After a four year wait, the World Cup finally returns and this year Russia would be the host. This game is not the most outstanding opener to a competition, but it looks like it would be a close game between not very good teams.
The host are the lowest FIFA ranked team in this competition and they face Saudi Arabia who are only three place above them in that ranking. The Russians also have a really poor recent record as they start this World Cup with no win since October, they have lost 4 and drew 3 of seven fixtures since that time.
Saudi Arabia may be just three places better than Russia in the latest FIFA rankings, but they have performed better in their most recent games. They lost 2-1 to Italy, succumbed to a 3-0 loss at the hands of Peru, but they did impress in their last game against Germany even though they ended as losers by 2-1.
Saudi Arabia have won just two of their last 11 games, however, they have what might be considered an advantage as 11 of their 23 players play in the same team – Al Hillal, this would offer them more understanding on the field of play.
The only previous meeting between these two nations ended 4-2 to Russia back in a 1993 friendly clash.
