Spain on tough path to World Cup glory, says Hierro
‘Iran dream of securing historic qualification remains intact’
KAZAN, Russia, June 21, (Agencies): Fernando Hierro says Spain face a tough challenge to reach the World Cup knockout stage following a “lucky” 1-0 win against Iran that lifted the 2010 champions to the top of their group.
A second-half strike from Diego Costa secured all three points for Spain in Kazan on Wednesday, where the deafening sound of vuvuzelas and singing from a predominantly Iranian crowd added to the challenge.
After an intense encounter in which Iran frustrated Hierro’s team of superstars for long periods, Costa admitted he got “lucky” when his strike rebounded off defender Ramin Rezaeian and into the Iranian net.
Spain, who drew 3-3 with Portugal in their opening World Cup match, held on for their first win to move level with the Portuguese on four points in Group B after the European champions earlier beat Morocco, courtesy of another Cristiano Ronaldo goal.
Hierro said he has reason to worry after a string of surprising openinground results in Russia.
Defending champions Germany were upset by Mexico, Brazil were held by Switzerland, Iceland drew with Argentina and France were lucky to escape with a 2-1 win over Australia.
“This is the World Cup, and not one single game is going to be easy,” Hierro said. “We can improve, and I hope we will keep winning while we do so, but nobody is giving anything away easily.”
Hierro said danger loomed next Monday against Morocco in Kaliningrad, with Iran, on three points, still in the mix.
“We are in a very even group, where everything is equal, as they are in the other groups,” he added.
“In certain groups teams have already qualified (for the last 16) but our group is very tough. We have no option but to secure all three points against Morocco.”
Spain’s bid for a second World Cup title eight years after their first, began in the worst-possible fashion, with coach Julen Lopetegui sacked on the eve of the tournament after Real Madrid announced he would be joining the club in July.
Hierro, who scored 29 goals in an 89-cap career with Spain, was promoted from his role as sporting director in time for their opener with Portugal.
Carlos Queiroz’s Iran also endured difficulties in the run-up to the World Cup.
Both Greece and Kosovo cancelled scheduled friendlies and sportswear giant Nike refused to supply the players’ boots due to US sanctions.
Queiroz, however, insisted their “dream” of securing a historic first qualification to the second round remains intact.
“Coming into this tournament, people gave us no chance but we still have chances to qualify for the second round. We’ll fight for our dreams,” he said.
“We lost top spot in the group but the reality is this: our dream is not over. Against Portugal, it will be match point for us.”
Pragmatic, uninspiring and too dependent on Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s performance at the World Cup is starting to bear an uncanny resemblance to their victorious Euro 2016 campaign.
Portugal emerged triumphant in France two years ago by doing the minimum necessary to win games, with coach Fernando Santos saying he was happy for them to be considered the tournament’s ugly ducklings.
They scraped through the group stage with three draws, then beat Croatia in extra-time, Poland on penalties, Wales with two second-half goals and France with another extra-time winner.
In all of the knockout matches, Portugal had less possession than their opponents, ranging from 41 percent against Croatia to 47 percent against France, and the same has happened in their
opening two games at the World Cup.
Against Spain, Portugal had only 39 percent of the ball yet managed a 3-3 draw thanks to a Ronaldo hat-trick which included a brilliant last-gasp free kick.
In Wednesday’s match against Morocco, they struck early, again through Ronaldo, then held on grimly despite having only 47 percent possession.
That has left them needing one point against Iran — a team led by former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz, whose approach is even more dour — to make the second round.
Santos has made no apologies for Portugal’s approach and their results back him up.
In 26 matches competitive matches since he took over in September 2014, Portugal have won 20 and lost once. Of those 20 wins, 10 have been by a single
goal and most of the others were against weaker opponents.
“I don’t know what beautiful is,” the former electrical engineer told Reuters in an interview last year. “What is pretty for me and what is pretty for someone else is different.
“I can say one thing; you can only win the European championship and the World Cup by playing well; the concept of what is pretty or not, is something else.”
But there is a frustrating sense that they could do more.
Apart from Ronaldo, with his astonishing tally of 85 goals from 152 internationals, there is plenty more natural talent in the squad which has so far failed to manifest itself.
Bernardo Silva, in particular, was a huge disappointment against Morocco
as he allowed himself to be outmuscled and misplaced a worrying number of passes.
Instead, it was the less flamboyant players who stood out, such as goalkeeper Rui Patricio, defenders Pepe and Jose Fonte, and the calm and composed William Carvalho in front of the defence. This time even Santos appeared to be worried.
“There was no intensity in our game. We have players with a lot of skills and speed. We started well but then we were put under pressure and it was difficult,” he said.
Fonte, meanwhile, summed up what he considered to be Portugal’s biggest attribute. “We knew how to suffer,” he said.
It looks like there is a lot more of that to come.