Russia kicked off the 2018 World Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Yury Gazinsky gave the hosts the lead after 12 minutes when he headed home Aleksandr Golovin’s cross. Substitute Denis Cheryshev —who replaced the injured Alan Dzagoev after just 23 minutes—then doubled their lead shortly before half-time.
Artem Dzyuba came off the bench to score a header in the 71st minute, Cheryshev grabbed a second with a fine finish in the 90th minute, and Golovin curled in a free-kick with the final kick of the game.
