Saturday Nation
Date: 17.06.2017
Page 52
Article size: 425 cm2
ColumnCM: 94.44
AVE: 193611.11
Russia play New Zealand in opener
Hosts eye victory against All Whites in St
Petersburg to set tone for successful tourney
Moscow
Hosts Russia kick off the
Confederations Cup
against New Zealand in
Saint Petersburg today, targeting
victory in their opening match
Petersburg's purpose­built World
Cup 68,000­seater stadium.
"For us it's a privilege and hon­
our to represent our country. Our
team welcomes Russia's president
watching our matches. And we
naturally want to achieve better
to set the tone for a successful
results than our team showed
tournament.
recently."
But Russia coach Stanislav
Cherchesov, appointed after the
country's disastrous Euro 2016
campaign, predicts a tricky en­
counter as he oversees his first
competitive match in charge.
The former Russian interna­
tional goalkeeper has set his
squad the ambitious task of
winning the Confed Cup, a tour­
nament that serves as a tune­up
for next year's World Cup.
"We're ready to face a likeable
New Zealand team but we expect
a difficult match (on Saturday),"
he told reporters yesterday. Rus­
It will be the first meeting be­
tween Russia and New Zealand,
the champions of Oceania, in the
post­Soviet era. The USSR beat
New Zealand 3­0 at the 1982
World Cup in Spain.
Organisers have laid fresh
turf at the Krestovsky Stadium
to allay fears over the condition
of the pitch that prompted Zenit
to shift their final league match
to their former ground.
Russia have produced mixed
results since Cherchesov's arrival
with three wins, three draws and
three defeats. They salvaged an
sian President Vladimir Putin will
impressive 3­3 draw with Belgium,
attend the opener along with FIFA
but that followed a 2­0 home de­
boss Gianni Infantino at Saint
feat to Ivory Coast—Russia's first
loss to an African team — and a
humiliating 2­1 defeat to Qatar.
Confederations Cup
However results in recent
by Moscow, St Petersburg,
friendlies — a 3­0 win in Hun­
gary and a 1­1 draw with Copa
Sochi and Kazan. Final will
America holders Chile — have
be at Krestovsky Stadium
given the country's football fans
some hope. (AFP)
matches to shared
FRANK FIFFE I NATION
Russian policemen patrol outside the Kazan Arena Stadium in Kazan, Russia, yesterday ahead of 2017 Confederations Cup football tournament.
Hosts Russia play New Zealand today in the opener.
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