Fans rage on social media over empty seats

Russian fans took to social media on Saturday to demand why whole rows of prime pitch-side seats were empty during the match between Egypt and Uruguay, while locals had to pay nearly a third of an average monthly salary for a poorer view. The official attendance for Friday’s game at Ekaterinburg Arena was just 27,015, according to FIFA, at a stadium which has had its capacity expanded to 33,061. The thousands of empty bright-orange seats were embarrassingly conspicuous to fans all over the world watching TV coverage of the event. “I was a bit upset to see empty seats but I don’t have control over this, or the necessary information. It’s our FIFA partners who deal with tickets,” regional governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev said on Instagram.

Games involving big teams early in the World Cup have often failed to live up to their billing so, Spain and Portugal were expected to approach their Group B opener on Friday with an air of caution. However, once Cristiano Ronaldo was brought down by Nacho inside the Spanish box in the fourth minute, caution gave way to restlessness.

Spain had come into the game after three days of drama surrounding the head coach’s position. With Fernando Hierro being brought in as a last-minute replacement for the sacked Julen Lopetegui, it seemed like the instability had flowed onto the pitch. Portugal had the Spaniards rattled in the opening exchanges.

Ronaldo’s penalty handed Portugal an early lead but it could have increased had young forward Goncalo Guedes made more out of either of the two layovers by the Real Madrid star in the first half. The first opportunity saw Guedes fail to return the ball to Ronaldo who would have been through on goal with a 2-0 lead for the taking. The second had him failing to shoot after Ronaldo had cleverly set him up a few feet away from goal.

With their backs to the wall, Spain’s fluid passing game had been replaced by a form of hoofball uncharacteristic of the team. At that moment of uncertainty, they were rescued by the doggedness of Diego Costa.

A long ball from the back saw the Atletico Madrid forward fight his way through three opposing defenders and bury it in the bottom corner. 1-1!

The drama had only just begun

YEKATERINBURG: MOSCOW:

Cristiano Ronaldo’s hattrick against Spain on Friday not only earned him plaudits but it was also reported that he was the first player to score in eight consecutive international tournaments. However, that’s not correct. Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan, who has played for Sunderland and Udinese, among others, was the first player to reach the mark, in 2015. So miffed

NEW DELHI:

was Gyan that Ronaldo was being credited for achieving something that had already been done that he took to Twitter expressing his anger. Gyan has, in fact, scored at least once in nine consecutive tournaments – from FIFA World Cup 2006 to 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, meaning he stands ahead of Ronaldo. SHAYNE DIAS