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As it happened: Russia 5-0 Saudi Arabia

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Aleksandr Golovin (Getty Images)
Aleksandr Golovin (Getty Images)
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14 Jun 2018

That is all folks!

Thank you for choosing Sport24 to catch the opening match of the 2018 Soccer World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Have a good evening!

14 Jun 2018

Tomorrow's fixtures - Friday, June 15 (SA time):

Egypt v Uruguay - 14:00  

Morocco v Iran - 17:00  

Portugal v Spain - 20:00 

More fixtures HERE

14 Jun 2018

Russia’s victory means that the host nation has never lost their opening match in any of the 21 editions of the FIFA World Cup (W16 D6 L0).

14 Jun 2018

Russia (5-0) recorded the second biggest victory ever by a host nation in their opening match at a World Cup tournament, after Italy vs USA in 1934 (7-1).

14 Jun 2018

Saudi Arabia have not won any of their last 11 games at the World Cup (W0 D2 L9). Their last win in the competition dates back to the group stages of the 1994 edition (1-0 vs Belgium).

14 Jun 2018

Saudi Arabia have conceded 14 headed goals at the World Cup since their debut in 1994, that’s five more than any other team over that period (USA - 9).

14 Jun 2018

Russia’s Denis Cheryshev became the first-ever substitute to score a goal in the opening match of a World Cup tournament.

14 Jun 2018

Artem Dzyuba scored for Russia just 89 seconds after coming off the bench; the quickest goal by a substitute at a World Cup since Marcin Zewlakow for Poland vs USA in 2002.

Stats courtesy of Opta

14 Jun 2018

Russia have thrashed Saudi Arabia by five goals in the opening game of 2018 Soccer World Cup. In a match that not many fans were interested in, the goals were certainly special. 

14 Jun 2018

Full-time: Russia 5-0 Saudi Arabia

14 Jun 2018

Aleksandr Golovin curls in a beauty free-kick to round off a perfect night for the hosts.

14 Jun 2018

94' GOOOOAAAALLLL!! 

14 Jun 2018

What a freaking goal! Cheryshev's second goal of the night is memorable!

14 Jun 2018

91' GOOOAAAALLLLL

14 Jun 2018

85' Saudi Arabia substitution: Muhammad Al-Sahlawi off, Muhammad Asiri on.

14 Jun 2018

82' No way for the Saudi's to get back into this match. They have a lot to work on in training ahead of their next match. 

14 Jun 2018

78' Saudi substitution: Yahya Al-Shehri off, Hatan Bahbri on.

14 Jun 2018

75' It took Artem Dzyuba just 89 seconds to score against Saudi Arabia...
<strong>75'</strong> It took Artem Dzyuba just 89 seconds to score against Saudi Arabia...

14 Jun 2018

Substitute Artem Dzyuba makes an immediate impact by tucking home Russia's third goal of the match with sweet headed strike.

<p>Substitute <strong>Artem Dzyuba </strong>makes an immediate impact by tucking home Russia's third goal of the match with sweet headed strike.</p>

14 Jun 2018

71' GOOOOAAALLLL!!

14 Jun 2018

69' Russia look comfortable as they slowly find their rhythm. Saudi Arabia are repeating the same mistakes as the first-half.

14 Jun 2018

67' SCRAMBLE! Abdullah loses Golovin's strike but his Saudi Arabia defence is quick to clear the ball.

14 Jun 2018

65' Russia SUB: Samedov off and on comes Kuziaev for the host nation

14 Jun 2018

63' Substitution for Saudi Arabia: Otayf off > Almuwallad on

14 Jun 2018

58' Saudi Arabia get a free-kick in a good position and Al-Jassim curls the ball across the penalty area... Salman Al-Faraj’s rises and connects it pretty decent but can't keep his effort down. 

14 Jun 2018

56' Saudi seeing much of the ball in the second-half as well. They need to halt Russia's counter attack, refrain from losing the ball and create chances.

14 Jun 2018

54' Saudi Arabia had the majority of possession in the first-half ...

However, now chances created. 

<p><strong>54'</strong> Saudi Arabia had the majority of possession in the first-half ...</p><p>However, now chances created.&nbsp;</p>

14 Jun 2018

51' Golovin takes a shot from afar only to see his effort go narrowly wide.

14 Jun 2018

49' CHANCE! Yuri Zhirkov plays a long pass for Smolov to chase but all he can do is win a corner.

Zhirkov sends the ball into the penalty area only for Osama Hawsawi to clear the danger with asserting header.

14 Jun 2018

48' Three of Russia's last five World Cup goals have come from substitutes.

14 Jun 2018

47' No team has even come back to win after trailing by two goals at half-time at the World Cup.

But can Saudi Arabia do it? 

14 Jun 2018

45' Second-half is underway...

14 Jun 2018

The teams are walking out of the tunnel ...

14 Jun 2018

47' HALF-TIME!

14 Jun 2018

45' TWO minutes of additional time added on ...

14 Jun 2018

Denis Cheryshev makes it look easy as he scores his first international goal after brilliant footwork in the 18th area.
<strong>Denis Cheryshev</strong> makes it look easy as he scores his first international goal after brilliant footwork in the 18th area.

14 Jun 2018

42' GOOOOAAAALLLL!!

14 Jun 2018

36' PENALTY SHOUT! Osama Hawsawi saves the Saudi's with last-ditch lunge on Fyodor Smolov and the referee waves play on!

14 Jun 2018

32' Saudi Arabia have too calm down. The occasion seems to be getting to their heads. Hopefully come out better in the second-half.

Just under 15 minutes left...

14 Jun 2018

30' Russia have been doing well in the middle of the park stopping counter attacks and picking up loose balls. Saudi's have to show more precision in the final third.

14 Jun 2018

27' Salem Al-Dawsari tries a shot from distance for Saudi Arabia but it goes well over the cross bar.

14 Jun 2018

Just sad... Alan Dzagoev gets injured
Just sad... Alan Dzagoev gets injured

14 Jun 2018

14 Jun 2018

25' Scoreline: Russia 1-0 Saudi Arabia

14 Jun 2018

23' First substitute of the match as Dzagoev comes off after pulling his hamstring. Cheryshev replaces the injured player. 

14 Jun 2018

20' SO CLOSE! Yasser Al-Shahrani of Saudi Arabia whips in a searching crosses towards Mohammad Al-Sahlaawi, who gets a slight nick on it with his head but his effort is just wide of goal. 

14 Jun 2018

Yuri Gazinskiy celebrating his opening goal ...
Yuri Gazinskiy celebrating his opening goal ...
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