RUSSIAN SOCCER CENTER OPENS IN PORTUGAL AHEAD OF EURO 2004

FARO, June 12 (RIA Novosti's Mikhail Smirnov, Nikolai Venediktov) - A Russian soccer center opened in the Portuguese city of Faro Friday night, ahead of the 2004 European Championships, to which Portugal will be playing host. Russian Soccer Union President Vyacheslav Koloskov and Ambassador of Russia to Portugal Bakhtier Khakimov arrived in Faro for the opening ceremony.

As he was unveiling the soccer center, Koloskov said that this was the first such house in the history of Russia's participation in European and world championships. According to Koloskov, it will be used as the venue for press conference with players and coaches on the national squad, as well as for Russian arts events. The facility is fitted with a large television screen for live broadcasts of Euro 2004 matches.

The Russian soccer center will be open as long as Russia continues its way through Euro 2004, Koloskov said.

Euro 2004 matches are to be held in eight cities across Portugal. Russia plays Spain in Faro later tonight. They take on Portugal in a Lisbon stadium on June 16, and face Greece back in Faro June 20.

Russia, who have been an underachiever in all high-profile international events in the past sixteen years, are clearly not among the Euro 2004 favorites. Yet, Manager Georgi Yartsev pins high hopes on his young team, and says it will not settle for a draw in their Euro 2004 opener against Spain.