MOSCOW, November 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russian midfielder Sergei Semak said he was pleased with the defeat over Slovenia with a score of 2:1 in the first qualifying match for the World Cup 2010 held in Moscow on Saturday.
"The match left me with mixed feelings," Semak said in the mix zone near the pitch after the game, adding: "On the one hand, I'm pleased we won, but on the other hand, the way the game ended doesn't leave you at ease in the run-up for the next match."
The teams will play the deciding qualifying match in Maribor, Slovenia on November 18.
Russia's Dinayar Bilyaletdinov made two goals in the 40th and 52nd minutes of the game against Slovenia in Luzhniki Stadium. Slovenia's Nejc Pecnik gave his team one goal tipped off of his head in the 88th minute of the first of two qualifying matches for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
"They (the Slovenians) didn't surprise us because it was obvious that they came here with the aim of not allowing a goal [on their side]. Only after we made the second goal, did they go all out," Semak said in regard to his opponents playing.
Bilyaletdinov declined to make any comments to journalists, saying: "All commentaries will be after the second match."
There were 70,000 football fans at the event, including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev watched the game on television in his hotel in Singapore where he is participating in a 21-nation APEC summit.
