World Cup Roundup: Spain Portugal win, Morocco heads home
It took just four minutes for the maestro Ronaldo to head home his side’s opening goal against Morocco.
SPAIN 1-0 IRAN
Spain had to dig deep to find a winner on Wednesday evening against a stubborn Iranian defence in a Fifa world cup encounter in Russia.
Making no attempt to play football that delights the crowd, for 50 minutes Iran played the ugly game to perfection – every man behind the ball and crowding the goalmouth, to the frustration of a star-studded Spanish on Wednesday evening.
The bull was outwitting the matador and a Spanish inquisition was looming as to why they could not find the back of the net with over 70% possession in the first stanza.
However, when the teams reappeared after the break, Spain upped the pace and the pressure was on the Iranians.
A goal was imminent and it came in the 61st minute when a panicky clearance rebounded off the knee of Diego Costa and into the net.
It was his third of the tournament and he could care less how it came.
The Best ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VjTqvJjDsu
— حلم (@HMUFC1) June 20, 2018
With each side to play their third and final Group B game, it is Spain and Portugal on four points each at the top, with Iran on three.
Spain will take on already doomed Morocco and should breeze through, while the Portugal v Iran encounter will decide which of the two progress to the last 16.
Morocco 0-1 Portugal
There’s an old joke that Portugal (and Greece) can’t play great soccer because every time they get a corner, they open a cafe.
The @Budweiser #ManoftheMatch for #PORMAR is @Cristiano! pic.twitter.com/MMWOZdSRmw
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 20, 2018
Not true! When the Nando boys get a corner, the cross is swung over to Ronaldo and the goalie is left with the task of fetching the ball from the back of the net.
It took just four minutes on Wednesday afternoon for the maestro to head home his side’s opening goal in that fashion, and to herald what could be the death knell for the Moroccans.
To their credit, the Atlas Lions never gave up and created a number of decent chances, without reward.
But the only luck they have is bad, and – twice goalless and pointless – their world cup dream is all but over.
Uruguay 1-0 Saudi Arabia
Having been thumped 5-zip against Russia in their opening Group A fixture, Saudi Arabia had nothing to lose by making wholesale changes for their do-or-die encounter with Uruguay on Wednesday afternoon.
Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi recalled some “senior citizens” to bolster the defence that had leaked worse than a municipal reservoir.
To their credit, the Saudis came out with all guns blazing. Not that they were gigantic guns, but at least the intention was there to restore some pride.
Courtesy of a Luis Suarez goal in the 23rd minute, Uruguay did enough to gain their second three-pointer to join Russia on six points and ensure their progress to the round of 16.
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