2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off with host Russia taking on Saudi Arabia on Thursday in the opener of the world’s biggest sporting tournament. Total 32 teams are divided into 8 groups, with 4 teams in each group. Russia and Saudi Arabia are placed in Group A along with Egypt and Uruguay.g
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia vs Saudi Arabia Preview | Match Timings And Venue
Match Number – 1
Match Venue – Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Match Date & Timings – 14 June, 8:30 PM (IST), 4:00 PM (UK), 11 a.m. ET.
Must Read – Points Table FIFA World Cup 2018
The pressure will be on Russia to deliver result in front of home crowd as winning the first match of the group is important to move on to the next round of 16. Host Russia is currently ranked 70 in latest FIFA rankings and Saudi Arabia is on 67 position. Saudi Arabia, the Green Falcons – had slightly better form coming into the tournament as compare to the host. Saudi Arabia lost 2-1 against defending champion Germany in their last friendly match played few days back.
How to watch Russia vs Saudi Arabia on TV/Online
Live TV Telecast – Fox and Telemundo, ITV1, Sony Ten
Live Streaming – SonyLiv, fubo TV.
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia vs Saudi Arabia Squads News
Saudi Arabia Team Squad: Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ahli), Yasser Al Mosailem (Al Ahli), Abdullah Al Mayouf (Al Hilal). Defenders: Mansoor Al Harbi (Al Ahli), Yasser Al Shahrani (Al Hilal) Mohammed Al Breik (Al Hilal), Motaz Hawsawi (Al Ahli), Osama Hawsawi (Al Hilal), Omar Hawsawi (Al Nassr) and Ali Al Bulaihi (Al Hilal). Midfielders: Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Shabab), Abdulmalek Al Khaibri (Al Hilal), Abdullah Otayf (Al Hilal), Taiseer Al Jassim (Al Ahli), Houssain Al Mogahwi (Al Ahli), Salman Al Faraj, Mohamed Kanno (both Al Hilal), Hattan Bahebri (Al Shabab), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Yahya Al Shehri (Al Nassr), Fahad Al Muwallad (Al Ittihad). Forwards: Mohammad Al Sahlawi (Al Nassr) and Muhannad Assiri (Al Ahli).
Expected formation: 4-1-4-1 formation.
Playing XI: Al-Muaiouf, Al-Burayk, Al-Boleahi, Hawsawi, Al-Harbi, Al-Faraj, Ali-Khaibari, Kanno, Al-Jassim, Al-Shehri and Al-Sahlawi.
Russia Team Squad: Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Gabulov (Brugge) and Andrei Lunyov (Zenit St. Petersburg). Defenders: Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Rubin Kazan), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Fyodor Kudryashov (Rubin Kazan), Ilya Kutepov (Spartak Moscow), Andrei Semyonov (Akhmat Grozny), Igor Smolnikov (Zenit St. Petersburg). Midfielders: Denis Cheryshev (Villarreal), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Yuri Gazinsky (FC Krasnodar), Alexander Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Daler Kuzyaev (Zenit St. Petersburg), Anton Miranchuk (Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexander Samedov (Spartak Moscow), Alexander Yerokhin (Zenit St. Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Zenit St. Petersburg) and Roman Zobnin (Spartak Moscow). Forwards: Artyom Dzyuba (Arsenal Tula), Alexei Miranchuk (Lokomotiv Moscow) and Fyodor Smolov (FC Krasnodar).
Expected formation: 4-2-3-1 formation.
Playing XI: Akinfeev; Granat, Ignashevich, Kurdryashov; Fernandes, Golovin, Erkohin, Dzagoev, Zhirkov; Miranchuk and Smolov.
2018 World Cup Russia vs Saudi Arabia Prediction
With a strong & better lineup, overall good performance in friendly matches, Saudi Arabia has the best chance to win the opener encounter against host Russia of the FIFA World Cup 2018 first game. Russia 1 Saudi Arabia 2.
Russia vs Saudi Arabia World Cup 2018 Betting & Match Odds
Russia: 4/9 to win.
Saudi Arabia: 8/1 to win.
Draw: 10/3 to draw.
2018 World Cup Saudi Arabia vs Russia Live Score
Live score will be updated here on match day!
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