ZCZC
BSP-05
FBL-WC-2018-RUS-CRO-CHERCHESOV
Russia coach laments harsh end to World Cup dream
SOCHI, Russia, July 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov
lamented that luck had turned against the World Cup hosts after they lost on
penalties to Croatia in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Cherchesov’s team beat Spain in a shootout in the last 16 but fell short
in Sochi after extra-time ended with the sides deadlocked at 2-2. They lost
the shootout 4-3.
“Luck was against us,” Cherchesov said. “My guys feel like conscript
soldiers whose term of service was over just when they were preparing to go
into battle.”
“They still want to fight that war.”
Cherchesov walked into the room still visibly dazed after the dramatic
ending. He asked a reporter to repeat the first question, saying after a long
pause: “I am still not myself.”
Russia were the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and expectations were
not high.
But Cherchesov said he knew “from the first second that I put this team
together how far we could go”.
“People not only started to believe in us, but the whole nation loves us
now,” he said.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0847 hrs