SOCCER MATTERS
World Cup recap: Russia starts the party with 5-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia
Jun 14, 2018, 4:40 pm
The World Cup opened on Thursday. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Wednesday with a five-goal performance from the host nation Russia. Day one of activities began with the opening ceremony - which left plenty for social media to talk about - and the first match of the month-long tournament.
Opening Ceremony
If you didn’t know of English pop star Robbie Williams, chances are you either found out today by watching on TV or seeing posts on social media of him flipping the middle finger to begin his 15-minute pre-match concert. The performance also featured flags of the 32 teams in the competition with appearances by former World Cup winners in Brazil’s Ronaldo and Spain’s Iker Casillas. The end of the ceremony featured welcome speeches from Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Russia 5-0 Saudi Arabia
Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Attendance: 78,011
It was a pleasant surprise to kick off the tournament with a five-goal thriller from the host country. Neither Russia nor Saudi Arabia were really expected to generate a lot of attack due to their lack of talent, so a much more defensive game was expected. Both teams were clumsy in the opening minutes before Iury Gazinsky sent the home crowd into a frenzy with the opening goal off a header in the 12th minute of play. The hosts were then forced to make a substitution in the 24th minute when midfielder Alan Dzagoev suffered a hamstring injury while pushing forward in attack. The change actually gave the team a boost offensively as it prompted Denis Cheryshev, who plays in Spain’s La Liga, to take the field. He became the first substitute to score in an World Cup opening match (43’) with his individual play inside the box that gave Russia a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Needing to push for a result, Saudi Arabia pressed higher and looked more organized to start the second half. They actually finished the match leading in possession and passes but could never do anything concrete, generating only three shots (all off-target) all game. Daler Kuziaev became the second substitute to score in an World Cup opener with his header in the 71st minute. Cheryshev would then find the back of the net again with a stunner inside the box in the 91st minute. Russia would finish with a 5-0 victory after Aleksandr Golovin converted off a free-kick in the 94th minute.
Analysis: This match was an important one for both countries as it was their best opportunity for three points with Egypt and Uruguay also in their group. With only the top two going through to the knockout round, three points were almost a must here to survive - a draw would do very little since it would complicate things with only one point in hand. In Russia’s case, it officially kicked off the party with a win and relieved tensions by breaking a seven-match winless streak. This loss is a heartbreaker for Saudi Arabia because it virtually eliminates them unless they can somehow miraculously silence some of the world’s most prolific goalscorers in Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Uruguay’s Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
Notable Stat: Host countries remain unbeaten in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup (16 wins, 6 draws, 0 losses)
Upcoming Matches (All Times CT):
Friday, June 15
7 a.m. - [Group A] Egypt vs. Uruguay (FS1, Telemundo)
10 a.m. - [Group B] Morocco vs. Iran (FOX, Telemundo)
1 p.m. - [Group B] Portugal vs. Spain (FOX, Telemundo)
ESPN 97.5 will be hosting a World Cup Watch Party and broadcasting LIVE from Nick’s Place (2713 Rockyridge Dr, Houston, TX 77063) on Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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