Portugal 3 – Spain 3
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick, Diego Costa countered with two goals, and the 2018 World Cup’s first full day got a welcome shot of energy as Portugal rallied on a late Ronaldo free kick to salvage a 3-3 tie with Spain. With his goal Ronaldo has achieved his 51st career hat-trick which also happened to be the 51st hat-trick to be scored at the World Cup.
Ronaldo, who had scored on a penalty kick in the fourth minute and an error by Spain goalkeeper David De Gea in the 44th, saved the day for Portugal, the reigning European champion, with a stunning free kick in second-half injury time. Ronaldo had won the free kick himself and then, after composing himself, curled a picture-perfect shot around the edge of the Spanish wall and inside De Gea’s top right corner.
Ronaldo’s celebration capped a thrilling back-and-forth game that had seen Portugal take a lead, give it up, grab it back, and then lose it once again on a goal by Costa and a rocketed shot by the Real Madrid defender Nacho. Costa’s first goal, a dancing effort in the penalty area in the 24th minute, had negated Ronaldo’s early penalty — awarded for what some thought was a soft foul against Nacho.
But it was Ronaldo, one of the world’s greatest players, who won the day even as his team had to settle for a tie. He earned the penalty, converted it, scored the second and then notched the equalizer when all seemed lost.
Egypt 0 – Uruguay 1
Uruguay were made to work overtime before finally edging a late 1-0 win over Egypt in their opening Group A contest in Ekaterinburg. Defender Jose Gimenez was the unlikely hero with a towering last-minute winning header, after Egypt had impressed with their organisation. Star forwards Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez were largely starved of opportunities, although the former hit the post with a free-kick, as Uruguay finished strongly. Egypt’s star forward Mohamed Salah failed to make an appearance after injury and the Pharaohs’ Russia 2018 opener ended on a sour note.
Morocco 0 Iran 1
For the second time on Friday, a last-minute goal has transformed the state of a group at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, and cut down a North African side. While it was Uruguay in the earlier encounter, a heartbreaking own goal sunk Morocco in IR Iran’s favour for a 1-0 win.
Morocco flew out of the traps in Saint Petersburg, carving out some sensational chances, but Iran easily could have gone in ahead at the break. By contrast, the second-half hardly had a opening worthy of note, until deep in stoppage time when Aziz Bouhaddouz headed into his own net.
