Everything came to a close quickly in the final in the Open Division of the All Nations Cup played Saturday, July 29 at the Starfire complex in Tukwila.

With Brazillian singer Jovino Neto Santos singing and first place awards given out, the niceties were nice, fancy green striped uniform 'Champions 2006' shirts awarded from mazahmba.com- being given to the winner after 30-something teams competed.

Teams from Russia, Brazil, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Tibet, Japan, China, Great Britain, and too many more names to name here wanted to win it and played hard professional level soccer through the first round, second round, quarterfinal, semifinal and final action play -- just like a World Cup format.

Russia won it, unseating last year's champion, the USA, by a 2-1 score.

It was a scoring first scenario by the Russian team that made all the difference in the world in Viktor Bychkov's mind, a former Portland Timber of the United Soccer League that the Seattle Sounders play in. And Bychkov, a Federal Way resident, scored it!

"We scored first and became more confident," said Bychkov. "That means a lot in this type of game, two equal teams."

With 19:55 off the 45 minute L.E.D. time clock, Russia struck. Bychkov, took a feed from midfielder Matthew Walton,who is from Federal Way as well. Anyway, Bychkov found a way to get around the last USA defender back there and it was the goalie coming out and the ball kicked by him from Bychkov on the right side upper 18-yard box corner area.

Bychkov remembered what happened to his Russian team last year at this All Nations Cup final.

"We lost to the USA team, 5-0," he said.

Not this time. Bychkov and his buddies like Walton were just too much to handle for the USA, probably controlling the round ball 60 percent of the time.

The game was played in the middle mostly, with both teams having an even number of shots 6-5, favoring Russia in the first half. There was some good play from the USA, a cross or two from Eric Peters nearly found net on headers in the danger 6-yard box.

On one of those, Philip Goodwin couldn't get his forehead on the sphere, with 12 minutes left in the half. Another time Goodwin crossed in to Alexander Casey, with five minutes left in the first half. Again, the header was not reached by the person striking at it.

Meanwhile, after Russia scored that first goal, it was more good news for them in the second half. At the 77th minute of overall play, Vadim Totstolutsky, a former player for Cliff McGrath at Seattle Pacific University, scored. That's umpteen NCAA Division II titles through the years.

Totstolutsky poked the ball in after a pass in from the right side midfield line from Oleg Kolosov.

That made it 2-0, Russia. The USA managed to poke the ball in finally at the 81st minute. Peters was on the end of a Faustino Limon cross.

But Bychkov's team , who outshot the USA, 8-7, fittingly, would win this game by that difference.

Someone asked if beer would be the after game drink.

"Champagne," they cheered.