Not me, team deserves credit: Russia’s new hero

MOSCOW: Igor Akinfeev left his post-match press conference almost as soon as he had arrived. Akinfeev was one of the players randomly selected for customary doping tests after the game.

He did, however, have enough time to offer his thoughts on the Man-of-the-match award.

“I don’t believe I am the Man of the Match today. The whole team is the Man of the Match,” he said, before leaving.

That was all the media got to see of Akinfeev after his heroics at the Luzhniki Stadium here today.

Hisheadcoachstanislavcherchesov, however, had no such problems as he spoke at length on the stunning result.

“This is the World Cup and many teams had to pack because it is one thing to be a strong team but you have to be very good on the pitch. Today we achieved the maximum of what we could have achieved,” he said.

‘JUST THE BEGINNING’

The Russian tactician had looked away from the proceedings when the shootout started. “I was looking at the scoreline, so I saw everything. And my emotions? It’s only the beginning. I have to save my emotions for the future.”

He refused to divulge much about his tactics though. “I am not asking or requesting people to do this or do that. I am just portraying an idea. But it is the player who has to feel this (idea), he has to do it from within, he has to be persuaded himself,” he said.

Cherchesov revealed that there was one blow his team had received during the game, in the form of an injury to left wing-back Yuri Zhirkov. The former Chelsea full-back would play no more part in the tournament unless Russia reach the final, he said. Then the mood in the room shifted as soon as Fernando Hierro entered to take questions.

“(My future) doesn’t worry me. It’s not important right now,” said a dejected Hierro.

“We are leaving this World Cup without having lost a single match; that is a fact,” he added.