FIFA World Cup 2018, Round 1 Recap: Spoilt by beautiful goals galore

The first 16 matches saw four own goals, one red card, 38 goals at an average of 2.375 goals a game. Here is a quick recap of the first round of matches

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been the best player so far in the World Cup. (Source: Reuters)

At the end of 16 matches at the FIFA World Cup with each team playing a match each, players and coaches have figured where they need to improve and where they are covered. The first 16 matches saw four own goals, one red card, 38 goals at an average of 2.375 goals a game with 11 coming just in the Russia vs Saudi Arabia (first game of the tournament) and Portugal vs Spain. This is lesser than the goal scoring average at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil which saw 2.7 goals a game.

Let’s take a quick recap of the first round of matches:

Best game
No doubts here. Spain vs Portugal with six goals, a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick, Spain coming back twice and then taking the lead. But, in the end, Ronaldo proving far too decisive and far too much to handle. “When you have a player like Ronaldo, it is extremely fortunate for whichever team has him,” said Spain manager Fernando Hierro. While Portugal’s Fernando Santos had little to add to what has already been said. “I keep talking about Cristiano but what more can I say?” Santos said. “He’s the best in the world.” Undoubtedly.

Best goal
There have been quite a few decent strikes. Denis Cheryshev scoring a sublime left-footed volley against Saudi Arabia, Nacho Fernandez belting it off the inside of the post against Portugal, Ronaldo’s curling effort from a free-kick that went around the wall and past David de Gea or Serbia’s Aleksandar Kolarov presenting his own nomination with a filthy free-kick in the corner that cannot be saved on any day, then there is Philippe Coutinho’s gorgeous curling effort into the corner against Switzerland. There is also Dries Mertens’ loopy volley which opened the floodgates against Panama. Pick one, you ask? Nacho’s half-volley with so much swerve is so soothing to watch. Not easy, this.

FIFA World Cup 2018

Best team
Spain and Portugal played out a 3-3 draw and displayed plenty of vulnerabilities. And yet, they put on their hat in the ring for top team so far. Their attacking intent and will to drive forward even if in the lead made for a great watch. Spain looked going forward while Portugal were smart on the counter. Another side which was breathtaking on the counter were Mexico and had Germany’s two-prong defence of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng in tatters. Hirving Lozano’s goal was a product of that approach. On the other side of the pitch, Iceland produced a superb defensive effort to contain Argentina and shut the door on Lionel Messi and co. If forced to pick one, again, I’d say Mexico – for their organised approach in both attack and defence.

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Best player
Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal might not have come off with all three points, but the game was more of a Spain vs Ronaldo contest from the word go. Someone who has delivered in big games time and again, Ronaldo was there once again. For Spain, Diego Costa may not be as pleasing on the eye but it is about getting the results. A brace, creating problems for Portugal’s backline and leaving Pepe out of the equation… all point towards a good day. Much of the credit for Iceland holding Argentina should go to keeper/Eurovision entry maker, Hannes Thor Halldorsson. He denied Messi from the spot and kept raid after raid of attacks by the bay. Many questioned Harry Kane’s ambitions of matching Ronaldo as Golden Boot before facing Tunisia and Gareth Southgate for handing him the captain’s armband, but the Spurs striker justified himself with a double including one deep into stoppage time.