Russia opens WC sans world leaders, wins after 16 years
MOSCOW – Russia welcomed the world to the soccer World Cup on Thursday as fans streamed in, the hosts savored a 5-0 victory on the pitch and President Vladimir Putin’s government derided Western efforts to isolate him.
The Kremlin leader, greeted by a huge cheer ahead of the hosts’ opening game against Saudi Arabia, spoke of showing the world a hospitable Russia and of sport overcoming differences.
Russia is grappling with Western sanctions imposed after its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine four years ago, but a crushing win in the first of 64 matches of a month-long festival was all many Russians were thinking about.
Talking of a love of soccer uniting the planet “as one team”, Putin said: “In this unity, over which no powers reign, in which there are no differences of language, of ideology or of faith, lies the great power of football, and of all sport.”
Western powers chose not to send senior representatives to the opening ceremony but, despite some muttering this year as relations soured further, there are no sporting boycotts like the one that marred the 1980 Moscow Olympics, or doping bans of the kind that excluded many Russians from the last two Olympics.
“Attempts at a boycott were doomed from the start,” Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, a close Putin ally and long-time sports minister – himself banned from the Olympics – told Izvestiya newspaper. “It shows how foreign politicians are sometimes cut off from real life.”
The president, newly re-elected after 18 years in power, heard British singer Robbie Williams dominate a colorful half-hour opening ceremony at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium with what the Kremlin listed as an array of 15 foreign leaders — though that included eight from ex-Soviet neighbors as well as two from Russian-backed breakaway regions of Georgia.
Russia ended a 16-year wait for victory in the tournament by routing Saudi Arabia, 5-0, Thursday in Group A, with the Russian president watching from the VIP box alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the Saudi crown prince.
It was the host nation’s first World Cup win since 2002, and it raises the hope that Russia can get past the group stage for the first time since the Soviet era.
Yuri Gazinsky initially put Russia ahead with a header from Alexander Golovin’s cross when the Saudis failed to clear a corner in the 12th minute. Gazinsky charged forward to meet the ball as Saudi player Taisir Al-Jassam stumbled, leaving a simple finish.
Putin and Infantino smiled and shrugged as they sat next to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Putin then reached over to shake the prince’s hand.
Substitute Denis Cheryshev soon scored the first of his two goals. He chipped the ball over two Saudi defenders in the 43rd minute and shot over goalkeeper Abdullah Al Muaiouf’s right side to make it 2-0. He later chipped the ball in for Russia’s fourth goal in stoppage time.
“I have never done anything like this,” Cheryshev said. “I already felt very happy when I knew I could come here with my squad, but I never, ever dreamed of something like this.”
After Cheryshev’s first goal, Artyom Dzyuba made an instant impact off the bench to make it 3-0 in the 71st with a header from Golovin’s cross. Golovin added the fifth from a free kick.
Putin watched the game with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stretching across FIFA President Gianni Infantino to offer a consoling handshake to his Saudi guest as Yury Gazinsky put Russia a goal up after 12 minutes. The comfortable win raised hopes that the low-ranked hosts might progress into the tournament’s later stages.