Group A of the 2018 FIFA World Cup took place from 14 to 25 June 2018. The group consisted of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Uruguay. The top two teams, Uruguay and Russia, advanced to the round of 16.
Teams Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings October 2017 June 2018 A1 1 UEFA Hosts 2 December 2010 11th 2014 (group stage) Fourth place (1966) 65 70 A2 4 AFC AFC third round group B runners-up 5 September 2017 5th 2006 (group stage) Round of 16 (1994) 63 67 A3 3 CAF CAF third round group E winners 8 October 2017 3rd 1990 (group stage) First round (1934), group stage (1990) 30 45 A4 2 CONMEBOL CONMEBOL Round Robin runners-up 10 October 2017 13th 2014 (round of 16) Winners (1930, 1950) 17 14
Notes
Standings
In the round of 16: The winners of group A, Uruguay, advanced to play the runners-up of group B, Portugal. The runners-up of Group A, Russia, advanced to play the winners of group B, Spain.
Matches All times listed are local time.
Russia vs Saudi Arabia
The two teams had met only once, a friendly game in 1993 won by Saudi Arabia 4–2.
In the 12th minute, Yury Gazinsky headed the first goal for Russia from a cross from the left before substitute Denis Cheryshev evaded several challenges and smashed home at the near post close to half-time. The tempo slowed and the atmosphere flattened after the restart, giving the whole thing the feel of a friendly match. But substitute Artem Dzyuba illuminated a match of often dubious quality with a precise header from a cross from the right to extend his team's lead just minutes after replacing Fyodor Smolov. As the match moved into injury time, Cheryshev smashed home with a crisp left-foot strike into the top right corner before Aleksandr Golovin curled a free-kick around the wall and into the right of the net.
Alan Dzagoev limped off with a hamstring injury in the 24th minute. "Alan Dzagoev damaged the muscles in the back of the thigh," Russia said in a brief statement.
For the first time in World Cup history, two players – Gazinsky and Cheryshev – scored their first international goals in the opening match. Russia's victory means that the host nation has never lost their opening match in any of the 21 editions of the World Cup (won 16, drew six). Russia (5–0) recorded the second biggest victory by a host nation in their opening match at a World Cup, after Italy v USA in 1934 (7–1); while it is also the second largest victory of any host nation, only behind Italy vs USA at 1934 and Brazil vs Sweden at 1950, both ended 7–1. Russia's Denis Cheryshev became the first substitute to score a goal in the opening match of a World Cup tournament. In this game, Sergei Ignashevich became the oldest player to ever appear in a World Cup match for Russia/USSR (38 years & 335 days old).
For Saudi Arabia, this was their second biggest defeat in World Cup, after the 0–8 defeat to Germany in 2002. These losses are also the biggest defeats for any Arab team to have participated in the FIFA World Cup.
GK 1 Igor Akinfeev (c)RB 2 Mário FernandesCB 3 Ilya KutepovCB 4 Sergei IgnashevichLB 18Yuri ZhirkovCM 8 Yury GazinskyCM 11Roman ZobninRW 19Aleksandr Samedov AM 9 Alan Dzagoev LW 17Aleksandr Golovin CF 10Fyodor Smolov Substitutions:MF 6 Denis Cheryshev MF 7 Daler Kuzyayev FW 22Artem Dzyuba Manager: Stanislav Cherchesov GK 1 Abdullah Al-MayoufRB 6 Mohammed Al-BreikCB 3 Osama Hawsawi (c)CB 5 Omar HawsawiLB 13Yasser Al-ShahraniDM 7 Salman Al-FarajCM 14Abdullah Otayf CM 17Taisir Al-Jassim RW 18Salem Al-DawsariLW 8 Yahya Al-Shehri CF 10Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Substitutions:FW 19Fahad Al-Muwallad MF 9 Hattan Bahebri FW 20Muhannad Assiri Manager: Juan Antonio Pizzi
Man of the Match: Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
Assistant referees: Hernán Maidana (Argentina) Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina) Fourth official: Sandro Ricci (Brazil) Reserve assistant referee: Emerson de Carvalho (Brazil) Video assistant referee: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) Assistant video assistant referees: Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) Carlos Astroza (Chile) Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Egypt vs Uruguay
The two teams had met only once, a friendly game in 2006 won by Uruguay 2–0.
Egypt frustrated Uruguay with a deep defensive line, staying compact, dealing with danger competently and threatening on the counter-attack to maintain the scoreline goalless, nearing the end of the match. Luis Suárez looked increasingly at a loss but remained prominent in the few opportunities that were created. When he had just the goalkeeper to beat, he dithered too long and allowed Mohamed El Shenawy to muffle the ball at his feet. With three minutes remaining, Edinson Cavani pulled rank over his strike partner over a free kick on the edge of the area. José Giménez headed into the net in the 89th minute as he met Carlos Sánchez's free-kick from the right to give the South Americans a winning start in Russia.
Uruguay won their opening match at the World Cup tournament for the first time since 1970, when they beat Israel 2–0.
GK 23Mohamed El ShenawyRB 7 Ahmed Fathy (c)CB 2 Ali GabrCB 6 Ahmed Hegazi LB 13Mohamed Abdel ShafyCM 8 Tarek Hamed CM 17Mohamed ElnenyRW 22Amr Warda AM 19Abdallah SaidLW 21TrézéguetCF 9 Marwan Mohsen Substitutions:MF 5 Sam Morsy FW 11Kahraba FW 14Ramadan Sobhi Manager: Héctor Cúper GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 4 Guillermo VarelaCB 2 José GiménezCB 3 Diego Godín (c)LB 22Martín CáceresRM 8 Nahitan Nández CM 15Matías Vecino CM 6 Rodrigo BentancurLM 10Giorgian De Arrascaeta CF 9 Luis SuárezCF 21Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:MF 5 Carlos Sánchez MF 7 Cristian Rodríguez MF 14Lucas Torreira Manager: Óscar Tabárez
Man of the Match: Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt)
Assistant referees: Sander van Roekel (Netherlands) Erwin Zeinstra (Netherlands) Fourth official: Milorad Mažić (Serbia) Reserve assistant referee: Milovan Ristić (Serbia) Video assistant referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands) Assistant video assistant referees: Paweł Gil (Poland) Cyril Gringore (France) Clément Turpin (France)
Russia vs Egypt
The two teams had never met before.
Sergei Ignashevich headed at Mohamed El Shenawy before Aleksandr Golovin fired wide. Trézéguet then curled just wide from the edge of the box. Russia took the lead when El Shenawy's clearance punch found Roman Zobnin, whose first-time follow up shot spun in off Ahmed Fathy, with VAR confirming that Artem Dzyuba had not fouled his opponent.
Mário Fernandes soon drove into the box before supplying a cut-back form the right for Denis Cheryshev to slot home Russia's second with his left foot. Dzyuba made it 3–0 as he took a lofted ball into the box down on his chest, taking a touch to go past Ali Gabr and finish past El Shenawy with a low shot. Salah won a penalty after he was fouled by Zobnin - although it was only given after a consultation with the video assistant referee as the referee had initially said the offence took place outside the area. Salah scored from the spot to become only the third Egyptian player to score at a World Cup.
This is the first time that Russia have won their opening two matches at a World Cup since 1966 (as the Soviet Union). And following with Uruguay's 1–0 victory over Saudi Arabia, Russia, for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, qualified for the next round.
GK 1 Igor Akinfeev (c)RB 2 Mário FernandesCB 3 Ilya KutepovCB 4 Sergei IgnashevichLB 18Yuri Zhirkov CM 11Roman ZobninCM 8 Yury GazinskyRW 19Aleksandr SamedovAM 17Aleksandr GolovinLW 6 Denis Cheryshev CF 22Artem Dzyuba Substitutions:MF 7 Daler Kuzyayev FW 10Fyodor Smolov DF 13Fyodor Kudryashov Manager: Stanislav Cherchesov GK 23Mohamed El ShenawyRB 7 Ahmed Fathy (c)CB 2 Ali GabrCB 6 Ahmed HegaziLB 13Mohamed Abdel ShafyCM 8 Tarek HamedCM 17Mohamed Elneny RW 10Mohamed SalahAM 19Abdallah SaidLW 21Trézéguet CF 9 Marwan Mohsen Substitutions:FW 22Amr Warda FW 14Ramadan Sobhi FW 11Kahraba Manager: Héctor Cúper
Man of the Match: Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
Assistant referees: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay) Juan Zorrilla (Paraguay) Fourth official: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) Reserve assistant referee: Bahattin Duran (Turkey) Video assistant referee: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) Assistant video assistant referees: Mauro Vigliano (Argentina) Carlos Astroza (Chile) Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia
The two teams had met in two games. Their most recent meeting was a friendly in 2014, ending in a 1–1 draw.
A left-wing Carlos Sánchez corner was missed by Mohammed Al-Owais, giving Luis Suárez a close-range finish into an unguarded net with his left foot. Fernando Muslera had to tip over a long-range drive from Hattan Bahebri, who then missed a chance in the box. The flat feel of the game continued after the interval with both sides struggling to build tempo in hot conditions at the Rostov Arena. Martín Cáceres headed over in the 68th minute from a Sanchez delivery. Saudi Arabia had plenty of the ball in the closing stages but were unable to score a goal. The result ensured that both Russia and Uruguay would advance to the knockout stage, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia were eliminated at the group stage.
Uruguay have won all four of their World Cup matches against Asian opposition. Suarez became the sixth player to make 100 appearances for his country. He also became the first Uruguay player to score in three World Cups. Uruguay's victory had also helped Russia to qualify for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union, as Russia had won 3–1 over Egypt earlier.
GK 1 Fernando MusleraRB 4 Guillermo VarelaCB 2 José GiménezCB 3 Diego Godín (c)LB 22Martín CáceresRM 5 Carlos Sánchez CM 15Matías Vecino CM 6 Rodrigo BentancurLM 7 Cristian Rodríguez CF 9 Luis SuárezCF 21Edinson CavaniSubstitutions:MF 17Diego Laxalt MF 14Lucas Torreira MF 8 Nahitan Nández Manager: Óscar Tabárez GK 22Mohammed Al-OwaisRB 6 Mohammed Al-BreikCB 3 Osama Hawsawi (c)CB 4 Ali Al-BulaihiLB 13Yasser Al-ShahraniDM 14Abdullah OtayfCM 7 Salman Al-FarajCM 17Taisir Al-Jassim RW 9 Hattan Bahebri LW 18Salem Al-DawsariCF 19Fahad Al-Muwallad Substitutions:MF 16Housain Al-Mogahwi MF 12Mohamed Kanno FW 10Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Manager: Juan Antonio Pizzi
Man of the Match: Luis Suárez (Uruguay)
Assistant referees: Nicolas Danos (France) Cyril Gringore (France) Fourth official: John Pitti (Panama) Reserve assistant referee: Gabriel Victoria (Panama) Video assistant referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Assistant video assistant referees: Paweł Gil (Poland) Paweł Sokolnicki (Poland) Daniele Orsato (Italy)
Uruguay vs Russia
The two teams had met in one previous game, a friendly in 2012, which ended in a 1–1 draw. With Russia formerly playing as the Soviet Union, the sides had faced each other seven times, including two matches at the World Cup, one in the 1962 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by the Soviet Union 2–1, and the other one at the 1970 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, won by Uruguay 1–0.
Luis Suárez curled a low free-kick into the bottom-right corner after Yury Gazinsky's foul on Rodrigo Bentancur. Denis Cheryshev struck a half-volley straight at Fernando Muslera. He then found the net at the other end on 23 minutes, though, as his touch diverted Diego Laxalt's first-time effort past Igor Akinfeev. In the 36th minute, Igor Smolnikov picked up his second booking after lunging in on Edinson Cavani, just eight minutes after being carded for a foul on Matías Vecino. Muslera's pass enabled Russia to counter, though Artem Dzyuba sent his close-range effort well wide. In the final minute of normal time, Cavani thumped home the rebound after Akinfeev had kept out Diego Godín's header.