HELP FROM ABOVE
Hope and prayer as Russians wonder if the national team can get any worse
Moscow — The head of the Russian Orthodox Church said on Wednesday that "hope and prayer" were the only things he could offer the beleaguered national team as they head into the World Cup as host nation. "I hope this big event will bring success and will positively influence the mood of our people," Patriarch Kirill said at a gathering of church officials in Moscow. "Of course this largely depends on how our team plays. And here all that is left is to hope and pray for everything to be right and dignified, and of course to rely on the preparation of our players," he added. The question confronting Russian football fans ahead of the 2018 World Cup, which starts on Thursday, is whether the host nation’s team can get any worse. Last week, Russia extended its winless streak with a 1-1 home draw against Turkey, which meant the team failed to chalk up a single victory in eight months. President Vladimir Putin has said he hopes that Russia "will fight until the end" in the World Cup, which...
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