Latest Russia Soccer News

Inter Milan leads Serie A. In the Champions League, it's another story. Inter is bottom of the Group B standings without a point or even a goal. Wednesday's game against Spartak Moscow is crucial. Spartak has one point, while Bayern Munich leads the group with six points. ``We have to win at all costs now,'' club owner Massimo Moratti said. ``It's a decisive game, like each of the four games ...

The last time Arsenal played in Russia it was cold, it was the Champions League, and it was a disappointing night for the English Premier League team. On Tuesday, the Gunners will get another chance when they face CSKA Moscow in Group G. Arsenal, which lost to Spartak Moscow 4-1 in late 2000 in the second group stage on a frozen field, has more cold weather ahead as it looks ...

Guus Hiddink earned his first competitive win as coach of Russia on Wednesday when his team beat Estonia 2-0 in European Championship qualifying. Pavel Pogrebnyak scored in the 78th minute and Dmitry Sychev added another in injury time. Both came on as substitutes. The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Raio Piiroja was sent off in the 89th minute. Russia has five points from three games in Group E, ...

Schalke will reportedly close a 100 million euro (US$125 million) sponsorship deal with Russian natural gas giant OAO Gazprom on Tuesday. Under the deal _ one of the biggest in Bundesliga history _ Schalke will receive bonuses if it qualifies for the Champions League, Bild newspaper reported Saturday. Schalke is already one of Germany's biggest clubs and the deal would help it become more competitive against its richer league rival and defending champion Bayern Munich. Gazprom hopes to gain ...

Israel are dreaming of a first major finals appearance since 1970 as they travel to Russia for their third UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier. Appointed coach this summer, Dror Kashtan guided Israel to a 1-0 win against Estonia in Tallinn in their Group E opener, and they followed that with a 4-1 triumph against Andorra on neutral territory in the Netherlands. But playing in Russia should provide a first real ...

Moscow will stage the 2008 Champions League final. UEFA announced Wednesday that Luzhniki stadium in the Russian capital will be the host, while the City of Manchester stadium will hold next season's UEFA Cup final. Rome's Stadio Olimpico will host the 2009 Champions League final and the Sukru Saracoglu stadium will stage that year's UEFA Cup title-match in Istanbul, Turkey. UEFA also considered membership applications from newly independent Montenegro and ...

Russia and Croatia drew 0-0 in their first 2008 European Championship qualifier Wednesday. In Guus Hiddink's first competitive game as Russia's coach, Croatia dominated the first half of the Group E match in front of 29,000 fans at a wet Lokomotiv stadium despite missing three players. Strikers Ivica Olic, Bosko Balaban and Darijo Srna were dropped by Croatia's soccer federation for breaking curfew at a training camp last week. Russia's ...

Guus Hiddink will make his competitive debut as Russia coach on Wednesday when his team faces Croatia in a European Championship qualifier. Hiddink, who agreed to take over the team before guiding Australia to the second round of this year's World Cup, led Russia to a 1-0 win over Latvia in a friendly last month. Both teams will be missing starters for Wednesday's match at Lokomotiv Stadium, the start of ...