"The equation is simple: we had to win in order to achieve our goals, Egypt also had to win in order to keep their chances alive. These tasks are polar... Obviously, the problem of [Mohamed] Salah had to be solved. [Yuri] Zhirkov gave the go-ahead for the match in the morning as he had been suffering from a leg problem for several days. We elaborated a plan for the game. And we managed to put it into practice," Cherchesov told journalists.

Russia beat Egypt 3-1 in their Group A encounter on Tuesday. This means after their second group-stage match, Russia have six points and have an excellent chance of reaching the knockout stage, where they could face Portugal, Spain, Iran or Morocco.

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.