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FOOTBALL-WC-TALK
Political talks and World Cup match in Sochi
MOSCOW, July 7, 2018, (BSS/TASS)- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic are expected to attend the Russia vs Croatia match in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2018, which the two teams will play in Sochi at 21:00 Moscow Standard Time [18:00 UTC], the press service of the Russian cabinet of ministers said.
“Also on July 7, the Russian Prime Minister and the President of Croatia will have a meeting, in the course of which they hope to discuss the main issues of Russian-Croatian cooperation in trade, culture and the humanitarian sphere,” the report said.
Medvedev attended Team Russia’s knockouts game vs Spain at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on July 1 when Russia in overtime and made the way into quarterfinals.
He called into the changing room after the game to greet the players. It was also then that he jokingly recommended the entire cabinet should go to Sochi to attend the game vs Croatia.
A diplomatic source said earlier President Grabar-Kitarovic would come to Russia on July 7 to support the national team. She has already made a trip to Nizhny Novgorod where Team Croatia won against Denmark in the knockouts.
Russia vs Croatia will be the last game played at Fisht stadium in Sochi during this Mundial. The winning team will play either vs England or vs Sweden in the semifinal.
England and Sweden meet in Samara on Saturday.
BSS/TASS/SG/SMM/ 1600 hrs