Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Friday 15 June 2018

Putin and Russia get their 1st win at the World Cup

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH Putin welcomed visiting
AP Sports Writer fans and promised Rus-
MOSCOW (AP) — Vladimir sia would be a "hospitable
Putin craves sporting glory, and friendly" host.
and he got another taste Putin has made no secret
of it in the opening match about his desire for suc-
of the World Cup. cess in international sports,
Russia ended a 16-year especially at the Olympics.
wait for victory in the tour- But high points for Russian
nament by routing Saudi athletes have been rare
Arabia 5-0 Thursday in since the country's image
Group A, with the Russian was tarnished by doping,
president watching from with numerous Olympic
the VIP box alongside FIFA medals stripped for drug
president Gianni Infan- use.
tino and the Saudi crown In a World Cup first, the
prince. video assistant referee sys-
It was the host nation's first tem was available for the
World Cup win since 2002, match between the tour-
and it raises the hope that nament's lowest-ranked
Russia can get past the teams, though it wasn't
group stage for the first used for an official review.
time since the Soviet era. The Saudis, who last won a
Yuri Gazinsky initially put Russia's Artyom Dzyuba scores his side's third goal during the group A match between Russia and match at the World Cup in
Russia ahead with a head- Saudi Arabia which opens the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, 1994, failed to get a single
er from Alexander Golovin's Thursday, June 14, 2018. shot on target.
cross when the Saudis Associated Press GROUP DYNAMICS
failed to clear a corner in The win for Russia is a big
the 12th minute. Gazinsky shake the prince's hand. Russia's fourth goal in stop- Artyom Dzyuba made boost to its hopes of ad-
charged forward to meet Substitute Denis Cheryshev page time. an instant impact off the vancing, but it will still face
the ball as Saudi player soon scored the first of his "I have never done any- bench to make it 3-0 in the a tough test against Egypt
Taisir Al-Jassam stumbled, two goals. He chipped the thing like this," Cheryshev 71st with a header from on June 19 and Uruguay six
leaving a simple finish. ball over two Saudi de- said. "I already felt very Golovin's cross. Golovin days later.
Putin and Infantino smiled fenders in the 43rd minute happy when I knew I could added the fifth from a free With the five goals against
and shrugged as they sat and shot over goalkeeper come here with my squad, kick. the Saudis, a draw could
next to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Al Muaiouf's right but I never, ever dreamed Following a lavish opening be enough against ei-
Mohammed bin Salman. side to make it 2-0. He lat- of something like this." ceremony featuring Brit- ther of its two remaining
Putin then reached over to er chipped the ball in for After Cheryshev's first goal, ish singer Robbie Williams, opponents.q