Kaliningrad: Iago Aspas scored a VAR-assisted equaliser in injury time as Spain scrambled a 2-2 draw with Morocco on Monday in a dramatic finale to their Group B campaign.
Aspas’s winner, initially disallowed but awarded after intervention from the Video Assistant Referee, saw Spain stumbled into the last 16 as group winners.
The Spaniards will now face World Cup hosts Russia in the second round after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by Iran in the night’s other game.
Portugal survive Iran scare
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty before Portugal conceded an injury-time spot-kick in a 1-1 draw with Iran at the World Cup on Monday as the European champions set up a last-16 clash with Uruguay.
Ricardo Quaresma curled in a trademark trivela goal on the stroke of half-time at the Mordovia Arena, but Karim Ansarifard’s late penalty dropped Portugal to second in Group B behind neighbours Spain.
Ronaldo won a second-half spot-kick after a video review but saw his effort saved, with the Real Madrid star unable to add to his four-goal tally at the tournament.
Portugal will face Uruguay in Sochi on July 30 for a place in the quarter-finals after ending Iran’s hopes of reaching the knockout phase for the first time.
Uruguay thrash Russia
Uruguay burnished their World Cup credentials with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Russia on Monday, finishing top of Group A with a perfect record while dampening the hopes of the tournament hosts, who had to settle for second.
Luis Suarez grabbed his second goal of the tournament to open Uruguay’s account with a free kick after 10 minutes and they doubled the lead with an own goal from Russia’s Denis Cheryshev soon after.
That silenced a vociferous home crowd who had been in party mode after Russia’s opening two victories and were not expecting their final group contest to be effectively ended in the 36th minute when Igor Smolnikov was sent off for a second booking.
Edinson Cavani bundled home a third goal for Uruguay at the death to wrap up their third straight victory, ensuring they finished above the Russians, who will now have to face the winners of Group B in the last 16.
Saudis stun Egypt
Essam El Hadary, the oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup, marked his record achievement with one outstanding penalty save for Egypt but was powerless to stop a second in a 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The 45-year-old goalkeeper flew to his right to make a spectacular stop in the 39th minute from Fahad Al-Muwallad’s spot-kick, awarded for handball, at the Volgograd Arena.
But Saudi Arabia scored deep into stoppage time in both halves, with Salem Al-Dawsari’s last-gasp winner securing their first World Cup victory since a run to the last 16 in 1994.
This post was published on June 26, 2018 5:12 pm