VISION SPORT NEW VISION, Tuesday, July 3, 2018 43 YOUR WORLD CUP UPDATES Diary SPECIAL RUSSIANS FRED KAWEESI OUR MAN IN RUSSIA Russia comes to life S I SS It is even more challenging to relieve the madness that has gripped every corner of the world’s largest country - which is understandable considering that no one expected anything of the lowest-ranked team in the tournament going into the summer. Russians - who had reservations about everything SPhoto by Reuters at the tournament - are now enjoying it more than anyone and since Sunday night all streets have not only been fl ooded with celebrating fans but also paper By F. Kaweesi in Moscow in pulling off a successful into a cohesive team. has often used a defensive plates, bottles and discarded paraphernalia. championship, it is the team’s He has successfully man- midfi elder (Zhirkov) and two At the Red Square, there were ballistic fans who \ performances that are stealing aged player power in a team more versatile ones next to stripped to their pants, took to the streets, waving fl ags all the headlines. of super-rich, underperform- him, preferably a good long- and danced to very loud music. What has really changed ing youngsters, who, over the France v Uruguay ball player (Daler Kuzyayev) The looks on the faces of the fans yesterday morning of a team that marched into years, have shown the ability and Roman Zobnin. was priceless. It is proud Russians everywhere. the tournament as the lowest but have never quite applied Russia v Croatia If Croatia is going to stun The self-employed chose to take a day off yesterday ranked after Saudi Arabia themselves. the hosts, they will have to while the students still on summer holiday have carried and with no win in seven do what Spain could not - on drinking. But then you have to understand why. matches? # frustrate Golovin and isolate Russia came into this tournament as underdogs. They The Russians are slowly Russia is not blessed with Dzyuba from any wing play. were even considered the weakest in a group that authoring one of the tourna- glamour stars. But what Egypt, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. ment’s most unlikely fairytales Cherchesov has done is It has taken three outrageous wins against Saudi - one that seems scripted in identify a system that can Arabia (5-0) Egypt (3-1) and the 4-3 shootout win over It is astonishing that Alvaro the heavens. bring the best out of a group Photo by Spain to win over everyone’s heart - including Presi- Morata has had to follow his In the group stages, they of players that is largely Reuters dent Vladimir Putin - who had little faith in the team. team from Sardinia, where he swept Saudi Arabia (5-0) home-based. But that is history now. On Sunday, celebrations is on holiday with his preg- and Egypt (3-1) before losing One of Russia’s most inside Luzhniki lasted over an hour as if to suggest nant wife Alice Campello. 3-0 to Uruguay in their fi nal fundamental aspects of play Russia had won the fi nal. It is still unbelievable that game. is their calm, methodical If Russia’s two sweeping wins in the group stages Spain would choose to over- But that did not matter. approach to build-up play. were not enough to get everyone sit up and take no- look the likes of Juan Mata or After falling behind against They move the ball around tice, this one has effectively done so. Marcos Alonso for a champi- Spain through Sergei Ramos, the pitch, change angles of There is a realisation and a new wave of optimism onship like this. the odds clearly seemed attack before working the ball that this could turn out to be one of the most romantic Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), against them. But when into the space just outside the stories in World Cup history. Rodrigo (Valencia), Koke Artem Dzyuba buried a pen- 18-yard box. Gaps then de- And there is a special connection that the Russians (Atletico Madrid) are decent alty after Gerard Pique had velop as impetuous defenders are placing on the Luzhniki stadium. “The gods seem but do not command the handled the ball for a timely attempt to close down their to work best here at the Luzhniki. authority or extra quality equaliser that awoke the sub- two strikers Artem Dzyuba “We’ll win our semi-fi nal at Luzhniki and the fi nal at that would have opened up a dued crowd, Russia seem to and Aleksandr Golovin. Luzhniki,” Russian side that ‘parked the have reinvented themselves. They play a 5-3-2 formation Sheriev, a taxi driver hinted, after his side proved that bus’ for two hours. “In the second half, we and that has suited their David remains very capable of upstaging Goliath in Anyway, Spain’s post-mor- decided to defend and wait players. international football. tem will be for another day. for penalties and that’s what Interestingly, inside the Luzhniki, there was a banner Their madness should not happened, thank God,” Rus- of Lev Yashin - who is still regarded the greatest goal- deny the Russians space and sian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev keeper of all time. credit for getting the job done told the media. But there is In Akinfeev, The ‘Black Panther’ was the fi rst goalkeeper to win here. more to this team’s fortunes Cherchesov has been the World Footballer of the Year award during the In the build-up to this here than just the shootout fortunate to have a Soviet years and his spirits are said to have come to tournament, Russia President victory suggested. reliable goalkeeper. life through Akinfeev, whose status has signifi cantly Vladimir Putin predicted that The CSKA Moscow changed and is offi cially the new poster boy of Russian either of Germany, Brazil, custodian has replicat- football. Spain or Argentina would win Irrespective of how Russia ed his club form in this Striker Artem Dzyuba, currently on three goals, is a the tournament. performs against Croatia in championship. hit among the kids and the adult. To him, Russia’s biggest the quarter-fi nals, Stanislav His double shootout saves His two-arm raised celebration has become a cult achievement would be off the Cherchesov has been hailed against Spain are why Russia symbol for everyone. pitch rather than on it. as a winner. is excited. It is being used as a form of greeting. “Our top goal, as the host He is a disciplinarian and Akinfeev has also The Russian jersey is a precious asset and merchan- country, is to stage the tour- his ability to command play- developed a clear dise associated with the team had sold out by yester- nament at the highest level ers’ respect has been the most understanding with day. Both fans and media are already predicting a run and to put up a fantastic show valuable asset so far. the fi ve defensive to the fi nal. To them, not even France or Brazil can for millions of football lovers Over the last one year, he players Ilya Kutepov, stand in their way. It might be a long way to go for the from all over the world. This has achieved what other Rus- Ignashevich, Fyodor Russians, but this was a big step in the right direction. will be our main achieve- sian managers had failed to Kudryashov, Mario Fernandes It is why we love sport. ment,” Putin said. do in motivating an undoubt- and Yuri Zhirkov. As well as Russia has done edly talented squad of players In midfi eld, Cherchesov .