World Cup 2018: Russia thrash substandard Saudi Arabia in opener

'I was relaxed yesterday and I'm relaxed today because I know my players. It is a pleasure to work with them. Every coach depends on the players, this is why I am relaxed.'

Juan Antonio Pizzi says: "It was a tough game and we suffered a big and unexpected defeat. Russia did very well, while we did not appear to be in good shape. We have to forget about it now and think of the next match. I have confidence in these players." 

This photograph captures the unstoppable path of his shot perfectly:

Courtesy of Opta:

• 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).
• 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).
• 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).
• 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).
• Russia’s Denis Cheryshev became the first-ever substitute to score a goal in the opening match of a World Cup tournament.
• Both Yuri Gazinskiy (7^th appearance) and Denis Cheryshev (12^th appearance) scored their first-ever goals for Russia in this match.
• 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.

'You'd have to go a long way to find a team more disorganised than Saudi Arabia after they conceded the first goal,' says Gary Neville. 'Russia lost their best player but to have Cheryshev to come in and do what he did ...'

'It's great for Russia but also great for the tournament,' concludes Slaven Bilic. 'Someone said the bear is rolling, I would rather wait. But they have two strikers, three [attacking] midfielders and two holding midfielders. They weren't tested but they have [talent and promise]

With two terrific goals. Here is Cheryshev's second, Russia's fourth:

Well, that's your lot. Vladimir Putin diplomatically didn't smile, simply exhaling and spreading his arms wide as Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's face took on a thundery mien. 

Golovin curls it in at the near post. Brilliant, dipping shot. 

Russia free-kick, 20m out, right of centre ....

Magnificent. A deft knockdown from Zobnin and Cheryshev took a touch that pushed him into the box then hit a sumptuous rising shot with the outside of his left foot that arced up and over Abdullah and into the top corner. 

Denis Cheryshev scores with a left-foot screamer, an insouciant outside-of-the-boot finish. 

Mario Fernandes on a rare foray is pushed up and threads a pass even further forward to Zobnin who wins a corner when Omar intervenes with yet another clumsy touch. Seems to be wearing Toblerone-shaped boots. The ball is flying off them at all sorts of angles bar the expected ones. We'll have three minutes added on. 

Golovin is the first player to be booked on the totting up principle after being warned about three minutes before he felt the long arm of the lawman. 

Russia free-kick on the left, 30 m out, about 2m in from the touchline. He bends it towards the back post and between then Osama and Omar see it behind for a corner that comes to naught. The substitute and his manager have had a turbulent relationship - all smiles and salutes now. 

Kuziaev runs through the centre of midfield, slightly to the left, and, when he is not challenged, decides to let fly from 40 yards and gets under it so comprehensively that he scoops it 20m over the bar. 

I've been impressed with Roman Zobnin who has come out to the right. Ignashevich blocks a cross from the substitute Bahbri (who had come on for Yahia Alsshehri a few moments ago) on the right and then dispossesses  Almuwahallad who tried to feed on the scraps. 

Deep cross from the right by Daler Kuziaev is cut out by Omar Hawsawi.

Golovin and Salman Alfaraj have a barney out by the dugouts with some handbags and the wafting of nosegays. The referee tells them to belt up and get on with it. It couldn't have gone much better for Russia. 

The 6ft 5in centre-forward is notoriously a beast in the air, the Hrubesch of the Urals, but he didn't need his strength only his nous to make a fine run between the centre-backs to head crisply in from the centre of goal. Good right-wing cross from Kuziaev, it bypassed Osama Hawsawi and isolated the keeper. 

Dzyuba scores with his first touch!

Russia continue to press and fly into tackles as they become a little more ragged. Saudi Arabia break up the left, switch play to the right but Russia usher it tamely into touch. Russia make their last sub: Artem Dzyuba replaces Fedor Smolov. It was Samedov who went off for Kuziaev, sorry. 

A miracle: Roboblogger momentarily has sprung into life:

 Zobnin's shot is fumbled by Abdullah and arrows straight to Smolov but the keeper springs up and bravely dives in to whip it away off the centre-forward's tow. That came a moment after Cheryshev heads Golovin's shot into Abdullah's grasp. 

A substitute each - Fahad Almuwallad replaces Abdullah Otayf for Saudi Arabia, Daler Kuziaev comes on for Alexander Samedov for the hosts. 

For all Pizzi's frustration. Saudi Arabia are having their best spell of possession since Russia scored their second. Not making much progress with it, though. 

Saudi's manager is getting increasingly frustrated with their aberrations, moments of poor control or judgment that undo fairly decent approach play. 

Saudi Arabia free-kick on the left, curled keft-footed away from the penalty spot. Salman Alfaraj wins the header as he met it perfectly as it dipped but bludgeoned it over the bar. 

Oh, chance! Taiseer Aljassam makes a cute diagonal near-post run to meet Salem Aldawsari's cross from the right and attempts to hook it in on the half volley but airkicks instead. He was on the half-turn but couldn't quite reach it as it travelled across his body. Should have turned a few degrees more and hit it with his left. 

Some of the air has escaped the balloon and Russia's fans try to inflate it again. 

Zhirkov trots up to take it, hits a banana outswinger with his left that Saudi Arabia defend competently and try to work upfield. They make 50m, give the ball away and Russia beast them on the break, hitting them in numbers and at terrorising pace as they retreat.  Golovin accepts the invitation but spoons his shot over the bar.

And so it proves when a pass is picked off and Zhirkov bends a fine pass up towards Samedov who is beaten to the punch, er shot, and Russia have a corner on the left. 

Saudi Arabia pass the ball around the back four, so far unimpeded but one fears they're only a shonky pass away from danger. 

No half-time subtitutions. Cheryshev has another burst up the left, plays an inadvertent one-two with Alburayk but then turns back and lays it back to Zhirkov and they, as Clive Hendrix would say, get caught up in crosstown traffic. 

Cheryshev, managed by Gary Neville at Valencia, is, says the ITV pundit 'a throwback as a winger, a real good lad'. Here's his finish:

The third replay shows he didn't reach the ball first. ITV's referee and VAR expert Mark Clattenburg says it wasn't a penalty nonetheless because it wasn't a clear and obvious error and Golovin anticipated the 'foul' and went over prematurely. 

A very decent first-half all told. Much to admire about Russia's growing confidence. Scoring first sets them up to play in their preferred mode, on the counter-attack and employing Samedov, Golovin and Cheryshev to run at the Saudi defence whose organisational discipline has disappeared, leaving huge gaps between centre-backs and full-backs and with midfielders hopelessly adrift upfield. 

Saudi Arabia have some skilful players but they make so many individual errors in terms of possession and positioning that Russia have been able to pick them off. 

That's terrific ball skill from Cheryshev. Golovin fortunately picks up a deflected pass and he moves it forward to give Russia a three v two up the right. Zobnin's run across the 18m line from the right committed three defenders before he slipped a fine pass to Cheryshev who took a touch which wrongfooted Alburayk who fell to the floor. Cheryshev then composed himself and smashed a left-foot riser over Abdullah's attempt to close him down. 

Cheryshev makes amends!

Cheryshev displays all that youthful promise when he spins Osama with a drag back when he was played in down the left by the excellent Zhirkov but he overran his own lay-off ...

Russia, too, do the first things well, winning the ball back and heading 60m towards goal in co-ordinated fashion yet the killer pass, that would have opened the way through for Smolov down the inside-left, was hammered too long. 

Yasser Alshahrani has an exquisite first touch. He brings down a walloped goal kick on his left instep and drives forward up the left. His pass, though, is not worthy of the cushioned trap and Russia bring it upfield. 

End-to-end, Russia defending Saudi Arabia's raid and bombing forward themselves, quick forward passes helping them into the box where Zobnin goes down under Osama's challenge. The referee immediately says fair tackle, which it was. Perfectly timed, too. 

Too many times Saudi's defenders give the ball away - the principal culprit Omar Hawsawi. 'He's having a 'mare' is the ever astute Glenn Hoddle's thought. But Osama bails him out by tackling Smolov who tried to beguile him with a stop-start Ronaldo taunting run up the byline. 

Salman Alfaraj takes, bending it in with his left foot and Yasser stoops to head and steers it over the bar. 

Russia are caught by the offside trap after Smolov slides a pass through the inside-left channel. Free-kick, taken long and Saudi attack up the right. Zhirkov steps across Alsahlawi to thwart his run and Saudi Arabia have a free-kick, about 2m outside the box by the right angle. 

Dzagoev's departure has dampened the spark momentarily. Alburayk, galloping up the right, is picked off by Cheryshev who hurtles 60m upfield but he slips before he can cross properly, as he runs out of steam, and hooks it straight at Osama Hasawi. Saudi Arabia keep giving the ball away. Putin and Mohammad bin Salman are palling up in the stand. Unctuousness prevails. 

Former Real Madrid wunderkind Denis Cheryshev replaces Dzagoev. Dens 1-0 Alans. 

Oh no! Russia's golden boy Dzagoev, prince of Alans, has twanged his hamstring after leading the break from the well-defended corner. He's gone down clutching his left thigh and that looks like curtains for him. 

A rare chance for Saudi Arabia through a break when Alsahlawi leads a counter-attack, hares towards the box and has his daisy-cutter of a shot turned behind by Zobnin. Here's Russia's goal.

It's all Russia now, Dzagoev and Smolov linking up with intelligent movement and excellent control so far. Alburayk has a moment of relative calm and has a run up the right but the ball is not sticking up front and back it comes to the Saudi back four. The No5, Omar Hasawi, hits a very careless pass to Samedov but he can't trap it. 

Russia attack down the right, an offside unpunished, and Dzagoev's blocked shot, during which he cracks his head in a collision, balloons up and Abdullah dives to his right to claw t away. 

A goal from the corner, played short and then an outswinging left-foot cross is met by Garzinsky's cushioned header. Taiseer falls in front of the scorer, no foul, and the midfielder heads it in. Saudi Arabia's crown prince and Vladimir Putin shake hands. 

A header from the keeper's left. 

Gazinsky goes on a mazy run from halfway, veering left, tacking right then threading a delightful pass through to Dzagoev whose shot is turned behind for a corner. 

Russia again make progress down the left, Dzagoev and Zhirkov teaming uo well to win a corner but then Zhirkov monstrously overhits his corner almost out of play on the other side and Saudi Arabia break like the wind through Alshahrani but he has no target by the time he runs out of time so hoofs it over the box in the hit and hope style. 

Almost a successful raid from Russia when Dzagoev sprints down the left, centres to Smolov who lays it off for the shot from Samedov that is blocked by Alburayk. Both sides look enterprising and confident so far. 

Out comes the Saudi keeper after they return to him once more, bombing Neuere like out of his box to welly it upfield hastily with Smolov bearing down on him. Yasser Alshahrani picks it up and stretches the Russian defence on their right again. 

Saudi throw 10 metres inside the Russia half on the right. They can't hold onto possession as Russia snap at them and they retreat back to Abdullah in goal. 

Zhirkov takes to the near post and it's headed clear by Yasser Alshahrani and Russia cautiously wotk it all the way back to Akinfeev who whacks it almost the full length of the field. 

Russia keep probing up the right, win a throw in and hurl it into the box for Dzagoev who tries to hook his leg round for a horizontal volley but can't get his leg high enough before Omar blocks him. Russia corner. 

Saudi Arabia kick off and  push forward up the left through Yasser. Very loud start from the home fans. Russia repel the raid, Samedov takes it forward and is tripped. Free kick. 

Here's a gallery of today's best pictures.

Are being sung. Russia's stirring one, old words remembered by old communists everywhere, partiye Lenina! Sorry, forgot where I was. 

As far as I can work out, Russia will line up in a 4-2-3-1 and Saudi Arabia in a 4-5-1. I'm going to ditch the al- prefixes, I think from now on. Here's how I think they'll start:

Russia Akinfeev; Fernandes, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Zhirkov; Gazinsky; Zobnin; Samedov, Dzagoev, Golovin; Samedov.

Saudi Arabia Abdullah; Alburayk, Osama, Omar, Yasser; Salem, Otayf, Salman, Taiseer, Yahia; Alsahalawi. 

Has eschewed the Grecian 2000, is wearing the world's worst Roxy Music tribute suit, and singing the hits of the 1998 World Cup. 

Saudi Arabia Al-Maiouf, Al-Breik, Omar Hawsawi, Osama Hawsawi, Al-Shahrani, Al-Faraj, Otayf, Al-Jassim, Al-Shehri, Al-Dawsari, Al-Sahlawi.

And their record:

Let us remember its scope for now, at least, is limited to correcting the ‘clear and obvious error’ in four categories: Goals, penalties, red cards and issues of mistaken identity. A new regulation came into force on June 1, specifically for the World Cup, which empowers VARs to warn the on-field referee about any incident of violent conduct he may have missed  - even in cases where play has restarted - and administer retrospective punishment. 

Igor Akinfeev, Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich, Yuri Gazinsky, Alan Dzagoev, Fyodor Smolov, Roman Zobnin, Alexander Golovin, Yuri Zhirkov, Alexander Samedov.

And their World Cup record in glorious colour.

It's only the World Cup. For these two teams Charles M Schulz, starving dogs and rubber bones come to mind:

Is where Messrs Ovett, Coe, Thompson and Wells won gold in 1980, John Terry slipped in 2008 and Mötley Crüe played in 1989.  

Remember where you were when Michael Owen scored his career-defining goal for England against Argentina? These four people were actually there:

Join Alan Tyers here for his chronicle of the opening ceremony. ITV have done their budget on the studio which tips a hat to the reconstructed Amber Room at Tsarskoye Selo. Bit of a touchy subject during Germany games, one would think ...

Than the Green Falcons. And few have a greater best national goal at the World Cup finals:

Came from the Russia manager Stanislav Cherchesov at yesterday's press conference. "You would be hard-pushed to get around the labyrinth of the Russian soul," he said when asked about low home expectations of his side. He looks like Yosser Hughes after a fight with a sheep shearer, but has the soul of Pushkin. Pity he hasn't got much of a team. 

Ninety minutes' ebb and flow can be a bit of a distraction for some. If you'd like to know the final score now, have a go on the Telegraph's ingenious predictor:

World Cup opening games have traditionally been a specialist taste, enjoyed by people who remember the sight of the Queen and Tony Blair holding hands to sing Auld Lang Syne under the Millennium Dome as 1999 turned into 2000, and Prince gave way to Pulp, when all that anticipation and expense dissolved into the dampest of squibs in the English rain. England vs Uruguay in 1966, Mexico vs USSR in 1970, Brazil vs Yugoslavia in 1974 and Poland vs West Germany in 1978 were all goalless stinkers. Argentina vs Belgium four years later at least gave us a goal, and scores of fouls, while Italy vs Bulgaria in 1986 was prosecuted for passing off by the makers of Temazepam.

But fear not, for that endurance test was followed in 1990 by one of the most astonishing games in World Cup history, Cameroon’s 1-0 victory over holders Argentina at San Siro by virtue of Francois Omam-Biyik’s winner and such extraordinary reckless tackling and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm that left several world champions sporting saucer-sized bruises and two Cameroon players with red cards. Suffering for 24 years was worth it solely for the joy of such a spectacle.

While it may be true that the subsequent game reverted to type - Germasnooze vs Bolivyawn - Brazil vs Scotland was pretty entertaining even if you were wearing trousers, Senegal’s duffing up of France, Germany’s 4-2 victory over Costa Rica and Brazil’s 3-1 victory over Croatia, albeit because of farcical refereeing, were watchable, intriguing, broadly compelling. The lack of expectation over today’s game between the two lowest-ranked teams at the tournament, the hosts, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, in the oligopoly vs theocracy, petroCroesus, time for you all to end this disastrous democratic experiment derby, threatens to inflict upon us another South Africa vs Mexico without the infernal horns but, as Paul McCartney says to critics who say The Beatles' eponymous 1968 double album would have been better had it been pruned to one disc: 'F--- off. It's the Beatles' White Album.’ It’s the World Cup! And, referencing track one, side one of that very LP, ‘you don’t know how lucky you are boys*’ …

If you like opening games, check out Charlie Eccleshare's subjective ranking of the previous 16 or so whereas the above is demonstrable fact.  

* And girls, it was 1968.