MOSCOW – Russia started the 2018 FIFA World Cup on a high note, thrashing Saudi Arabia 5-0 on Thursday.

In match held in front of an 80,000-capacity Luzhniki crowd which included President Vladimir Putin and the Saudi crown prince, Yury Gazinsky opened the scoring with a header.

Denis Cheryshev showed great skill of his own to double the hosts' lead just before half time with a left-footed shot, and Artem Dzyuba headed Russia's third in the 71st minute — 89 seconds after coming on as a substitute.

Cheryshev and Golovin hit a further two in injury time, the latter from a free kick, to complete the visitors' misery.

Egypt and Uruguay are due to play the second Group A match in Yekaterinburg on Friday.