It’s from Russia with love for the fans
Cup hosts hit the Saudis with a few quick-fire goals
RUSSIA launched the World Cup in emphatic style last night when they outclassed a feeble Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the tournament’s opening match at Luzhniki Stadium, in Moscow, to end a ninemonth winless run and give the host nation’s team and fans the lift they desperately needed.
Substitute Denis Cheryshev scored twice – the first after a piece of skill that would have graced a Lionel Messi highlights reel – and the second a superb shot in stoppage time.
Iury Gazinsky had headed the World Cup’s first goal after 12 minutes, Artem Dzyuba got the third a minute after coming on as a 70thminute substitute and Aleksandr Golovin completed a memorable day by smashing in free kick with the last action of the game.
The result equalled the best-ever in a World Cup opening game – Brazil beat Mexico 5-0 in Switzerland, in 1954 – as Russia took full advantage of a Saudi team who’s defending fell painfully short of World Cup standard, while their attack was non-existent.
Russia’s fans will not care about that after enduring a wretched run of seven games without a win but they will be aware that the Asian qualifiers look desperately illequipped to trouble Egypt or group favourites Uruguay, who meet today, and that there is still much to be done for the hosts to secure progress to the knockout stage.
Russia looked lively from the start as they poured into the vast spaces on both flanks and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring after 12 minutes as Gazinsky was totally unmarked to nod home Golovin’s deep left-wing cross.
The home crowd, starved of any meaningful action for the last two years, were loving it as the red shirts poured forward with only some desperate defending preventing star striker Fyodor Smolov from adding a second.
Alan Dzagoev had been at the heart of things but had to go off after pulling a hamstring in the 23rd minute. It proved something of a fortuitous situation – if not for him – as his replacement Cheryshev doubled the lead with a mesmerizing touch of skill.
Collecting a pass from Roman Zobnin on the left of the box he showed great composure to nonchalantly flick the ball inches above two prone defenders desperately sliding in, before lashing into the roof of the net.
Russia made it 3-0 in the 71st minute when Golovin chipped in a cross, allowing giant striker Dzyuba to rise unchallenged to head in from close range.
The crowd were then treated to a fabulous finale as Cheryshev cleverly steered home the fourth with the outside of his foot before Golovin capped a great personal performance by curling his free kick beyond the wall to get the month-long Moscow party well and truly started.
Cheryshev said there were “no words to express” how he felt after he struck twice for Russia at the 80 000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium.
“There are no words to express what I’m feeling right now,” said Cheryshev, who was recalled to the Russia squad in March after an absence of more than two years.
“I could never have dreamed of anything like this. I felt very happy when I knew I would be here in the squad but I never dreamed of anything like this. I’m happy we’ve won but we shouldn’t stop there.”
Russia, ranked a lowly 70th in the world – three places below Saudi Arabia – knew victory in their first match is vital, with tougher games against Egypt and Uruguay to come.
Egypt’s coach Hector Cuper said prolific striker Mohamed Salah is “almost 100 percent” to play in their opening match against Uruguay today after he had intensive treatment on the shoulder injury he suffered playing for Liverpool against Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Russia meet Egypt in their next match on Tuesday in Saint Petersburg, while Saudi Arabia will look to rebound against group favourites Rostov-on-Don a day later.
Russia is spending more than $13billion (R174-billion) on hosting football’s showpiece, the most important event in the country since the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.
The buildup to the tournament has been dogged by controversy and diplomatic scandals and has shone a light on the challenges facing the country.
On the day of the curtainraiser, Russia freed the main opposition figure to President Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, from jail after he served a 30-day sentence for organising an illegal protest. —
Reuters, with additional reporting by AFP