It may not have been pretty, but both Spain and Portugal did just enough to see themselves through to the knockout round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Both teams faced surprisingly robust opposition from opponents they were heavily favored to defeat, with the final results remaining uncertain until the final whistles blew in both matches.
Group B Down to Wire
Morocco twice took leads in their match against Spain, but a late video-assisted referee (VAR) decision overturned an offsides call, allowing Spain to claim a 2-2 draw.
Morocco drew first blood when Khalid Boutaib scored in the 14th minute on a break off a Sergio Ramos giveaway. It was Morocco’s first World Cup goal since 1998.
Spain would equalize five minutes later on a goal by Isco, and the score remained 1-1 for most of the match. But Morocco would take a 2-1 lead after 81 minutes when Youssef En-Nesyri rose above his defended off a corner kick to put a header past David De Gea.
Spain rescued a point when Iago Aspas’ clever back heel flick was ruled a good goal after being initially ruled offside. The draw clinched advancement for the Spaniards, regardless of what happened in the other match.
There was even more drama in the match between Portugal and Iran. A late first half goal on a great strike from outside the box by Ricardo Quaresma gave Portugal a lead that stood up for most of the game.
Portugal looked certain to take a two-goal lead early in the second half, but a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty kick was saved by Iranian keeper Alireza Beiranvand. The play became fiery and ragged for much of the second half, with players on both sides – including Ronaldo himself – receiving a total of five yellow cards after halftime.
Just when it appeared they had come up short, Iran received a penalty after VAR determined that Cedric Soares was guilty of handball inside the box in stoppage time. Karim Ansarifard converted from the spot to tie the score at 1-1.
Iran would need to win to go through, however, and it nearly happened when Mehdi Taremi had a clean look at net deep into added time. But his shot hit the side netting, and Portugal was able to hang on for the draw.
As a result, Spain and Portugal both finished with five points, with Spain taking the top spot based on goals scored.
Uruguay Overwhelms Russia to Win Group A
Earlier, Uruguay had little trouble getting past hosts Russia, earning a 3-0 victory to take the top spot in Group A.
Luis Suarez scored in the 10th minute on a low free kick into the far corner that beat Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. They doubled their lead after 23 minutes when a Diego Laxalt shot caromed off of Denis Cheryshev and into the net for an unfortunate own goal.
Any hopes of a Russian comeback were effectively dashed when defender Igor Smolnikov was sent off after receiving a second yellow card after just 36 minutes. A late goal from Edinson Cavani provided the final margin of victory for Uruguay.
Saudi Arabia also grabbed a consolation victory, as a stoppage-time goal from Salem Al-Dawsari gave his side a 2-1 victory over Egypt.
Mohamed Salah scored on a beautiful chip in the 22nd minute to give Egypt an early advantage. Fate appeared to be with the Egyptians for a while, as 45-year-old goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary – who set the record as the oldest player to ever play in a World Cup match – saved a penalty kick from Fahad Al Muwallad.
But Salman Al-Faraj would tie the game on another penalty attempt just before halftime, and Saudi Arabia appeared to be the more dangerous side all the way up until the last minute winner.
The results mean that Uruguay will take on Portugal in the Round of 16, while Spain will face Russia. Spain is a 5/1 second choice to win the World Cup according to William Hill; Portugal (16/1) and Uruguay (25/1) are considered dark horse contenders, while Russia (66/1) aren’t expect to go far in the knockout rounds.
