World Cup: Group A: Russia vs. Saudi Arabia, 6/14/2018

[Live in the Now]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	Igor Akinfeev (captain)	8 April 1986 (aged 32)	106	0	CSKA Moscow
2	DF	Mário Fernandes	19 September 1990 (aged 27)	5	0	CSKA Moscow
3	DF	Ilya Kutepov	29 July 1993 (aged 24)	7	0	Spartak Moscow
4	DF	Sergei Ignashevich	14 July 1979 (aged 38)	122	8	CSKA Moscow
5	DF	Andrei Semyonov	24 March 1989 (aged 29)	6	0	Akhmat Grozny
6	MF	Denis Cheryshev	26 December 1990 (aged 27)	11	0	Villarreal
7	MF	Daler Kuzyayev	15 January 1993 (aged 25)	6	0	Zenit Saint Petersburg
8	MF	Yury Gazinsky	20 July 1989 (aged 28)	6	0	Krasnodar
9	MF	Alan Dzagoev	17 June 1990 (aged 27)	57	9	CSKA Moscow
10	FW	Fyodor Smolov	9 February 1990 (aged 28)	32	12	Krasnodar
11	MF	Roman Zobnin	11 February 1994 (aged 24)	12	0	Spartak Moscow
12	GK	Andrey Lunyov	13 November 1991 (aged 26)	3	0	Zenit Saint Petersburg
13	DF	Fyodor Kudryashov	5 April 1987 (aged 31)	19	0	Rubin Kazan
14	DF	Vladimir Granat	22 May 1987 (aged 31)	12	1	Rubin Kazan
15	MF	Aleksei Miranchuk	17 October 1995 (aged 22)	18	4	Lokomotiv Moscow
16	MF	Anton Miranchuk	17 October 1995 (aged 22)	6	0	Lokomotiv Moscow
17	MF	Aleksandr Golovin	30 May 1996 (aged 22)	19	2	CSKA Moscow
18	MF	Yuri Zhirkov	20 August 1983 (aged 34)	84	2	Zenit Saint Petersburg
19	MF	Aleksandr Samedov	19 July 1984 (aged 33)	48	7	Spartak Moscow
20	GK	Vladimir Gabulov	19 October 1983 (aged 34)	10	0	Club Brugge
21	MF	Aleksandr Yerokhin	13 October 1989 (aged 28)	17	0	Zenit Saint Petersburg
22	FW	Artem Dzyuba	22 August 1988 (aged 29)	23	11	Arsenal Tula
23	DF	Igor Smolnikov	8 August 1988 (aged 29)	27	0	Zenit Saint Petersburg

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Saudi Arabia

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	Abdullah Al-Mayouf	23 January 1987 (aged 31)	10	0	Al-Hilal
2	DF	Mansoor Al-Harbi	19 October 1987 (aged 30)	39	1	Al-Ahli
3	DF	Osama Hawsawi (captain)	31 March 1984 (aged 34)	134	7	Al-Hilal
4	DF	Ali Al-Bulaihi	21 November 1989 (aged 28)	3	0	Al-Hilal
5	DF	Omar Hawsawi	27 September 1985 (aged 32)	41	3	Al-Nassr
6	DF	Mohammed Al-Breik	15 September 1992 (aged 25)	10	1	Al-Hilal
7	MF	Salman Al-Faraj	1 August 1989 (aged 28)	42	3	Al-Hilal
8	MF	Yahya Al-Shehri	26 June 1990 (aged 27)	56	8	Leganés
9	MF	Hattan Bahebri	16 July 1992 (aged 25)	4	0	Al-Shabab
10	FW	Mohammad Al-Sahlawi	10 January 1987 (aged 31)	39	28	Al-Nassr
11	MF	Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri	13 March 1986 (aged 32)	36	0	Al-Hilal
12	MF	Mohamed Kanno	22 September 1994 (aged 23)	6	1	Al-Hilal
13	DF	Yasser Al-Shahrani	25 May 1992 (aged 26)	36	0	Al-Hilal
14	MF	Abdullah Otayf	3 August 1992 (aged 25)	15	1	Al-Hilal
15	MF	Abdullah Al-Khaibari	16 August 1996 (aged 21)	4	0	Al-Shabab
16	MF	Housain Al-Mogahwi	24 March 1988 (aged 30)	17	1	Al-Ahli
17	MF	Taisir Al-Jassim	25 July 1984 (aged 33)	131	18	Al-Ahli
18	MF	Salem Al-Dawsari	19 August 1991 (aged 26)	32	4	Villarreal
19	FW	Fahad Al-Muwallad	14 September 1994 (aged 23)	44	10	Levante
20	FW	Muhannad Assiri	14 October 1986 (aged 31)	18	4	Al-Ahli
21	GK	Yasser Al-Mosailem	27 February 1984 (aged 34)	32	0	Al-Ahli
22	GK	Mohammed Al-Owais	10 October 1991 (aged 26)	6	0	Al-Ahli
23	DF	Motaz Hawsawi	17 February 1992 (aged 26)	17	0	Al-Ahli

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I didn't want to post the whole squads, but for certain teams I think we could really use them. Copying them from Wiki allows everyone to look at each player's page more easily. Not going to post game times either as they're different everywhere and there's no point.

Anyway, going with a Russia win here. Peru beat the Saudis badly the other day.

Click to read more...

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

ET zones...cause that's where everyone that matters is.

 

[Live in the Now]

ET zones...cause that's where everyone that matters is.

Lol. 11 AM Eastern then.

I'm probably going to miss the first game every day as they're at 5 AM Pacific. Terrible.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Lol. 11 AM Eastern then.

I'm probably going to miss the first game every day as they're at 5 AM Pacific. Terrible.

Moved to a place that matters... boom easily solution. You nobody.

 

[Live in the Now]

Moved to a place that matters... boom easily solution. You nobody.

I live in the best city in the world, one where everyone is treated equally, where there's no snow, the only state and region completely isolated from our horrible politics. Will never move!

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I live in the best city in the world, one where everyone is treated equally, where there's no snow, the only state and region completely isolated from our horrible politics. Will never move!

You poor soul

 

[robertmac43]

Should be a pretty straightforward win for Russia to start the tournament. Cannot wait for it all to begin

 

[ViD]

I am afraid we are going to get embarrassed.

The team looked horrible in the friendlies.

 

[cgf]

I am afraid we are going to get embarrassed.

The team looked horrible in the friendlies.

At least with the Miranchuks, Golovin, Tashaev & maybe Chalov, there's some young talent that could make you interesting if they rise to the occasion & Alan can hit his highest level...

Though I do only expect you to get out of the group ahead of egypt due to a scandalous referee'ing decision...or two...

 

[Moncherry]

I don't rate Russia at all, but with Salah's fitness in question, I don't believe they need refereeing shenanigans to advance. Egypt are very beatable without him.

 

[robertmac43]

I feel like even with Salah 100 percent healthy I would still pick Russia to go through in second in the group

 

[Name Nameless]

"Voted" for a Saudi win, although the traditional opening game might just be a draw... Don't think Saudi is a weak team. Defeated 2-1 by Germany recently? Weak teams don't lose 2-1 to Germany, they get crushed.

 

[Stray Wasp]

It seems to me that the question isn't whether Russia will win, but whether they'll play well enough that funny things don't need to happen to the rules to see them through.

 

[cgf]

"Voted" for a Saudi win, although the traditional opening game might just be a draw... Don't think Saudi is a weak team. Defeated 2-1 by Germany recently? Weak teams don't lose 2-1 to Germany, they get crushed.

 

[Suiteness]

It seems to me that the question isn't whether Russia will win, but whether they'll play well enough that funny things don't need to happen to the rules to see them through.

Yup, expecting a phantom penalty in favor of Russia if this thing is either tied or they're down by one, with not much time left on the clock.

 

[ViD]

Yup, expecting a phantom penalty in favor of Russia if this thing is either tied or they're down by one, with not much time left on the clock.

Is this even possible with replays now?

 

[Evilo]

Yup, expecting a phantom penalty in favor of Russia if this thing is either tied or they're down by one, with not much time left on the clock.

You mean Russia are the Real of international football?

 

[Suiteness]

You mean Russia are the Real of international football?

 

[cgf]

Is this even possible with replays now?

Lol yes, do you not watch the CL?

 

[ViD]

You mean Russia are the Real of international football?

Man I wish it was true.

 

[PanniniClaus]

probably ridiculous to ask for starting lineups . Russia is easier but there are not many teams across the world where less is known than Saudi Arabia

 

[Live in the Now]

Russia is easier but there are not many teams across the world where less is known than Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia also has one of the best coaches at the tournament, even though he botched Chile's qualification. He knows how to prepare teams for the moment. But there's really no way to know what they'll do. They played well against Germany and Italy, laid down against Peru. They also drew Ukraine earlier this year.

I would assume they'll park the bus and hope for the best but who knows?

 

[Luigi Habs]

The most underwhelming WC opener of all time?

 

[Savant]

Russia will win because Putin will destroy them if they dont. Too bad Iran wasnt in this group, they would have had a chance to make KO round

 

[PanniniClaus]

The most underwhelming WC opener of all time?

Has to be.