Russia have already defied the odds and aren't done yet

Hosts Russia have harnessed World Cup momentum to defy expectations, galvanise a nation

Stanislav Cherchesov is rarely lost for a laconic response and kept a straight face when asked, half an hour after Russia had all but booked their place in the last 16 of the World Cup with a 3-1 win over Egypt, whether this had been the happiest day of his life.

"I hope there are many more to come," Cherchesov responded plainly, before quickly moving on to the next question. Even if he was not willing to engage in hyperbole with the world's media, the lid on his emotions was not too tightly fixed. After his post-match news conference had finished, he exchanged hugs and handshakes with a number of local well-wishers. Before it, as he took his time to leave the Krestovsky Stadium pitch with the last of his players, he had waved his arms to exhort one last roar from an almost disbelieving home crowd.

Make no mistake, though -- Cherchesov and his players will have achieved something extraordinary when, barring an implosion coupled with a freakish couple of performances from Saudi Arabia, their knockout berth is confirmed. This Russia side is a ragtag bunch that has come together almost by accident, assembled through bare necessity as key players dropped like flies and pre-tournament results nosedived. They are the lowest FIFA-ranked team in the tournament and were commonly cast, by fans and media alike, as the country's worst ever. Now they look vibrant, brimming with confidence and intent: the transformation is nothing short of astonishing.

"We don't like this word, we don't have it in our vocabulary," Cherchesov said when asked about the problems Russia have overcome in turning the form book upside down. "We've dealt with difficulties as soon as they emerged. We did our homework and learned from the mistakes that didn't allow us to succeed in the past. There are no problems, we didn't have problems and we won't have problems in the future."

Such is Russia's change in fortunes that, on the last point, it is almost tempting to believe him. When Alan Dzagoev, a playmaker who can look after the ball more effectively than anyone else in their ranks, went off with a hamstring pull early in the win over Saudi Arabia it appeared simply to be the latest in a litany of injuries that have ravaged the core of the squad.