Photograph: Adam Ciereszko/EPA

Nine minutes later Cech is beaten again when a smart pass from Arshavin splits the Czech defence and Roman Shirokov dinks the ball over Cech. Half-time Russia 2-0 Czech Republic Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Seven minutes into the second half the Czech Republic get themselves back in the game courtesy of Vaclav Pilar. Jaroslav Plašil is given a huge amount of space in midfield and looks up before slipping a lovely pass through to Pilar, who rounds the goalkeeper ... Photograph: Sergey Ponomarev/AP

... and then slots the ball into the empty net Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

The woeful Aleksandr Kerzhakov is guilty of wasting a number of good chances in the second half is finally replaced by Roman Pavlyuchenko in the 74th minute. This is backed up by the Opta whose stats show that Kerzakhov is the first player in the history of the European Championship to hit seven shots off target in a single game Photograph: Petr Josek/Reuters

Russia's two goal advantage is restored in the 79th minute when Dzagoev gets his second of the game when he blasts home from 18 yards Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images

It doesn't take Pavlyuchenko long to show Kerzakhov how it's done when, in the 82nd minute he collects the ball inside the box, holds off his marker before cutting inside and unleashing a piledriver past Cech Photograph: Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters

Arshavin has been in inspired form tonight, causing all sorts of problems for the Czech Republic. His opponent here, Gebre Selassie also had a good game but he, along with his team-mates will be disappointed by the result. Final score Russia 4-1 Czech Republic Photograph: Petr Josek/Reuters