Football. ua presents to your attention the preview of the match-opening World Cup-2018.
Group A, 1st round, Thursday, June 14, 18:00. Moscow, Luzhniki. Referee - Nestor Pitan. Broadcasting the match on Inter TV In the opening match of the World Cup two teams with the lowest Fifa rating will come together, partly because of the absence of competitive matches. The hosts of the tournament take 70th place in the ranking, three places lower than their opponents.
The current position in the rating corresponds to their "successes" in the last matches. Russia without a victory in the last seven matches, and this unsuccessful lane they continue from October, while Saudi Arabia comes to play after successive friendly defeats from Italy, Peru and Germany.
"Green falcons" returned to the big stage for the first time since 2006, but without the person who brought them here, the Dutchman Bert van Marveyk resigned in September 2017. After his departure for the role of head coach, Edgardo Bauz was appointed, but he was able to hold out only two months before he was refused in favor of the former coach of the Chilean team Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Under the leadership of Pizzi, the team played nine friendly matches in 2018 and won only three, although this "record" of Saudi Arabia looks more reassuring in the light of the seven-match series of defeats of the national team Cherchesova.
Note that the hosts of the World Cup have never been beaten in the opening match. If Russia loses, then the qualification for the next round will seem very unlikely.
Approximate compositions:.
Russia: Akinfeev - Zhirkov, Kutepov, Ignashevich, Smolnikov - Golovin, Zobnin, Gazinsky, Samedov - Dzagoev, Smolov.
In stock: Gabulov, Lunev, Kudryashov, Granat, Semenov, Fernandez, Erokhin, Cheryshev, Miranchuk, Kuzyaev, Dzyuba, Miranchuk Saudi Arabia: al-Musilem - Usama Husavi, Umar Khusavi, al-Harbi, al-Shahrani-al-Dzhasim , al-Shahri, al-Faraj, al-Dausari, Uteif-al-Sahlawi In reserve: al-Mayyuf, al-Uweis, Havsavi, al-Burayk, al-Buleiha, al-Mu'vallyad, al-Haybari, al-Mahawi , Kannu, al-Khaibari, Bakhbari, Asiri Interesting facts:.
- In the only previous meeting of these rivals, Saudi Arabia won 4-2 at home in October 1993.
- After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia never reached the World Cup play-offs, and the team had three attempts (1994, 2002, 2014). They took third place in their group at each of these three tournaments.
- Saudi Arabia lost eight matches in its last 10 games at the World Championships. The last time they beat Belgium (1: 0) in 1994.
- Sergei Ignashevich can become the oldest player representing Russia at the World Championship (38 years, 335 days), surpassing Lev Yashin's record of 36 years and 279 days.
The trainers say:.
Head coach of the Russian national team Stanislav Cherchesov:.
"One hundred percent sure that this will be the best world championship in history. The Russian national team should perform well. Now everyone wants to compete for the title.
I'm absolutely sure that Russia, Egypt, Nigeria, Germany and Brazil want to win the group ".
Head coach of the national team of Saudi Arabia Juan Antonio Pizzi:.
"We are focused on showing our best football. We have studied all the shortcomings and weaknesses in Russia and we know how they will play. We have the maximum tasks. Today it is to defeat Russia ".
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