Cristiano Ronaldo became the first to score a hat-trick against Spain in the World Cup finals. (AP Photo)
The 2018 World Cup just coughed up a classic. This match had everything, starting from an early penalty, a goalkeeping blooper by none other than David De Gea, an absolute screamer from Nacho Fernandez which was the second of two goals scored within three minutes that helped Spain overturn a 2-1 deficit and finally, a top-drawer Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick that helped him complete his hat-trick. Spain conceded just three goals in their entire qualification campaign and Ronaldo knocked as many goals past them in the very first match. The World Cup opening ceremony may have been on Thursday, but we can now say that it has well and truly arrived.
FT
Portugal
3
4’ Cristiano Ronaldo- 44’ Cristiano Ronaldo
- 88’ Cristiano Ronaldo
4’ Cristiano Ronaldo3
Spain
- 24’ Diego Costa
- 55’ Diego Costa
- 58’ Nacho
Live Blog
FIFA World Cup 2018 Live Score Streaming: Portugal vs Spain Live Score Streaming
This match was Sochi's gift to the world.
THE PERFECT FREE KICK BY CRISTIANO RONALDO! He gets a World Cup hat-trick, Portugal back to level terms! Pique fouled Ronaldo just outside the box, 25-yards from goal. Ronaldo takes it. We are quite used to seeing Ronaldo clattering the wall from these distances but not this time. He curls it around the wall and De Gea is rooted to the spot as the Telstar 18 nestles in the top right corner. Superlatives are not enough to describe this goal, or this match. Ronaldo is the first player to score a hat-trick against Spain in a World Cup final.
A long ball over the top by Cedric from inside the Portugal half, Ronaldo runs behind it with Ramos and Pique on either side, De Gea rushes forward and they all come together in an almighty collision, the ball is knocked to the right where Quaresma uses his hand to control it. Ronaldo asks for a penalty, Ramos and De Gea are also standing and it is Pique who needs some attention. He hobbles off the pitch but comes back in almost immediately.
Change for Spain: Iago Aspas comes on for the goalscorer Diego Costa. Just before that, Portugal won a throw in on the right flank, Quaresma gets at the end of it and tries to drive it into goal, it is over the bar.
A lull as Spain plays 'knock the ball about the park and frustrate the opposition to death' game, which they are the masters of. Portugal came closest to the Spanish box through a poor Joao Moutinho corner.
Changes for both sides:
Portugal: Jao Mario and Riccardo Quaresma come in for Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva
Spain: Thiago comes in for Andres Iniesta
Bernardo Silva with a cynical foul on Isco and the Manchester City midfielder is lucky to not get a booking there. Spain get forward and Nacho tries to cross in from the right, it is a routine collection for Patricio but he does almost spill it.
Portugal trying to get forward and Ronaldo remonstrates angrily with the referee demanding a yellow card for the defender who fouled him. The referee keeps his calm and doesn't give Ronaldo himself a caution, which wouldn't have been surprising had it happened. Frustration for Portugal and their talisman. Their 2-1 lead has been knocked out of the part in the space of three minutes.
Well, a proper, A-grade screamer was the only thing missing from this match and that has been provided by Nacho. Whips a shot in first time from the right side of the D just outside the box and he caught it oh, so cleanly. It splits the air as it goes past Rui Patricio into goal. This match is a World Cup classic!
Iniesta fouled, free kick Spain, simple yet effective passing maneuver at the end of which Costa only has to tap it into a practically empty goal.
Spain dominating possession, just as they did for a better part of the first half. Portugal keep them on the toes though and it is not a comfortable period of possession for the 2010 World Cup winners. Iniesta is fouled by Raphael and Spain get a free kick.
Cristiano Ronaldo sets the ball rolling. No changes for both sides in the second half. Just an FYI, Spain conceded only three goals in their qualifiers. Portugal have already put two past them.
Make yourself a cup of lemonade or something. No coffee or tea because that would not be good for your heart rate, just like this match. What an incredible first half. Ronaldo set things rolling with a well-placed penalty. Portugal were looking absolutely vicious on the counter after that until Diego Costa's superb equaliser. A whole lot of things happened after that but all of that was completely overshadowed by that one howlerazzo from De Gea.
How many times have anyone said this, David De Gea with mother of all howlers and Ronaldo gets his second! Ronaldo takes the shot from inside the D, it is straight at De Gea but the Manchester United goalkeeper, widely regarded as one of the best in the world, is unable to hold on. His hands serve only as an obstacle as the ball bounces away and rolls into goal. This first half keeps giving, and giving.
A rare period of possession for Portugal also brings in a dip in the action. That is ended when Spain win a free kick deep inside the Portugal half of the pitch. Spain pass around before Isco cuts in from the right and takes the shot from just outside the box, it is collected easily by Rui Patricio.
Lovely play from Spain on the left with Iniesta and Costa playing a one-two before pushing it wide to Silva. The Manchester City midfuielder cuts back to Iniesta whose shot from the left is just wide of the far post.
This is blistering stuff! Isco hits the bar from the left side edge of the box. The ball bounces on the line and out, Isco asks the referee to make a referral, little does he know that it is the goal-line technology that he comes into play here. The replay is eventually shown and the entire ball hasn't crossed the line. Bruno Fernandes is later booked for a foul on Nacho. A goal and a yellow card apiece, then.
The referee asks VAR for a check but the goal stands, absolutely brilliant from Costa! That is the most un-Spanish goal you would ever see. Busquets knocks the ball into the box that Pepe headed straight back up into the air. He then goes down after what looked like a foul from Costa who picks up the loose ball, pushes past two defenders and burries the shot. Referee asks VAR to check whether Costa had fouled Pepe but the goal stands.
Spain hogging possession but Portugal pounce on them again, Silva races forward, passes it through to Ronaldo who leaves it off for Guedes but the latter can't take the shot. Why didn't Ronaldo go for goal himself?
Portugal get a freekick and a yellow card goes the way of Sergio Busquets. It is about 20 yards away from the right and Ronaldo (of course) takes it. It clatters against the wall and the man who took the full force - Busquets, it looks like - is knocked back on the ground. He gets back immediatly, though.
Spain hogging the ball but Portugal get it out somehow. It comes to Ronaldo who plays a blind flick straight to Guedes on the right, the latter runs forward but is isolated from Ronaldo by the Spain defenders.
Isco's cross from the left is knocked down by Diego Costa, it falls for David Silva who lashes a shot but it is wide. This, by the way, was Portugal's fastest World Cup goal since 1966. It is also the fourth time that Ronaldo has scored in the tournament.
Ronaldo picks the bottom right corner, De Gea goes the other way and the Portuguese captain opens his account for World Cup 2018. A nightmare start for Fernando Hierro's career as Spanish manager.
Ronaldo fouled by Nacho inside the box and we have our first penalty of the World Cup. Ronaldo against De Gea.
Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo shake hands. Spain are in white while Portugal are in red. La Roja kick off the proceedings. Sit back and enjoy the spectacle, ladies and gentlemen.
There are a whole lot of subtexts that go into this match and the most fascinating one would be between Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos. They are both Real Madrid talismen, they are both great headers of the ball and there is no doubt that Ramos would be the one marking Ronaldo.
Two star-studded teams are about to take the field and so one doesn't really have to from either country to become a supporter.
Portugal: Rui Patricio; Pepe, Raphael, Fonte, Cedric, Moutinho, Bernardo Silva, William, Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Goncalo Guedes
Spain: De Gea; Pique, Ramos, Nacho, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Koke, Isco, David Silva, Diego Costa
Both teams go for 4-4-2, although Spain do function more as a 4-2-3-1 with Busquets and Koke sitting in front of the defence. No big surprises there. Italian Gianluca Rocchi will be the match referee.
Iran have were put ahead in injury time thanks to a Moroccan own goal. As far as World Cup matches go, that was a rather forgettable affair, especially the second half but that own goal is among the very best. A brilliant header from an Iranian corner that left the Moroccan goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Follow our live blog here
Well, the teams are out. The match is happening at the Fisht stadium in Sochi.
Distractions galore for both these sides before their first match. For Portugal, all these distractions revolve around their skipper Cristiano Ronaldo. Up until today, it was all about his future with Real Madrid but now there is the new matter of him being slapped with a suspended two-year jail sentence and 18.8 million Euro fine for alleged tax fraud in Spain. But that is pretty much where it ends for Portugal whereas Spain have gone from being favourites to win the trophy to favourites to get knocked out of the group stage just two days before the tournament opener.
The Spanish FA came barging into the team camp on Wednesday, a day after Real Madrid announced Julen Lopetegui as their new manager. Federation chief Luis Rubiales said that they were informed about this just a few minutes before Real Madrid put out the press release. In between them angrily entering the camp and announcing the sacking of Lopetegui as Spanish coach, the team's Real Madrid players apparently requested Ruibales and co. to not go through with it. Anyhow it all went in a beautifully ugly way and Spain have now ended up with Fernando Hierro as their new manager. Nothing to distract them then.