If this game was to have been decided purely on the pre-match stats, Russia would hardly have had a chance.

Germany, their opponents, had never missed a World Cup. Ever. They’d never lost an away-game during World Cup qualifiers and, when they do get to the finals, they’ve only lost 18 out of 92 tournament matches.

Oh, and they’ve never lost a competitive match against Russia.

However, football is never won or lost on paper and the biggest game in Russian international football for a decade promised much for the hosts.

In Andrei Arshavin, they have an awesome number ten alongside a multitude of lovely technical players. But, as ever, they seem to lack conviction and this – more than any statistic – proved their undoing again.

The Germans had the better of the first half overall bit it was Russia who missed the game’s first real chance after 29 minutes. Vladimir Bystrov, put through by an industrious Arshavin, never got the ball out of his feet and Adler smothered. Typically, Germany came away with a goal from their first move of real quality six minutes later.

Mesut Özil drove in from the left touchline and played a one-two with Podolski. His lovely reverse return saw Özil dance into the box to square for Klöse to net his fiftieth international goal in 93 appearances.

For the rest of the half and, indeed, throughout the rest of the game as far as their work in the final third was concerned, Russia seemed prone to nervousness and self-doubt.

By contrast, it’s almost clichéd to say German sides are confident, efficient, mechanical, but so it proved here.

Podolski, Lahm, Schweinsteiger and the dangerous Özil were giving Germany good width and a lovely balanced feel to the side, always looking to play neat triangles to advance the team towards the host’s goal.

Russia looked decent but devoid of a cutting edge, perfect for a Germany who kept a solid shape and had followed the script for a classically efficient away performance.

They knew that Russia knew they had to win – a situation that will always suit Germany, who thrive on efficiency and consistency.

Unsurprisingly, the second 45 saw a more decisive Russia. Ten minutes after the restart a flurry of scissor kicks from Arshavin and Bystrov signalled their intent.

Russia were increasingly successful against the German fullbacks and after 63 minutes Chelsea’s Zhirkov was sent down the left.

After cutting in along the byline, he fired across the six-yard box only for Pavlyuchenko (on for Kerzhakov) to remain statuesque and the chance went begging.

Perhaps lacking in match-fitness given his scant playing time at Tottenham, the striker certainly lacked any kind of poacher’s instinct.

Despite lacking in composure, Russia were stringing together nice moves with some consistency themselves now.

With 22 minutes to go, Arshavin played a lovely weighted pass for the pacey (but raw) Bystrov to burst down the left, coaxing Boateng into a rash slide-tackle on the edge of the area.

It was the second such mistake (forced by Bystrov both times) by the debutant right-back and he duly deserved his second yellow card.

Özil, who’d mustered Germany’s only meaningful chance of the half with an audacious 35 yarder that clipped the bar, was sacrificed.

Arshavin – more industry than artistry on the night – continued to make plays from an uncharacteristically deep position as Russia grew desperate.

Semshov, on the end of one such driving run and pass from the Arsenal man, saw his shot across Adler just paddled away.

For the final quarter, Russia had both Pavluchenko and Pogrebnyak upfront but this only played into Germany’s hands as it made Russia more predictable – and Germany are always more comfortable with consistencies.

If Russia’s belief had abandoned them, then so too had their luck as, with four minutes left, they had two penalty shouts in 60 seconds turned down.

The first, when Arshavin drove into the area and went down under contact from Ballack whom he’d cleverly angled himself infront of, was touch-and-go but the second certainly wasn’t.

Another Arshavin pass to the flying Bystrov tempted Lahm to go to ground and bring the winger down.

Though a stonewaller, there was little appeal by the Russians. An indication, perhaps, that they’d sensed the game had already slipped away from them.

Yet this was the match that the fans thought could be the one. They’d matched Germany all the way in qualifying, had the perfect manager in Hiddink – a master of getting results – and they’d got the advantage of knowing the treacherous bounce of the Astroturf pitch better than their opponents. But it was still not to be on the night.

It would be great to see Russia, with talented players such as Arshavin, Zhirkov and Bystrov – who consistently caused the German right-side problems – at the World Cup.

And they’ve still got the playoffs which this year, of course, are to be seeded lending further hope that there could yet be a happy ending for the nation who’ve not played a World Cup for 15 years. For Germany, naturally, it’s business as usual.