Man of the moment

This is Andrei Arshavin. If anybody is going to get Russia to the quarterfinals, he's the man. He's been suspended for the first two games here but can play against Sweden. Russia has to win while the Swedes can afford a draw and go through to a quarterfinal against Holland. I'm counting on him.
Last night was entertaining. I went to my favorite restaurant to eat venison and watch the Czech-Turkey game on their giant screen but the place was so full of exceptionally drunk Russians that I had to leave. The spectacle of a 55-year-old man in traditional Russian tourist attire of knee length yellow shorts, calf length black socks, white shoes and a baseball cap trying to grope his waitress was one I will take with me to my grave.
I went back to my hotel where they have a smaller screen and worse food, but at least I know the drunken Russians there as I have breakfast with them. One man had an expensive night - he bet 500 euros on the Czech Republic to win and hedged his bets by putting another 500 on the draw. Imagine his delight when Turkey scored its injury time winner. He'd already lost about 100 betting on table football. I think the man has a slight gambling problem. The only good thing was that his losses finally shut him up. He'd been shouting all night and even the other drunk Russians seemed to be tiring of him.