ZCZC
BSP-32
FOOTBALL-WC-PUTIN
Putin invites Team Russia players, head coach to discuss WC results
MOSCOW, July 8, 2018 (BSS/TASS) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited Russian national team players and their head coach to discuss the results of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
In the quarterfinals match on Saturday night in Sochi, Russia was eliminated from the tournament by Croatia. The host nation lost 4-3 the penalty shootout, which followed 2-2 draw in the regular and 30-minute overtime period.
“Putin phoned Cherchesov prior to the game on Saturday and wished him success,” Peskov said. “After the game, Putin phoned him again and noted the team’s worthy performance at the World Cup, as well as Russia’s beautiful and determined game in the historic match against Croatia.”
“The president invited the head coach and team members to an event to sum up the results of the championship and discuss Russia’s World Cup heritage,” the Kremlin spokesman said.
Russia is staging its first-ever FIFA World Cup, which kicked off in Moscow with a spectacular opening show at Luzhniki Stadium on the evening of June 14.
The country selected 11 host cities to be the venues for the matches of the 2018 World Cup and they are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.
BSS/TASS/SMM/1920 hrs