Russia romp to 5-0 win as Denis Cheryshev double routs Saudi Arabia
(The Guardian Sports News)

After all that negative talk in the lead-up, and the inescapable sense of unease that this opening match could turn a humiliating experience for the host nation, it was tempting to wonder what all the fuss was about after Russia got the World Cup finals up and running with an emphatic victory that was every bit as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.The lowest-ranked team in the tournament - Saudi Arabia will surely assume that title by the time these finals are over - registered their first win in eight matches to put a smile on the face of Vladimir Putin, the Russia president, and allay those fears that the tournament would be some sort of ordeal for Stanislav Cherchesov and his players. Continue reading...