Russia successfully open the World Cup 2018 with winning 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium, Thursday (14/6) night local time. These three points led them to sit atop Group A standings.
The hosts instantly displayed positive games from the start and the opening goal came in the 12th minute. Yury Gazinskiy packed a first goal for Russia after a successful use of stomach bait Aleksandr Golovin with his header failed dammed Abdullah Al Mayouf.
After conceding, Saudi Arabia's defense seemed to be easily broken and two minutes later Alan Dzagoev almost doubled Russia's lead. The Kans became Dzagoev's last action on the pitch due to a hamstring injury and was pulled out to be replaced by Denis Cheryshev.
Substitution does not change the style of Russian games that continue to dominate. While Saudi Arabia has difficulty developing games despite being superior to ball possession, the Asian representatives are less effective at building attacks.
Two minutes before halftime, Cheryshev made the host public cheer. Villarreal's attacking midfielder packed a second Russian goal through a hard shot, shortly after deceiving the pursuit of two Saudi Arabia penggawa with high technique.
In the second half, Juan Antonio Pizzi instructed Saudi Arabia to play more openly. And the decision almost paid off when Taisir Al Jassim free-standing in front of goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev able to grab the diagonal ball coming from the right side.
The Russians who keep their rhythm of the game have another chance to get away on the scoreboard. It's just Cheryshev opportunity in the 65th minute did not lead smoothly to Saudi Arabia goalkeeper who escorted Al Mayouf.
The decision of coach Stanislav Cherchesov to replace Fyodor Smolov with Artem Dzyuba in the 70th minute paid off. Less than a minute set foot on the pitch, the 29-year-old striker enlarged Russia's lead through a lethal header that went on Golovin's pass.
Saudi Arabia is barely able to do much even in the rest of the game time, practically Akinfeev not so hard working in keeping the Russian goalkeeper. Quite the host increasingly away through the kick effect left foot Cheryshev in extra time that skyrocketed to the upper left corner of the goal Saudi Arabia.
The defense of Saudi Arabia continues to be a fad when the game will end. Golovin, who had previously scored two assists, became Russia's victorious star by posting his fifth team goal with an accurate free kick just seconds before the referee blew the long whistle.