Ronaldo’s hat-trick earns Portugal a draw against Spain

Fri 15 Jun 2018 World Cup Foot ball- Group B

Portugal 3                                                       3 Spain

Cristiano Ronaldo ( 4’ pen, 44’, 88’)       Diego Costa 24’, 55’), Nacho 58’

33- year –old Cristiano Ronaldo scores a hat-trick as Portugal settle got a dramatic late 3-3 draw against Spain in an opening World Cup thriller and denied Fernando Hierro’s Spain victory with a late free-kick in Sochi.

Spain fired their manager Julen Lopetegui only two days ago for agreeing a post-tournament move to Real Madrid,. Ronaldo had earlier opened the scoring with a penalty in the fourth minute after Nacho felled him in the box, before Diego Costa’s low finish dragged Spain back into the match. Just before the break De Gea made a terrible error, fumbling a Ronaldo shot through his gloves and over the line. Spain responded through Costa again, as the Atletico Madrid striker smashed in from Sergio Busquets’ knockdown nine minutes after half-time., before Nacho redeemed himself with a stunning volley from the edge of the area that crashed in off both posts.

Portugal had only 33 per cent possession compared to Spain’s 67 per cent.

Portugal now face Morocco in Group B on Wednesday in Moscow at 1:00pm while Spain will take on Iran on Wednesday with a 7pm kick-off at the Kazan Arena.

 

Group A

Uruguay 1               Egypt 0

Russia   5                  Saudi Arabia 0

Group B

Morocco 0             Iran 1