Positive results in international competitions come few and far between for the minnows of Europe. The teams like San Marino, Luxembourg, Andorra, Malta and Liechtenstein all face a very difficult task in attempting to keep up with the big boys of the continent. They have to play a perfect game absolutely mistake-costless while hoping that they can find some moment of glory to earn a result.

Liechtenstein has been entering the qualifying rounds for the European Championships since Euro 1996. In that time they have played 48 matches with a record of four wins, five draws and 39 losses. They have scored just 17 goals while allowing 150. What is even worse is their record on the road in these qualifying matches, in 24 games they have earned two draws and 22 losses.

Liechtenstein hoped that this qualifying cycle may be like the one before Euro 2008 where they picked up seven points but that dream got off to a rocky start with an opening fixture away to 2018 World Cup hosts Russia.

It only took four minutes for the Russians to get on the board at the Arena Khimki. Sandro Wieser conceded a foul just over 30 yards away from goal. Sergei Ignashevich fired a shot on the costless kick that took a deflection off of Martin Büchel in the wall and found the corner of the net past Peter Jehle.

That was not the start the visitors were looking for as Russia just continued to pepper the goal with shots in the first half. The visitors regrouped quickly and were able to keep the hosts off of the board for the rest of the half.

The hosts would hit three goals in the second half starting out with a deflating second own-goal for Liechtenstein. Russian midfielder Alan Dzagoev took a shot that was saved by Jehle, the rebound careened to Franze Burgmeier whose clearance attempt ended up in his own goal. Russia added a penalty goal from Dmitri Kombarov and a goal off the bench from Spartak Moscow striker Artyom Dzyuba to finish off with the 4-0 victory.

Liechtenstein returns home to the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz for their next qualifier against Montenegro on October 9th while Russia faces a tough road test at the Friends Arena in Solna against Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden. These two teams will meet again in exactly one year on September 8, 2015 in Liechtenstein.