The Last Crusade: England v Panama, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

FIFA WC Finals 2018
Group G
England v Panama
Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
24 June 2018

After a short stop over at the world famous Sovietsky Hotel (£150 p/n) on Leningradsky Prospect in Moscow we were victims of a terrifying taxi ride to Vnukovo airport. On 22 Jun we had to take a domestic flight to Nizhny Novgorod from Vnukovo but our young Russian driver was high on something and drove like a maniac: under-taking, speeding, tail gating, near misses, etc, at the end of the ordeal we were just glad to be alive. Sue spent the whole journey kneeling in the back seat and praying!

A total of 2155 tickets had been allocated to EF for this game (100 x Cat 1, 514 x Cat 2 and 1541 x Cat 3). As expected there were quite a few more in Nizhny Novgorod than in Volgograd and the early kick off made for a great atmosphere.

A victory in this second game in Group G would secure England's passage to the knockout phase so there is a lot at stake. Panama are fresh from a 3:0 loss to Group favourite's Belgium in Sochi so England need to put them to the sword.

England v Panama highlights

England 6 Panama 1
Attendance: 43319
Referee: Grisha (Egypt)

Day 1 - Arrival: We arrived at Nizhny in a flight from Moscow Vnukovo on a Utair aircraft. We have come to expect a high standard from Russian flights and this one did not disappoint.

Arriving at the quaint Hotel Joy, a snip at £313 for 2 nights. A quick shower and were off on the town

It's not long before Sue finds her trusty steed. This is actually a treasured symbol of the city and is known as the "Merry Goat". I'm sure that I have been called that in the past too!

He's back

Sir Tom's getting in on the act

Day 2 : The Kremlin and Nizhny Bolshaya Pokrovskaya.
Our day of culture begins with the Novgorod Drama Theatre

The main street Bolshaya Pokrovskaya stretches
from the Kremlin to Gorky Square

'Zabivaka' the official mascot of Russia 18

Lucky to spot this Volga automobile made by the Gorky automobile plant (GAZ). The 'Volga' was one of the most prestigious cars ever manufactured in the USSR. For you petrol heads - this is a model from1962-70.

Kremlin and fan fest at one end of Bolshaya Pokrovskaya

The Fans Embassy have set up shop outside the Dmitrovskaya Tower, the main entrance to the Kremlin

Construction of the Kremlin began in 1500 and by 1511 there were 13 towers connected to the fortress. The fortress was never conquered by any enemy.

A random display of stuffed wild boars in the tower

The main square from the ramparts

Tower to tower

Big city beyond

View of the 'Strelka' which is the meeting
point of the Oka and Volga rivers

Looking down the Ivanovsky slope to the Orthodox Cathedral below. In Soviet times it was used as a public toilet.

Chasovaya Tower (Clock Tower) marks the end of the guided tour, but inside we were treated to lots of hero posters

'Heroes of the Soviet Union'

'Victory Commanders'

Our guide in front of more 'Contemporary Heroes'

The final resting place of this T34

The best Tank Commander that the USSR never had

Ivanovskaya Tower

Translated from Cyrillic:

"Eternal Glory to the Gorky Residents
Killed in action for freedom
and independence of our homeland"

Other side of the memorial

Cathedral of Archangel Michael. The remains of Kozma Minim rest here, Minim is considered the greatest hero of the city because his leadership led to the liberation of Moscow from the Polish and Lithuanian invaders.

The statue commemorates the founder of the city, Prince Gregory Vsevolodovich, and Bishop Simon of Suzdal.

This obelisk was constructed in 1828 in honour of Kozma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky

Panama supporters posing with
Russians from Novosibirsk in Siberia

Exhibition of arms and equipment used
in the Great Patriotic War

This amazing mosaic is made up of tiny photographic portraits of fallen heroes of the Soviet Union

Sue bagging more aircraft

Dmitrovskaya Tower

Fan Fest at Nizhny

This gift shop is selling Khokhloma style woodcraft which was made in Semenov in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

We loved them so much we
purchased a lucky spoon and a horse

More Russians Babes 😮

Leaving the Fan Fest - never to return

Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street is literally full of Bronze statues

Party Time again on main street

Day 3 - Chkalov Stairs and the Nizhnevolzhskaya embankment. 'Kvass'... if Carlsberg made 'hangovers cures' 😎

At the top of the Chkalov stairs is a monument to the great Russian test pilot Valery Chkalov who made the world's first flight across the North Pole. He flew non stop from Moscow to Vancouver

The Russian deer is the symbol of Nizhny Novgorod

This stainless steel deer was built in Budapest and transported to Russia in 2014

From the embankment the only way is up

Lets do it 😎

The Chkalov Stairs leading to the Kremlin

Looking very fresh after negotiating the
560 steps that form the Chkalov Stairs

Buses are the main mode of Public transport in Nizhny, but it does boast a metro line and a cable car

The State Bank was opened in 1913 to honour the 300th anniversary of the Royal dynasty of the Romanovs

More Bronze statues on the street they call 'Pokrovka'

Mrs Hesketh the 3rd

The Swedes have settled down in the 'Halli Grill' to watch the
Sweden v Germany game live from Sochi

Swedes standing for their National Anthem,
'Du gamla, du fria'.
Sadly for our Swedish friends Kroos struck an injury time winner to make it 2:1. Bloody Krauts!

Day 4 - Match Day. Enroute to the pub we pass this view of the 'Strelka'.

Russian ladies are literally queuing to have
photos taken with the English (and vice versa...)

Selfie time with the real Mrs H

Warning Bell on the north slope of the Kremlin

The Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan was built in 2012. It replaced an older church which had stood since 1687, but was demolished during the Soviet era

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Stadium on the 'Strelka'

Down the slope we go

From Russia with love 💋

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptiste with the Ivanovskaya Tower in the background

Monument to Minin and Pozharskiy who helped defeat the imposter 'False Dmitry the First' and banish him from
the Russian lands

Craft shop and the Museum of bread making

Early doors

View from the river port

first we considered cruising to the ground...

....but the Shuttle buses are just so much more sociable

....and takes you right to the stadium

...and the Russian Bear 🐻

This bear is very patriotic and has a vodka habit

The famous Croxely Green

Even the riot horses look chilled

Another sighting of a bear, but this
one is just visiting from China

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium

England's Top Boy

Panama fans struggling with the flag

Panama hats and flags everywhere

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on the 'Strelka'

Pre-match prediction proves to be quite close

View from the concourse of the Volga

View out to the city

я русский

I've no idea what is going on here

Atmosphere is building

East Stand bathed in sun

South Stand in the shade

West Stand and the 'Prawn Sandwich Brigade'

The return of Stalingrad Sue

Its more than a Visa, the FAN ID is the
latest football terrace fashion accessory

England in Block B123 of the North stand

Some of the usual suspects

One of Sunderland's finest

Anthem 1

Anthem 2

Posh seats again

He's only gone and done it again and
this time he's bang on Half Way
(go to the 2nd camera and pan up)

And they're off

John Stones header from a Kieran Trippier's
corner kick - 1:0 to the Engerland

Harry Kane's penalty is smashed
in on 22 minutes - 2:0 England

Lingard curls in from the edge of the area
.......and the crowd go mental, 3:0 England

...John Stones scores with a header after
Sterling's effort is saved, 4:0

Kane scores from the spot in added time
My 5:0 prediction is looking good

In the 2nd Half Kane deflects Ruben Loftus Cheeks shot to secure England's sixth goal and England's first World Cup hat trick since Lineker scored 3 against the Poles in 1986.

Its full time and England have won 6:1 with an outstanding display of ruthless finishing and total dominance.

Happy Dayz

Gabby Logan at pitch side (before she gets soaked in beer)

43319 attended this historic game

Hot Work! CJ in his English Bull Dog costume

We love it

Time to go

England march on to the Knockout stages

Back on the newly built Metro Station at 'Strelka'

A bit like the London Underground????

Stalingrad Sue on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street

They get everywhere...

Into our new digs, the flamboyant Gorkiy Hostel

I guess we are off to the Rock Bar

We spot the Lesser Spotted Craigski at the
Burger House and its party time.....

♫He drinks some vodka drink♫

♫He drinks some lager drink♫.

♫He sings the songs that remind him of the good times♫

♫He sings the songs that remind him of the best times♫

Nattalie (наталья) and Sue

A rose between 2 big thorns

Panama 'love in'

Albert from Panama

Day 5 - Recovering on the Cable Car. Above -

A very empty 'Minin and Pozharsky' Square (минина и пожарского площадь)

Cooling off at the fountain

Deserted streets by the Dmitrievskaya Tower

A quick stroll down the embankment and we reach the cable car station. The good news is that when the winds reach 15 ms it is still possible to cross the longest cable car crossing in the whole of Europe (861 meters).

Breathtaking views across the Volga towards the city of Bor

The point of no return

Islands on the Volga

Despite its name the city of Bor proved quite exciting,
see above Statue of Lenin

Memorial to the war on Victory Square

The Museum of Military Equipment

Memorial to Negin who was a scientist credited with
assisting the Soviet Union in the arms race with the West

Sue bags another MiG

Eternal Flame

Traditional Russian houses in Bor (бор)

How Nizhny Novgorod was when it was Gorky (1932-90)

Great bar at the top of town (Berezkarbar)

Day 6 - Gorky Square and farewell.
Maxim Gorky: the famous writer and Marxist activist. In 1932 Stalin ordered that Nizhny was to be renamed Gorky after Maxim Gorky, a name which it retained until 1990 before it became Nizhny Novgorod