Russian hockey team to face semifinal Olympic game

Russian team beat reigning gold medallists the Czech Republic 1-0. Now Russian hockey team will face the final game as it beat the defending Olympic champions - Czech Republic team in a quarter-final match. It was goalie Nikolay Khabibulin who won the game for Russia. He was outstanding throughout the game, stopping some 40 shots. Russian players were proud to demonstrate their real national charachter.

All Russian fans are celebrating the event. The game was a rematch of the 1998 Nagano Olympic final, won 1-0 by the Czechs.

Maxim Afinogenov scored the game's only goal into the second period to advance Russia into a Friday semi-final against the team of United States. Belarus, which stunned Sweden 4-3 earlier, will play Canada in the other semi-final.