Russia Midfielder Zhirkov to Resume Training With Squad on Saturday

NOVOGORSK (Sputnik) - Russia midfielders Yuri Zhirkov and Alan Dzagoev trained individually on Friday as the national team continued their preparations for their last Group A game against Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup. However, according to Russian Football Union spokesman Igor Vladimirov, Zhirkov will be back to the team's training on Saturday.

"We are planning for Zhirkov to be back to the group training tomorrow. He trained individually today," Igor Vladimirov told journalists.

Zhirkov was substituted in the second half of the team's 3-1 victory over Egypt on Tuesday after suffering an ankle problem, while Dzagoev sustained a hamstring injury during Russia's 5-0 drubbing of Saudi Arabia on June 14. Both players also trained individually on Thursday and Wednesday.

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Russia have qualified for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time and will face Uruguay in Samara on Monday in a match that will decide which of the teams wins Group A. After that Stanislav Cherchesov's men will play against Portugal, Spain or Iran in the last 16.

Meanwhile, a total of 14 percent of Russians believe that Russia can win the FIFA World Cup, a survey conducted by Russia's Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM).

"Every fourth Russian [25 percent] thinks that the national team will make it to the quarter-finals. A total of 14 percent [of respondents] believe Russia can with the World Cup," the pollster said in a statement on Friday.

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The poll was conducted among 1,600 respondents aged 18 or older on Wednesday and has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.