World Cup Diary-part 18-June 14th, 2018 (Day 1)

Diary:

Team News:

-Marcus Rashford once again missed England training due to a slight knee strain. (Source Sky Sports Online)

-Sacked Spain Manager Julen Lopetegui expressed sadness for his sudden dismissal upon leaving for Spain. Former Spain Manager Javier Clemente called Spanish Federation President Rubiales’ decision as ‘clueless’ and described him as ‘a rookie and his arguments are always a bit dictatorial’. (Source Sky Sports Online)

-Real Madrid President Florentino Perez called the Federation’s decision to sack Julen Lopetegui as absurd and an over-reaction. (Source Sky Sports Online)

-Former Spain star Xavi has sided with the Federation in Lopetegui’s dismissal. He also criticized the manner of the announcement of Lopetegui’s signing for Real Madrid. He also believed the change in Manager may actually strengthen the player’s resolve at the World Cup. (Source AS.com online)

-The recently injured Spain and Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has been cleared to participate in the World Cup. Rodri and Jesus Vallejo will now head back home. (Source AS.com online)

-Germany Manager Joachim Low described the Lopetegui dismissal as a shock. He believes it may lead to some unrest within the Spanish ranks, but nevertheless Spain will not lose any of their class or quality with or without Lopetegui. (Source AS.com online)

-The Spain national team left Krasnodar at 11:15 to reach Sochi in 11:45.  They are to train at 18: 30. (Source AS.com online)

-Despite Kar-Heinz Rummenigge’s declarations that Jerome Boateng could be sold for the right price, the clearly annoyed Germany and Bayern Munich defender stated that he is solely concentrating on the World Cup. (Source L’Equipe online)

-Hajo Seppelt, the German journalist, that had revealed the doping scandal in Russia will not go to Russia for the World Cup for safety concerns. (Source RTBF.be Online)

-Former Germany defender Juregn Kohler has expressed concerns about Germany’s defenders. He believes the players are no longer used to fighting. He also believed the central defense partners Boateng and Hummels lack consistency. (Source Sport Bild online)

-Germany’s Sami Khedira is training again as he has overcome his slight back problems. (Source Sport Bild online)

-Thomas Schaaf, former Manager of Mesut Ozil at Werder Bremen, has said that Ozil will not be able to shake off the recent criticism easily, it will occuoy him. He also felt that Ozil and Gundogan should have made their positions clear from the start to do away with the controversy. (Source Sport Bild online)

-Germany Manager Joachim Low aims to get Ozil and Gindogan back into shape following all the recent controversy. (Source Sport Bild online)

-Spain Captain Sergio Ramos stated that he wanted to conclude his press conference with a smile as given the reporting one would think it’s a funeral. He also maintained everyone is united in the dressing room. He also believed the recent events will make the group even stronger. (Source Footnews.com online)

- France’s Antoine Griezmann stated that he would be staying at Atletico Madrid and not go to Barcelona. (Source L’Equipe online)

- The slightly injured France defender Djibril Sidibe has been maintained in the World Cup squad. (Source L’Equipe online)

- Christophe Galtier will remain as OSC Lille Manager for next season. (Source L’Equipe online)

-Rennes is on the verge of signing Romain Del Castillo from Lyon. (Source L’Equipe online)

- Toulouse have signed Ivory Coast striker Max-Alain Gradel on permanent basis from Bournemouth . (Source L’Equipe online)

-The Portuguese National team arrived in Sochi two hours after leaving Moscow. (Source Maisfutebol Online)

-According to Egypt Manager Hector Cuper, Mohamed Salah is ‘almost 100%’ certain to be ready to play in Egypt’s operner vs. Uruguay.  (Source BBC Football Online)

-Morocco has declared itself candidate to host the 2030 World Cup.  (Source L’Equipe Online)

-Neymar stated that were he playing during the (1-7) loss vs. Germany in the 2014 World Cup, the score would have been different.  (Source L’Equipe Online)

-Zlatan Ibrahimovic said that the Swedeish players should simply enjoy themselves at the World Cuo because without him there are no expectations on the squad.  (Source Reuters UK Online)

-Egypt’s Abdallah Said will become the first Finland based player in the history of the World Cup if he plays against Uruguay on Friday.  (Source Reuters UK Online)

-The still injured Vincent Kompany was missing from Belgium’s training session . (Source Sport Bild online)

-Japan is the last team to arrive in Russia for the World Cup . (Source Sport Bild online)

-There was controversy at the opening ceremony of the World Cup, when English singer Robbie Williams gave the middle finger in front of the televison. He had been criticized in some circles for agreeing to perform in Russia.  (Source L’Equipe Online)

-Diego Maradona has criticized the choice of Mexico/USA/Canada as World Cup 2026 hosts. According to Maradona, Mexico will be drawn against Brazil or Argentina and will lose, as far as Canada, they are good at Skiing and Americans want to change the game to four quarters of 25 minutes for more commercial time. (Source L’Equipe online)

-Russia’s Denis Cheryshev was named as Man of the Match in Russia’s (5-0) win over Saudi Arabia. He had come on as a substitute in the 24^th minute foe the injured Alan Dzagoev and scored two goals.  (Source Vivaro News Online)

-The World Cup appears to be already over for Russia’s Alan Dzagoev who left the field injured vs. Saudi Arabia midway through the fisrt half. (Source L’Equipe online)

-Russia’s Yuri Gazinskiy's scored the first goal of the 2018 World Cup. (Source BBC Football online)

-Denis Cheryshev became the first ever substitute to score a goal in the opening match of a World Cup tournament. (Source BBC Football online)

-Sergei Ignashevich became the oldest ever player to appear in a World Cup match for Russia/USSR (38 years and 335 days old). (Source BBC Football online)

-Saudi Arabia Maanger Juan Antonio Pizzi expressed a ‘feeling of shame’ after the loss vs. Russia. (Source Sky Sports Online)

-Saudi Federation Chief Adel Ezzat expressed disappintment for the heavy loss and hinted that at least three players will be ‘punished’. Saudi Prince Turki Al-Sheikh stated that the players have performed at ‘five percent of expectation’. (Source Daily Mail Online)

2018 World Cup 2018 matches:

Thursday, June 14, 2018:

Group A:

June 14, 2018 (Moscow,  Russia 5-Saudi Arabia 0)

Table		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Russia	1	1	0	0	5	0	5	3
2	Saudi Arabia	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0
3	Egypt	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Uruguay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

P-Played, W-Win, D-Draw, L-Loss, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, GD-Goal Difference, Pts-Points

Date: June 14, 2018

Competition: 2018 FIFA World Cup-Group A

Result: Russia 5-Saudi Arabia 0

Venue: Moskva (Moscow)- Luzhniki Stadium, Russia         

Attendance: 78, 011

Referee: Néstor Pitana (Argentina)

Linesmen: Juan Pablo Bellati and Herman Maidana (both Argentina), Sandro Ricci (Brazil, fourth official)

Kick-off time: 19:00

Goalscorers:

(Russia):Yury Gazinsky 12, Denis Cheryshev 43, 90+1, Artem Dzyuba 71,  Aleksandr Golovin 90+2

(Saudi Arabia): None

Summary of goals:

1:0 (12^th minute, Russia):  Yuri Zhirkov crossed from left side and Yury Gazinsky headed it in.

2:0 (43^rd minute, Russia):  Aleksandr Golovin on right laid in middle to Zobnin who passed it across to Cheryshev who went on and struck home.

3:0 (71^st minute, Russia):  Aleksandr Golovin from the right side crossed for Artem Dzyuba to score with a downward header.

4:0 (90+1st minute, Russia):  A long cross was laid by Artem Dzyuba on the path of Cheryshev who chipped from near edge of the box.

5:0 (90+2nd minute, Russia):  Aleksandr Golovin scored from a free kick.

Lineups:

Russia:

1- Igor Vladimirovich Akinfeev (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva)
2- Mario Figueira Fernandes (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva)

3- Ilya Olegovich Kutepov (Futbol'nyj Klub Spartak Moskva)
4- Sergey Nikolayevich Ignashevich (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva)
18- Yuri Valentinovich Zhirkov (Futbol'nyj Klub Zenit Sankt-Peterburg)
8- Yuri Aleksandrovich Gazinskiy (Futbol'nyj Klub Kuban Krasnodar)
11- Roman Sergeyevich Zobnin (Futbol'nyj Klub Spartak Moskva)
19- Aleksandr Sergeyevich Samedov (Futbol'nyj Klub Spartak Moskva) (7- Daler Adyamovich Kuzyaev (Futbol'nyj Klub Zenit Sankt-Peterburg) 64^th)

9- Alan Yelizbarovich Dzagoev (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva) (6- Denis Dmitriyevich Cheryshev  (Villarreal Club de Fútbol / Spain) 24^th)

17- Aleksandr Sergeyevich Golovin (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva)
10- Fyodor Mikhaylovich Smolov (Futbol'nyj Klub Kuban Krasnodar) (22- Artem Sergeyevich Dzyuba (Futbol'nyj Klub Arsenal Tula)70^th)

Coach: Stanislav Salamovich Cherchesov

Booked: Aleksandr Sergeyevich Golovin 88

Other Substitutes:

20- Vladimir Borisovich Gabulov (Club Brugge Koninklijke Vereniging / Belgium)
12- Andrey Yevgenyevich Lunev (Futbol'nyj Klub Zenit Sankt-Peterburg)

14- Vladimir Vasilyevich Granat (Futbol'nyj Klub Rubin Kazan)
13- Fyodor Vasilyevich Kudryashov (Futbol'nyj Klub Rubin Kazan)
5- Andrey Sergeyevich Semenov (Futbol'nyj Klub Akhmat Grozny)
23- Igor Aleksandrovich Smolnikov (Futbol'nyj Klub Zenit Sankt-Peterburg)

21- Aleksandr Yuryevich Erokhin (Futbol'nyj Klub Zenit Sankt-Peterburg)
16- Anton Andreyevich Miranchuk (Futbolnyi Klub Lokomotiv Moskva)

15- Aleksey Andreyevich Miranchuk (Lokomotiv Moscow)

Team Captain: Igor Vladimirovich Akinfeev

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas

Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, White Shorts, Red/Blue Socks

Saud Arabia

1- Abdullah Al-Muaiouf (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)

6- Mohammed Al-Burayk (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)
3- Osama Hawsawi (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)
5- Omar Othman Hawsawi (Al-Nasr Football Club-Riyadh)
13- Yasir Al-Shahrani (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)
14- Abdullah Ateef (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh) (19- Fahad Al-Muwallad (Levante Unión Deportiva / Spain) 64^th)

8- Yahya Al-Shehri (Club Deportivo Leganés / Spain) (9- Hattan Bahbir (Al-Shabab Football Club-Riyadh) 74^th)

17- Taisir Al-Jassim (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)
7- Salman Al-Faraj (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)
18- Salem Al-Dawsari (Villarreal Club de Fútbol / Spain)  

10- Mohamed Al-Sahlawy (Al-Nasr Football Club-Riyadh) (20- Muhannad Asiri (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)85^th)

Coach: Juan Antonio Pizzi Torroja (Spain/Argentina)

Booked: Taiseer Al Jassam 90

Other Substitutes

22- Mohammed Al-Owais (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)
21- Yasser Al-Mosailem (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)

2- Mansour Al-Harbi (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)
23- Motaz Hawsawi (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)
4- Ali Al-Boleahi (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)

15- Abdullah Al-Khaibari (Al-Shabab Football Club-Riyadh)
11- Abdulmalek Al-Khaibari (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)
16- Hussein Al-Moghawi (Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club-Jeddah)
12- Mohamed Kanu (Al-Hilali Saudi Football Club-Riyadh)

Team Captain: Osama Hawsawi

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Nike

Uniform Colors: Green Shirts, Green Shorts, Green Socks

Man of the Match: Denis Dmitriyevich Cheryshev (Russia)