World Cup 2018: Soviet football history and a polar bear in Nizhny

The group stage came to a close in Nizhny Novgorod in perhaps surprisingly  thrilling fashion between Switzerland and Costa Rica.

Plenty of excitable travelling fans, and those from more local climes, descended on the banks of the Volga to watch an action-packed 2-2 draw.

Away from the pitch, which is now recovering for the knockout phase, Omnisport experienced a behind-the-scenes tour of a Soviet football exhibition, sampled some region-specific merchandise and even watched a polar bear greeting supporters. Well, sort of.

Here are some of the highlights from week two in Nizhny.