Russia v Saudi Arabia, 14 June 2018

Kick-off: 6.00pm local Russia v Saudi Arabia was Match 1 of the FIFA World Cup 2018. Refereeing team: Referee: Néstor Pitana (Argentina) Assistant Referee 1: Hernan Maidana (Argentina) Assistant Referee 2: Juan Belatti (Argentina) Fourth Official: Sandro Ricci (Brazil) Fifth Official: Emerson de Carvalho (Brazil) VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) AVAR1: Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) AVAR 2: Carlos Astroza (Chile) AVAR3: Daniele Orsato (Italy) Russia maintained the record of the host nation avoiding defeat in their opening match in all of the 21 editions of the World Cup finals. This was the biggest win on the opening day of a World Cup finals since 1954 when Brazil beat Mexico 5-0 in Geneva. This was the second biggest win by the host nation in their opening match of a World Cup finals history. Italy recorded a 7-1 victory against USA in Rome in 1934. Artem Dzyuba became the first player to score a World Cup finals goal in the place of his birth since Munich-born Philipp Lahm in Germany’s opening game in 2006 against Costa Rica. Denis Cheryshev became the first-ever substitute to score in the opening match of a World Cup finals. At 89 seconds, Artem Dzyuba scored the quickest goal by a substitute at a World Cup finals since Marcin Zewlakow scored for Poland against USA in 2002 after 64 seconds. At 38 years and 335 days, Sergei Ignashevich became the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup finals game since Cameroon’s Roger Milla in a 6-1 defeat by Russia in 1994 (42 years and 39 days). This was Saudi Arabia's second heaviest defeat at a World Cup finals. They lost 8-0 versus Germany in their opening game in 2002 in Sapporo.