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FT World Cup 2018: Live From Russia - Saudi Arabia meets Russia in the Luzhniki

FirstTouch is in Russia for the World Cup 2018 this summer. We will be attending multiple games and celebrating the world’s game with fans from all across the world! Enjoy our blogs that document some of our experiences.

Day 2 [June 14]

It’s no secret both my brother and I were a bit nervous ahead of our trip to Moscow. Between the both of us, Russia was one of the few European countries we have yet to cover in our travels for football or personal reasons. The only point of reference we had for the culture was our father, who also on the trip, travels to Moscow annually to help educate and assist their veterinary efforts in combating the Avian Influenza. This would be different though. Russia is hosting the 2018 World Cup, a month-long festivity with fans spanning the entire globe in attendance. Even though my family is Cameroonian, we were coming from the United States, and tensions between both US and Russian countries after the latter‘s perceived role in the outcome of the US’s 2016 Election couldn’t be more rigid.

What is interesting to me about perception, is that at times we often allow bias and fear to cloud our initial judgments which can greatly alter our experiences if we let them. Maybe politically, one could argue to justify these biases, but in Football, the World Cup has historically been full of instances where opposing nations have seized the once in every four-year opportunity and used it to be kind to one another. June 14th, the tournament opener between Russia and Saudi Arabia were no different. The match was held in Luzhniki Stadium and upon emergence from the Sportivnaya metro station, the energy from all of the fans was infectious. It was like we were all kids on our first day at summer camp! Excited to rep where we came from while eager to see all of the different places others represented as well.

After what seemed like 100 selfies and videos, we were seated in the middle of a sea of Russian fans, with Saudi Arabian fans flanking us on either side. It was clear from the Opening Ceremony to the national anthem, to the kickoff that this was more than an event to the Russians, it was a celebration. And boy was it a night to celebrate for The Golden Eagles, who after an inspirational speech from Putin, were on top of the Saudi Arabians as soon as the opening whistle sounded. It didn’t take long for them to break through when  Russia’s Top U-23 player Aleksandr Golovin crosses the ball into the opponent's box finding the head of Yuri Gasinskiy for their first goal in the 12th minute. With no exaggeration, I can confidently say I have never seen a stadium erupt like this in my entire life. Some were screams of relief, having been able to grab an early lead after an edgy first 10 minutes, and some were shouts of surprise, as Russia had not been expected to do well in the tournament this summer. Some were of excitement and joy, as the game would go on to be a 5-0 victory for the Russians, a result not even Putin himself expected. And that’s the beauty of a celebration no? As my family and I embraced the Russian fans around us after each of the five goals, each unique moment represented an equal right at emotion for all of us experiencing the match. And that’s what a real celebration is. We may all be here for different reasons but above all, we are here to celebrate and partake in the positivity that the World Cup exudes. Heading back to the hotel, everyone from the security guards to the metro workers, to our hotel staff was ecstatic and proud for their nation’s performance. And in the name of celebration, we couldn’t have been happier for them.