Russia dominates Saudi Arabia 5-0 in first match of 2018 World Cup

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (June 14, 2018) In the first match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, host nation Russia completed dominated Saudi Arabia by the score of 5-0 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Russia, 70th in the latest FIFA rankings, scores two goals in added time to down Al-Suqour (The Falcons), whose highest placing in World Cup history was twelfth in 1994.

Sbornaya, (The National Team) took a 2-0 lead into the locker room at halftime off the feet of  Iury Gazinsky (12th minute) and  Denis Cheryshev. (43rd minute). Arten Dzyuba also added an insurance goal in the 71st minute. The 3-0 lead was sufficient for the win after regulation, however the Russians kept the offensive pressure on the Saudis; scoring two addition goals in added time at the end of the game. Chershev scored his second goal of tournament (90th minute + 1 minute) to push the score to 4-0. Three minutes later, Aleksandr Golovin put the nail in the coffin of Saudi Arabia, to close out the scoring.

Next up for Russia is a June 19 match-up against Egypt  at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg while the Saudis will play Uruguay on June 20 at Kazan Stadium in Kazan.

USA Women down Russia in international soccer friendly

Crystal Dunn (19) added two goals to her total of
22 international goals in the USA's 5-1 win over Russia.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 9, 2017) The USA Women’s National Soccer Team left no doubt they are the number two ranked team in the world, with 5-1 win over No. 25 Russia in an international friendly match on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Midfielder Carli Lloyd was the first player to find net with a penalty kick in the 20^th minute. The kick was awarded to the Americans when Crystal Dunn was taken down chasing a loose ball. The goal was the 97^th international goal of Lloyd’s career, who plays in the NWSL for the Houston Dash and is currently on loan to Manchester City. They followed Lloyd’s goal with two additional goals within one minute of each other, in the 37^th and 38^th minutes. Midfielder Rose Lavelle took a pass from forward Mallory Pugh and drilled it past Russian goalkeeper Iuliia Grichenko for the USA’s second goal of the game. One minute later, forward Crystal Dunn took a pass from defender Meghan Klingenberg and drilled it past Grichenko to make the score 3-0. Russia finally got on the scoreboard in the 42^nd minute on a penalty kick by Nadeshka Karpova. The final goal of the first half was an own goal by defender Ksenia Kovalenko to give the USA a 4-1 lead after 45 minutes of play. The final goal of the game came in the 48^th minute by Dunn with an assist by forward Mallory Pugh. For her performance, Dunn was selected the Budweiser Woman of the Match.

The game was a total domination of the Russians by the Americans. The USA led the Russians in shots (18-2), shots on-target (16-1) and off-target shots (2-1). On April 6, the USA downed Russia 4-0 in Frisco, Texas in the first game of the series. 

A slideshow from the match, by Darla Tamulitis of La Vita Loca Photography, can be viewed by clicking here.