Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov has told his team to ignore media criticism ahead of today's World Cup kick-off against Saudi Arabia and focus on winning. The host nation enter their first home World Cup in the worst possible form. They have beaten both Russian and Soviet records by going winless in seven matches and slumping to 70th in the world, the lowest of the 32 teams in the tournament.

Newspaper headlines are asking not whether Russia stand a chance of lifting their first World Cup trophy but if things can possibly get any worse. "We have to take all the criticism and turn it into something positive," Cherchesov said. The 80,000-seat arena has been rebuilt from the days it hosted the 1980 Olympics and will be the venue of both kickoff and the July 15 final.