Football: One New Face In Russian Squad For Costa Rica Friendly

MOSCOW, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Sep, 2016 ) - Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov announced an entirely domestic-based 23-man squad on Monday for a friendly against Costa Rica in the southern city of Krasnodar on October 9.

Uncapped Spartak Moscow fullback Ilya Kutepov received his first call. Cherchesov, appointed to the position last month, is now facing the daunting task of rejuvenating the team ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Last month he named a rookie-filled roster for Russia's friendlies against Ghana, a 1-0 victory, and Turkey, a 0-0 draw. Midfielder Pavel Mamayev and forward Alexander Kokorin, who were punished by their clubs after a video of them at a champagne-fuelled party in Monaco after Russia's early exit from Euro 2016, were once again left out of Cherchesov's squad.

Squad Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Soslan Dzhanayev (Rostov), Stanislav Kritsyuk (Krasnodar) Defenders: Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Yury Zhirkov, Ivan Novoseltsev, Igor Smolnikov (all Zenit St Petersburg), Fedor Kudryashov (Rostov), Ilya Kutepov (Spartak Moscow), Sergei Petrov (Krasnodar), Andrei Semenov (Terek Grozny), Roman Shishkin (Lokomotiv Moscow) Midfielders: Yury Gazinsky (Krasnodar), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Yerokhin (Rostov), Roman Zobnin (Spartak Moscow), Magomed Ozdoyev (Rubin Kazan), Alexei Miranchuk, Alexander Samedov (both Lokomotiv Moscow), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St Petersburg) Forwards: Artem Dzyuba (Zenit St Petersburg), Maxim Kanunnikov (Rubin Kazan), Fedor Smolov (Krasnodar)