Joy, despair and crunching tackles – the best World Cup 2018 photos so far

We round up the best photography from the opening four days of the World Cup 2018

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  • Russian fans celebrate Yuri Gazinskiy’s opening goal as Russia beat Saudi Arabia 5-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium. It was the biggest win by the host nation in the opening game of a World Cup since 1934.
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    Russian fans celebrate Yuri Gazinskiy’s opening goal as Russia beat Saudi Arabia 5-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium


  • José María Giménez scores in the 89th minute to win the game for Uruguay against Egypt at the Ekaterinburg Arena. Uruguay have won their opening match at a World Cup tournament for the first time since 1970, when they beat Israel.
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    José María Giménez scores in the 89th minute to win the game for Uruguay against Egypt


  • Fans watch the match as Iran beat Morocco 1-0 after substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz scored an own goal in injury time at the St Petersburg Stadium. It was Iran’s second win in World Cup after a 2-1 victory over the United States at France 1998.
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    Fans watch the match as Iran beat Morocco 1-0 after Morocco substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz scored an own goal in injury time at the Saint Petersburg Stadium.


  • Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after completing his hat-trick and securing a 3-3 draw with Spain at the Fisht Stadium. It was his 51st hat-trick for club and country, while it was also the 51st hat-trick scored in the history of the World Cup.
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    Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his hat-trick and securing a 3-3 draw with Spain at the Fisht Stadium.


  • Peru’s Jefferson Farfan challenges Denmark’s Pione Sisto for the ball at the Mordovia Arena. Denmark won the match 1-0, thanks to Yussuf Poulsen who fired past Pedro Gallese just after conceding a penalty at the other end. Denmark have won four of their five opening games at World Cup tournaments, losing only to the Netherlands in 2010.
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    Peru’s Jefferson Farfan challenges Denmark’s Pione Sisto for the ball at the Mordovia Arena. Denamark won the match 1-0, thanks to Yussuf Poulsen.


  • Christian Cueva of Peru reacts in the tunnel at half-time, after missing a penalty at the end of the first half against Denmark. The missed penalty means there have already been more unsuccessful penalty attempts in this World Cup (two out of five) than there were in the whole 2014 tournament (one out of 13, excluding shootouts).
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    Peru's Christian Cueva reacts in the tunnel at half time, after missing a penalty at the end of the first half.


  • Australia’s Tom Rogic is tackled by N’Golo Kanté of France, who won the game at the Kazan Arena 2-1. France v Australia became the first World Cup match since Senegal v Uruguay at the 2002 World Cup to see both teams score a penalty in normal time.
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    Australia’s Tom Rogic is tackled by N’Golo Kanté of France


  • Nigeria’s defender Shehu Abdullahi beats Croatia’s forward Ante Rebic to the header at the Kaliningrad Stadium. Croatia won the match 2-0 as Oghenekaro Etebo scored an own goal and a Luka Modric slotted home a penalty. Croatia’s opening goals at Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018 have been own goals - Brazil’s Marcelo four years ago and Etebo this time.
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    Nigeria’s defender Shehu Abdullahi beats Croatia’s forward Ante Rebic to the header at the Kaliningrad Stadium


  • Lionel Messi loses possession as Iceland’s midfielders Aron Gunnarsson and Gylfi Sigurdsson surround him during the 1-1 draw at the Spartak Stadium. Alfred Finnbogason’s goal after 23 minutes was the earliest scored for a nation playing in their first ever World Cup match since Rashidi Yekini netted after 21 minutes for Nigeria against Bulgaria on 21 June 1994.
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    Lionel Messi loses possession as Iceland’s midfielders Aron Gunnarsson and Gylfi Sigurdsson surround him during the 1-1 draw at the Spartak Stadium


  • Serbia’s forward Dusan Tadic beats David Guzman and Francisco Calvo to the ball as Serbia beat Costa Rica 1-0 at the Samara Arena thanks to Aleksandar Kolarov’s spectacular free-kick.
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    Serbia’s forward Dusan Tadic beats David Guzman and Francisco Calvo to the ball as Serbia beat Costa Rica 1-0 at the Samara Arena thanks to Aleksandar Kolarov spectacular free-kick.


  • Mexico’s Hirving Lozano celebrates scoring the only goal to beat defending champions Germany at the Luzhniki Stadium, only the second time Mexico have beaten Germany. Their last win against Germany came in a friendly in June 1985 and this was Germany’s first loss in a competitive match since losing 2-0 to France in the Euro 2016 semi-final.
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    Mexico’s Hirving Lozano celebrates scoring the only goal to beat defending champions Germany at the Luzhniki Stadium, only the second time the have beaten Germany, their last win against them came in a friendly in June 1985.


  • Brazil’s Neymar reacts after being tackled by Switzerland’s midfielder Valon Behrami during their 1-1 draw at the Rostov Arena. It’s the first time Brazil have failed to win their opening game of a World Cup since 1978.
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    Brazil’s Neymar reacts after being tackled by Switzerland’s midfielder Valon Behrami during their 1-1 draw at the Rostov Arena
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