Russia couldn't have asked for a better start to its World Cup.
The host nation opened the 2018 competition with a 5-0 rout of Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Thursday, in a meeting between the two lowest-ranked teams in the field. Denis Cheryshev came on as an early injury substitute and scored twice, while Aleksandr Golovin added two assists and a stellar goal at the death to lead the Russians' charge and ensure that host nations remain undefeated in World Cup openers.
The draw did 70th-ranked Russia a favor, putting 67th-ranked Saudi Arabia is the first opponent in a group that also features Uruguay and Egypt. Given the increasing difficulty in each match for the Russians, they were looking to open with a three-point haul as they seek to avoid joining South Africa (2010) as the only host nation to not escape the group stage. As it turned out, it wasn't even a question.
Russia's rising star, 22-year-old Golovin, earned an early corner for Russia as the hosts looked to capitalize on the fervor in the stands, though nothing came from the set piece.
Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf made a risky play in the fifth minute, coming over 30 yards off his line to play a ball out of the back under pressure, but fortunately for him he was first to the ball and sprayed it to a teammate before Russia could capitalize.
Russia wound up finding its early goal anyway. It came in the 12th minute off a header from Yuri Gazinsky, whose header off Golovin's cross beat Al-Mayouf to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal of the 28-year-old Gazinsky's international career.
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- TelemundoSports