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maltatoday SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2017 Sports 58 FOOTBALL Argentina beat Russia 1-0 in World Cup venue inaugural match A late goal by Sergio Aguero lifted Argentina to a 1-0 win over World Cup hosts Russia in the inaugural match at Mos- cow's newly-renovated Luzhniki stadium yesterday. Aguero's header found the back of the net in the 86th min- ute, the striker beating veteran goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev after his initial shot was blocked by the Russian defence. Led by captain Lionel Messi, Argentina were dynamic from the start of the friendly but were unable to capitalise on their chances in the first half. Argentina's attack expertly combined to generate several scoring chances, with Messi finding Angel Di Maria in the box in the 36th minute. How- ever, the Paris St Germain mid- fielder could not control the ball. "Some of the things that we planned worked in this clash against this tough opponent," Argentina manager Jorge Sam- paoli told reporters. "We played in a courageous, bold manner. We created resist- ance to the pressure our oppo- nent put us under. We need to build on this." Konstantin Rausch kept Russia alive in the opening minutes of the second half by heading the ball off the line after Messi had chipped Akinfeev. Although they regrouped in the second half, Russia strug- gled to keep possession, heavily relying on Akinfeev to deny the Argentine attack. Russia tested Argentina for the first time in the 61st min- ute with a short-range shot by Denis Glushakov tapped away by goalkeeper Sergio Romero before defender German Pez- zella cleared the ball. "We knew that it would be a tough match and that we wouldn't have possession in some moments," Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov said. "I think our defence played correctly from a tactical point of view but we were unable to start quality attacks, especially in the first half, when we had the ball." Argentina's friendly against Russia was the first test match held at Moscow's Luzhniki sta- dium, the venue for the open- ing game and final of next year's World Cup. Originally opened in 1956, Luzhniki was one of the venues for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. It hosted the 2013 world athlet- ics championships before be- ing closed for renovations to prepare it for the World Cup. Argentina play Nigeria in the southern Russian city of Kras- nodar, which will not host any World Cup matches next year, on Nov. 14. Russia face Spain in a friendly in St Petersburg on the same day. Argentina's Lionel Messi in action with Russia's Viktor Vasin