Russia's win certainly eased the pressure on winning its second game, against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in Moscow on Wednesday.
Russia's victory showed it can win a big game at home, even if Putin is in the arena.
"We coped with the task before us", Cherchesov said.
An the end of the ceremony, the mascot of the 2017 Confederations Cup, charming wolf Zabivaka, descended on an artificial cloud from the top of the stadium and made a first symbolic kick of the ball across the pitch to signal the opening of the tournament.
Putin this week demanded better results from the 63rd-ranked team to impress the Russian public.
The Krestovsky Stadium was late in opening and came home well over budget, while serious problems have been experienced with the playing surface.
"We are slightly deflated", the Englishman said in the post-match press conference.
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The issue of hooliganism is a major concern for organisers after ugly clashes between Russian and English fans at the European Championship in Marseille last summer.
Russian fan leader Alexander Shprygin was prevented from attending the opening match, according to Reuters.
Russian authorities insist that the Confederations Cup's ticketing system, which requires ticket holders to apply for a personalised fan-ID, ensures that all fans are screened and troublemakers are kept away.
The FIFA Confederations Cup is viewed by experts as a rehearsal for the organizers, with only one year to go to the FIFA World Cup.
Federation Internationale de Football Association has for the first time implemented a three-step procedure at the Confederations Cup that allows referees to stop matches in the event of racist or discriminatory incidents. "He is focused on what needs to be done here, and without a doubt he will have a great tournament", Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio said Saturday.
But empty seats remain a concern, with Russia's Sport Express reporting that some tickets were being handed out to state workers for free in a bid to fill the stands at an upcoming Confederations Cup match in Kazan.
"No-one explained the reasons for this", he told Reuters.
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