Russia are playing New Zealand in the opening game of the FIFA 2017 Confederations Cup in St. Petersburg. The tournament will be held across four Russian cities over the next two weeks. RT Sport brings you live updates during the game.
18 June 2017
Football is indeed very significant for St. Petersburg - matches were held here even at the time of the Nazi siege, during the Second World War. Months before the siege the authorities suspended the matches because of the fighting, but later, despite the hunger, the bombings, the devastation, they decided they had to play football no matter what.
Russian opera star and 2018 FIFA World Cup ambassador Vasily Gerello has joined RT to sing football chants in St. Petersburg’s Dvortsovaya Square.
17 June 2017
RT Sport's Danny Armstrong FT report from Saint Petersburg Stadium
Russia begin their Confed Cup campaign with a much-deserved win over the Oceania champs. Now for European Champions Portugal on Wednesday!
Full-time: Russia 2-0 New Zealand
3 minutes of added time are announced.
Russia break through Zhirkov on the left, but the veteran winger can't find a teammate and it's blocked for a corner.
Russia’s Fyodor Kudryashov
Change for Russia - goalscorer Smolov is off, Aleksey Miranchuk is on. Smolov gets a standing ovation from the crowd - he was a threat from start to finish for the hosts.
Miranchuk is just 21 years old, but is an exciting prospect for Russia.
Anthony Hudson takes a swig of water on the touchline. At 36, he's undoubtedly one of the most exciting young managers in world football, but his team have been well beaten today.
(89 min) Smolov - again - breaks free on the right and gets a shot away, but Marinovic is down smartly to save. The Kiwi keepers had a decent game today.
Russia have anther chance as the ball flashes across the goal, but Bukharov can't quite reach it to poke home.
Kip Colvey was the man who made way for NZ - looks like an attacker for a winger - all-out now for NZ?
NZ make a change - Monty Patterson comes on. The 20-year-old plays his football for Ipswich Town in England.
Approaching the last 5 minutes now, Thomas shoots again for NZ but he slips and it goes wide.
Looks like that very brief spell of Kiwi pressure has petered out. Russia break again through Smolov, who chips the ball across the box, but no one's there to finish it.
Smolov takes a hit on the right flank. Samedov lines up another cross into the box...
Saint Petersburg Stadium right now...
(78 mins) The All Whites immediately have another chance from the resulting corner. Tommy Smith breaks free and heads at goal, but Yury Zhirkov is on the post and clears it off line.
NZ finally have a small spell of possession, the ball comes in to the Russian box and Ryan Thomas goes down, but there was minimal (if any) contact. Nothing given.
That' more like it from NZ! Thomas lets fly with a powerful drive from outside the box, Russian keeper Akinfeev sees it late and does well to save.
Twenty minutes to play, Russia looking nailed-on for an opening game win. It would be pretty sensational if New Zealand managed to drag themselves back into this.
Change for NZ - immediate response from Kiwi boss Hudson. On comes 35-year-old Shane Smeltz, the All Whites second-highest top scorer, and off goes Marco Rojas. The 'Kiwi Messi' was never in the game.
Change for NZ - immediate response from Kiwi boss Hudson. On comes 35-year-old Shane Smeltz, the All Whites second-highest top scorer, and off goes Marco Rojas. The 'Kiwi Messi' was never in the game.
Samedov played the ball across the box from the right, defender Michael Boxall misses it, and Krasnodar man Smolov is there to poke the ball home from 5 yards. He doesn't miss those!
Putin is on his feet applauding after Fyodor Smolov slots home for Russia.
(67 mins) Russia are enjoying a lot of the ball, they are basically camped in the NZ half at the moment. The Kiwis can't keep the ball at all.
GOAL!
Russia 2-0 New Zealand
Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting the opening game of the tournament. He has been spotted alongside football legend Pele and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Change for Russia - Poloz heads off, Aleksandr Bukharov on. One Rostov man for another.
Poloz can be pleased with his day's work. While he didn't get on the scoresheet, he was a constant menace for the All Whites defense and linked well with Smolov. A good choice by Chercehsov to bring him in. Bukharov offers more of an aerial threat, but is also capable of the sublime - see his goal in the Europa League against Manchester United for proof of that.
(63 min) Samedov curls the free-kick, it's a decent effort but dips just a little bit late and goes over.
Russia probe down the right through Smolov, Samedov crosses into the box and it falls to Golovin, who takes a knock from Durante. Dangerous position for the free-kick.
Change for NZ - Kosta Barbarouses off, Bill Tuiloma on - the Marseille man will look to have an impact.
(59 mins) Russia midfielder Golovin tries his luck from range but fires over.
Just a reminder - hosts Russia are appearing in their first-ever Confed Cup, while this is New Zealand's fourth appearance at the tournament. They've only managed one point from nine games so far though, and that doesn't look like changing at the moment...
(58 mins) Rostov man Poloz has looked dangerous so far. He's linked up well with Smolov, with both of them making smart runs in behind the All Whites defense. Smolov is pulled up for offside again, so just needs to get that timing a little bit better.
Russia cranking up the pressure early in the second half, they clearly want to get the second, which would seemingly put them out of sight.
RT Sport's Danny Armstrong reports from Sp. Petersburg Stadium
Russia break through Golovin, he plays in Poloz who fires across goal, but Marinovic gets down well again to save and NZ clear. The Kiwi 'keeper has been very busy so far this half.
That really was a cracking save from the 25-year-old Kiwi 'keeper. He plays his football in the German lower leagues, but was top class there. The initial header looked like it was destined to go in before he pushed it away, and he did well to get back up and stop the second shot.
Stefan Marinovic pulls off a great double-save for NZ. First he saves from a Poloz header then manages to get up and push away the rebound.
CLOSE!
It looks like neither manager has opted to make a change, although the All Whites will surely change the personnel if they don't exert more pressure soon.
The teams are back out and we are ready to go for the second half.
Offical 2017 Confederations Cup and 2018 World Cup in Russia mascot Zabivaka the Wolf is having fun, taking photos with the crowd and pulling out some poses.
Half time - Russia lead New Zealand 1-0 in St. Petersburg in the Confederations Cup curtain raiser.
New Zealand seemingly have no answer to Russia's attacking threat, Dmitry Poloz and Fedor Smolov have cause havoc for the All White defense. Russia beat 'keeper Marinovic, firstly through Viktor Vasin from a header and then from Poloz, but both efforts were eventually cleared by the defender. The third time, Denis Glushakov raced through the middle and clipped the ball past Marinovic, this time the New Zealand defense int he shape of Michael Boxall, could only tip into his own net after the ball ricocheted off the post. Russia deserved the advantage.
To play the extra attacker was a cunning move by manager Cherchesov, as Russia have found themselves with so much time on the ball when going forward, New Zealand seemingly powerless to close them down. All going in favor of the home side so far in St. Petersburg.
The half-time whistle goes, the hosts head in 1-0 to the good and deservedly so.
The man behind the Russian goal, Denis Glushakov, would have been many people's bet to open the scoring tonight, based on the season he's had. The Spartak captain led his team to their first Russian league title in 16 years, and was the league's player of the season. The 30-year-old is definitely at the top of his game.
Smolov again thinks he's through, but gets called up for offside. Looked marginal, but Smolov's clever runs are causing the Kiwis a lot of problems.
Smolov goes close for Russia. He receives the ball in the box on the left and tries to curl one past Marinovic, but puts it just wide of the right-hand post.
Russia deserve the lead based on the attacking intent they've shown. New Zealand have shown little threat so far - head coach Anthony Hudson will be disappointed with what he's seen.
The goal is contentious as it appears to ricochet off the post and is bundled over the line by ne of the backtracking New Zealand defenders. We're sure Glushakov will want to claim it however.
Denis Glushakov is played through and flicks the ball past the keeper, he's got several defenders chasing back but manages to bundle it in of the post. One of the NZ defenders may even have got the last touch...
GOAL!
Denis Glushakov! Russia!
Smolov breaks through for Russia and has the ball in the back of the net, but it's ruled out for offside.
New Zealand will look to get Chris Wood into the game more. Their main danger man has been a peripheral figure so far. He became the youngest-ever Confed Cup player back in 2009, appearing as a 17-year-old in South Africa. He's a huge threat but has not done much so far.
The tempo has slowed a bit now and the All Whites look like they're settling into the game a bit more after that nervy opening.
Dzhikya tries his luck from outside the box, but Marinovic saves low to his left and it goes out for a corner.
Zhirkov's corner goes long and New Zealand have a chance to reset.
NZ register a shot on goal, the ball falls to Chris Wood be he fires wildly over from the edge of the box.
A free-kick for Russia on the right - Samedov swings it in but Vasin heads over. The big CSKA center-half looks dangerous in the air and is winning most of the balls coming into the box.
The All Whites have a free kick on the edge of the box but Wood fires it at the wall and it goes out for a corner.
That Poloz situation was interesting. He looked like he was taken down by NZ keeper Marinovic - the referee said no penalty, but was that worth a look with the video referee?
Poloz again breaks and goes down in the box looking for a penalty. Nothing given...
Smolov breaks through for Russia but the chance is snuffed out.
New Zealand keeper Marinovic is frustrated with his team - they've started the opening 10 minutes poorly and Russia are very much in the ascendancy.
New Zealand again clear off the line! This time Poloz pokes the ball past the NZ keeper but it's cleared off the line by Tommy Smith. Russia really cranking up the pressure now.
CLOSE! Russia win a fourth corner in the space of a few minutes. Aleksandr Samedov swings it in, Viktor Vasin heads it off the post but Michael McGlinchey clears it off the line for New Zealand!
Russia are seeing most of the ball in the opening stages, and are in and around the NZ box most of the time. Another corner comes in but New Zealand clear their lines.
Aleksandr Golovin tries his luck from outside the box but All Whites keeper Stefan Marinovic palms it out for a corner.
Russia then win another corner and the ball ends up being crossed in to Fedor Smolov, but the striker heads over.
Teamsheets
RT Sport's Danny Armstrong with an update from St. Petersburg Stadium
Russia are playing New Zealand in the opening game of the FIFA 2017 Confederations Cup in St. Petersburg. The tournament will be held across four Russian cities over the next two weeks. RT Sport brings you live updates during the game.