Salenko, Russia Say Goodbye To Cup and to Player Yuran

SANTA CRUZ, California -- Oleg Salenko, the leading World Cup scorer, was the saddest player on the Russian team as it bid an early goodbye to the tournament."It's too bad I won't be able to score more goals here," said Salenko who set a World Cup record by netting five goals in Russia's 6-1 trouncing of Cameroon on Tuesday. "I just started getting used to it," Salenko, 24, said after learning of Russia's elimination. The forward will not be able to continue his scoring spree as Russia failed to qualify for the second round following two opening-round defeats, against Brazil and Sweden. Russia's chances of qualifying as a third-placed team in Group B collapsed Thursday when Bulgaria beat Argentina 2-0 and Nigeria defeated Greece by the same score. Even before the championships, the team was plagued by a bitter dispute between some players and the coach, Pavel Sadyrin. And Thursday in the latest sign of discontent, the team kicked striker Sergei Yuran off the squad and ordered him to go home, Sadyrin said."Yes, he is leaving," Sadyrin said at the team's base near Santa Cruz, but declined to give any details. Team sources said the 25-year-old Benfica forward was unhappy at being left out of the Russian team since the opening Group B match against Brazil, a 2-0 defeat, and had fallen out with Sadyrin. (Reuters, AP)