Russian Federation made an impressive start to the tournament in Saint Petersburg on Saturday, winning 2-0 thanks to Michael Boxall's own goal and a Fyodor Smolov strike, in a victory that was more convincing than the scoreline suggests. "I don't know if it played a part or not".
"I liked New Zealand's team but luckily we managed to cancel out their strengths and displayed ours, and that was the key to our win tonight", Cherchesov said.
"The fact the leader of the country came to the match is on one hand an additional positive, but it is also an additional responsibility", said Russian Federation coach Stanislav Cherchesov, whose team face Portugal on Wednesday. "We could have been more aggressive". The European champion opens its Group A program on Sunday against Mexico in Kazan.
Ronaldo will be able to focus his fans' minds on playing after widespread suggestions this week he wants to leave Real Madrid and Spain, where his tax affairs are under investigation.
Played out under the warm St Petersburg sun, the afternoon began with a colourful and entertaining opening ceremony featuring a cast of 12 dancers and more than 2,000 artists.
President Trump on Rep. Scalise's condition: "He's in some trouble"
Jeff Duncan of SC said he had just left the practice and encountered the apparent gunman in the parking lot before the shooting. Wednesday morning at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park where lawmakers were practicing for a congressional charity baseball game.
Participants in the 2017 Confederations Cup are hosts Russian Federation, 2014 FIFA World Cup Champions Germany, 2015 Copa America Champions Chile, 2015 AFC Asian Cup Champion Australia, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico, 2016 UEFA Euro Cup champs Portugal, OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Nations Cup victors New Zealand and 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Champion Cameroon.
"It is the first step to the English Premier League now", Cherchesov said in English as he looked across to his also-smiling forward at a news conference.
Cheered on by a crowd of 50,251, the Russians made a strong start to the tournament, backing up their early dominance when Michael Boxall inadvertently turned in Denis Glushakov's dinked effort on goal. He prefers ice hockey and saw a team that carried fervent hopes of an Olympic title lose on home ice in the quarterfinals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Russian Federation has introduced a new scheme that will allow football fans to enter the country for the 2018 World Cup without a visa.
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