Thousands of fans stood in rain for more than five hours on Monday to buy tickets for next week's Euro 2008 qualifier between Russia and England.

 

The demand for tickets has been unprecedented, with the Russian FA receiving more than 500,000 requests for the October 17 encounter in Moscow that is likely to decide the outcome of a tight Group E.

 

Because of the security arrangements, only 74,000 seats have been made available at the 84,000 Luzhniki Stadium.

 

But with most tickets being distributed through clubs and organizations, only about 6,500 went on sale on Monday morning.

 

Witnesses reported that some 70,000 people lined the 1.5-km route from the nearest subway station to Luzhniki, with almost 1,500 riot police making sure there was no trouble.

 

"We've been here from five in the morning," one lucky fan, who had bought four tickets for 1,600 roubles (US$64), was quoted as saying by the daily Izvestia.

 

"The metro wasn't even working, so we had to take a car to get here. It was raining all morning and we are soaked to our skin, but it was all worth it."

 

A spokesman for the Russian FA said: "This will be the biggest game Moscow has seen in over a decade. Much bigger than (the 1998 World Cup playoff) against Italy or (the Euro 2000 qualifier) against Ukraine."

 

England, on 20 points, leapfrogged Russia (18 points) into second place behind pacesetters Croatia (23) after beating them 3-0 at Wembley on September 12.

 

(China Daily via Agencies October 10, 2007)