Pictures: Russia hit five in World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia

Host nation Russia ease

Host nation Russia ease to victory in first
game of World Cup group A

One-Minute Read

Day one of the World Cup kicked off with an opening ceremony
featuring British singer Robbie Williams and Russia’s players were
also keen to entertain their fans at the Luzhniki
Stadium.

Russia went into the break 2-0 up and strolling against a
poor Saudi team thanks to goals from Iury Gazinsky and Denis
Cheryshev. Then in the second half substitute Artem Dzyuba made an
instant impact from the bench to head in a
third. Cheryshev scored his second late before
Aleksandr Golovin’s superb free-kick made it five.

Quoted by the BBC, two-goal hero Cheryshev was in dreamland after
the match. He said: “There are no words to express what I’m feeling
right now. I’m so happy for my family who have struggled with my
injuries – they deserve this. I could never have dreamed of
anything like this.”

Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Radio 5: “It has been a really positive night for
Russia who have done what they had to do, but I don’t think the big
boys will be too worried by that performance. Saudi Arabia were
hopeless and they didn’t have one effort on target.”

Egypt play Uruguay in group A’s second match at the
Ekaterinburg Arena on Friday (1pm UK time).

Group A results, fixtures and live TV channels

• Russia 5 Saudi Arabia 0  
• 15 June: Egypt vs. Uruguay (1pm, BBC) 
• 19 June: Russia vs. Egypt (7pm, BBC) 
• 20 June: Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia (4pm, BBC) 
• 25 June: Uruguay vs. Russia (3pm, ITV); Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt
  (3pm, ITV4)