Two newcomers in Hiddink's Russia squad

MOSCOW, Aug 7 (Reuters) New Russia coach Guus Hiddink has named two newcomers, goalkeeper Alexander Makarov and striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, in his 19-man squad for this month's friendly at home to Latvia.

The Dutchman, making his managerial debut in Russia, also recalled experienced midfielder Vladislav Radimov for the Aug.

16 match at Moscow's Lokomotiv stadium.

The Russians, however, are missing captain Alexei Smertin and Spartak Moscow playmaker Yegor Titov through injury.

Pogrebnyak, 22, a product of the Spartak Moscow youth system and now playing for Siberian side Tom Tomsk, has impressed Hiddink by scoring five goals in three league matches last month.

Makarov, 27, was called up in place of veteran goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov, who received a five-match ban last week for physically threatening a referee in a premier league match.

Russia begin their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign at home to Croatia on Sept. 6. Group E also includes England, Israel, Estonia, Macedonia and Andorra.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Dmitry Borodin (Torpedo Moscow), Alexander Makarov (Krylya Sovietov Samara) Defenders: Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Denis Kolodin (Dynamo Moscow) Midfielders: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Dmitry Loskov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Yevgeny Aldonin (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Vladislav Radimov (Zenit St Petersburg) Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow), Dmitry Sychev (Lokomotiv Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Tom Tomsk).

REUTERS AY RN1926