SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

20 Group B Portugal Morocco Spain Iran Group B Ranking Pts P W D L F A GD 1 Iran 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 Portugal 1 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 3 Spain 1 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 Hat-trick hero 4 Morocco 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 stars in epic Portugal, Spain draw Portugal 3 3 Spain 15 June - St Petersburg Reuters | Sochi, Russia Nacho on the left of the box with the ball on the vol- I always believe a stepover, was tripped and con- ley at an awkward Moroccoin myself0 1 Iran but ortugal’s irrepressible verted the penalty himself in height and sent an obviously15 June - Sochi I want captain Cristiano Ronaldo emphatic style after four min- inswinging shot to emphasise the scored a stunning late free utes. in off the post. P 6 Portugalway- the- teamMorocco kick to complete a World Cup goals were scored in Costa equalised in the 24th as Incredibly, hat-trickGroup and rescue a 3-3 draw total, starting from the he latched onto a long ball for- there was 20 played.June - Moscow We Luzhniki never in an enthralling match against fourth minute through ward by , bun- more dra- turned away from neighbours Spain yesterday. a penalty dled off a challenge from Pepe, ma to come Iran the- fight- Spain In by far the best game of the slipped through two defenders as Portugal 20CRISTIANO June - RONALDO tournamentB so far, Spain for- and slotted his shot past keeper were award- ward Diego Costa notched a Rui Patricio. ed a free Spain - - Morocco double before Nacho put them “I always believe in myself The goal was confirmed after kick -- won 3-2 aheadPortugal with a brilliant third but Moroccoobviously I want to empha- a review by the video assistant by Ronaldo -- 25 June - Kaliningrad only for Ronaldo to snatch a sise the way the team played. referee (VAR), being used at the about 20 metres point. We never turned away from the World Cup for the first time, for out in the 88th min- Iran - - Portugal Ronaldo, who took his tally to fight, “ said Ronaldo. “This was a possible foul on Pepe. ute. 25 June - Saransk 84 goals inSpain 151 games for Por- onlyIran the first match but we are Spain appeared to be on top Ronaldo rolled up his shorts, tugal, became only the fourth going to believe until the end.” as rifled a shot against the stepped forward and curled the player to score in four World Spain were still reeling from bar, only for Ronaldo to strike ball around the wall into the top RankingCups after Uwe Seeler, PelePts andP theW remarkableD L F decisionA GD to again one minute before half- corner to set off delirious cele- Miroslav Klose. He had also fire coach Julen Lopetegui on time with the help of a blunder brations amongst the Portugal scored in the last four Europe- Wednesday, after the federation by goalkeeper as players and fans. an1 ChampionshipIran tournaments.3 1 said1 he0 had0 negotiated1 0 a1 con- the ball hit his hand and slipped Spain coach Hierro said: “We Remarkably, the result left tract to take over at Real agonisingly into the net. feel very proud of the players Iran2 Portugaltop of Group B with1 three1 without0 1 their0 knowledge3 3 0 and Costa levelled from close after the adversity of the match points after they earlier beat replaced him with Fernando range 10 minutes after the break itself, we’ve come back and Morocco 1-0 thanks to a late Hierro. and Spain went ahead for the equalised twice, we feel own3 Spaingoal in a match which1 was1 0The 1match0 got3 off3 to an0 ex- first time with a remarkable great commitment and pedestrian by comparison. plosive start when Ronaldo beat strike from Nacho, who met pride.” 4 Morocco 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 GOAL SCORERS Portugal 3 3 Spain 15 June - St Petersburg

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo Morocco 0 1 Iran celebrates after scoring

15 June - Sochi Diego Costa Nacho Fernandez (24’, 55’) (58’) Portugal - - Morocco Costa first to get goal via VAR 20 June - Moscow Luzhniki Reuters | Sochi

iego Costa’s equaliser for Iran Spain DSpain against Portugal - - yesterday was the first time a World Cup goal was awarded Today’s20 June -match Kazan after a review from the video assistant referee (VAR). The striker’s goal was allowed to stand despite a collision with GroupSpain A: - - Morocco defender Pepe. France vs Australia Costa ran into the Portuguese centre back in the build-up to (1 :0025 PM June) - Kaliningrad his equaliser in the 24th minute to cancel out Cristiano Ronal- Group B: do’s fourth minute penalty. RONALDO HAT-TRICK Italian referee Gianluca Roc- Argentina Iranvs Iceland- - Portugal chi gave the goal after consult- 4th minute (4:00 PM) ing the VAR team. Spain’s forward Diego Costa (L) celebrates after scoring his second goal Penalty 25 June - Saransk The system, which was tri- alled in Germany’s Bundesliga Later in the first half Spain of the bar but the Italian indi- 44th minute Group B: and Italy’s Serie A last season, midfielder Isco asked Rocchi to cated he would have received Group B: allows the video assistant to consult the video assistant again a signal on his watch from the Peru vs Denmark Croatia vsNigeria review decisions where a “clear when a shot from Andres Inies- goal line technology being used 88th minute and obvious” error is spotted. ta came flying off the underside had the ball crossed the line. Freekick (7:00 PM) (10:00 PM) Three important things we learned from yesterday’s World Cup matches Ronaldo reigns supreme World Cups, but already looks Diego Costa had silenced Egypt relying on Salah return had claimed on the eve of the 20-year wait ended in the most Spain’s troublesome week a strong favourite to win the suggestions he is incompatible Salah endured a miserable game Salah was “almost 100 heartbreaking fashion when looked set for a much-needed Golden Boot as he won then with Spain’s short-passing 26th birthday as he was forced percent sure” to feature. Aziz Bouhaddouz’s own goal win until Ronaldo curled home dispatched a fourth minute game with a double of his to watch from the bench handed Iran a famous 1-0 win. a sensational free-kick to cap a penalty and took advantage own before Nacho’s wonder with his injured shoulder not Morocco ‘crucify’ themselves of an uncharacteristic error strike looked to have sealed The Atlas Lions dominated hat-trick and salvage Portugal a quite recovered as Uruguay Morocco coach Herve Renard from David de Gea to twice put the perfect debut for Fernando for the opening half hour, but point two minutes from time snatched all three points in lamented a series of self- Portugal in front before the Hierro just two days after he failed to take their chances Yekaterinburg. inflicted wounds as their Ronaldo had scored just three break. was handed the job as Spain through Hakim Ziyach, Ayoub return to World Cup after goals in his previous three coach. Egypt manager Hector Cuper El Kaabi and Mehdi Benatia.

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