Coach Stanislav Cherchesov insists hosts have a plan to ensure Egypt's dangerous striker is kept silent when the two teams clash tonight
Egypt striker Mohamed Salah during a training session at the Akhmat Arena Stadium in Grozny recently. Pic/AFP
Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov says the World Cup hosts have figured out a way to reign in Egypt's Mohamed Salah in Saint Petersburg today.
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The striker, 26, has scored 44 goals in a sensational first season for Liverpool and is keen to make his debut after missing the Pharaohs' 1-0 opening game loss to Uruguay with a shoulder injury. Salah's name has been creeping into conversations often since Russia's 5-0 thumping of Saudi Arabia in Thursday's opener. But Cherchesov said he was not particularly concerned.
Cherchesov
"We know how to play against him," the Russia coach said after the team's training session. We are ready to stop Salah and we will." Cherchesov dismissed the notion that roughhouse tactics would come into play and defended Madrid captain Sergio Ramos against an accusation that he purposely caused Salah's injury. "Is someone going to behave as Ramos behaved? I don't understand the question," Cherchesov was quoted saying by Goal.com.
"I saw that he was holding the cup of the Champions League and tomorrow there will be no cup. I believe that Ramos did not do this on purpose. This is a contact sport and, as I understand, no one injures people from other teams on purpose."
Russia's convincing win over the Saudis was preceded by a seven-match winless streak and a spate of injuries that wiped out almost the entire defensive line. But the men in red are now on the cusp of making their first knockout stage of a World Cup in post-Soviet history. The achievement would a relief for both players and Russians who worried about being humiliated on the world's biggest sporting stage.
Russia's goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev said he'd rather focus on winning than any particular opposing player. "Would I prefer to see Salah play or not? I do not even know how to respond. I would prefer to see my team win," said Akinfeev.
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