Host Russia opened the 2018 World Cup on a high beating a lowly Saudi Arabia 5-0 to lay a great foundation for a place in the last 16.

Yury Gazinsky opened the Russian account with a superb header from a delightful cross just 12 minutes into the game before Cherrychev added a second two minutes before recess.

Cherrychev got Russia’s third and his personal second when he curled a shot with the outside of his foot in added time. But that was not the end of the story. Artem Dzyuba and Aleksandr Golovin ended the one-sided game with a great header and a superb free kick.

It could have been more for the host and embarrassing for the Saudis who already hold an unenviable record as one of the teams with the heaviest defeats in the World Cup having crumbled 8-0 under a German attack in 2002 in the World Cup.