COSTA SO LUCKY
Fluke goal breaks down Iran resistance
It was about as visceral a challenge as football can present, a hugely attritional contest played out to the relentless, infernal sound of Iranian vuvuzelas that drowned out any means of communication or thought.
It was just as well that spain had the man for such a test. Diego Costa’s goal, soon after half-time, came as you wondered whether they had what it took to knock down the door built by Iran in a partisan atmosphere straight out of central tehran.
the goal was not an object of beauty but the winners of this tournament will need much more than artistry.
someone had brought a banner which read ‘Iran 0 spain 0’ because even the Iranian fans knew what the plan would be. this was a team who had conceded five goals in 18 qualifying games. there was a reason why two of the three players who’d picked up yellow cards against Morocco didn’t start. Carlos Queiroz had nothing but attrition in mind. there was something quite captivating about the dance that unfolded, Iran deploying six across the back and three in front of them, though it morphed to a flat back nine at times, while spain tried to weave a silver thread through all of the obstacles.
some monumental performances repelled the spanish in the first half. saeid Ezatolahi, sitting in front of the defence at the start, was the human shield.
there was the impeccable manipulation of the ball we have come to expect from spain, yet there is a substantial difference between metronomic and dynamic. the spanish sought out the flanks with the diagonal ball, but those wide spaces were a wasteland, given that there was a monumental red barrier to lift the ball above.
this needed the dynamic pass which would break the Iranian defensive lines or, dare it be said, the long ball seeking Costa, but for 45 minutes those didn’t come.
when Costa did what Costa does — trod on ali Beiranvand’s foot when the goalkeeper was in possession — you felt it was necessary. He was indignant when a journalist put to him that he had been provocative. ‘what game were you watching?’ he said. ‘It was them provoking and us on the grass all the time.’
Costa brings that degree of difference and danger, which is why he scored the winner. He called for the ball on 54 minutes and, back to goal when andres Iniesta delivered, dragged it into a shooting position. Ramin Rezaeian’s challenge saw him hit the ball into his own net off Costa’s leg.
the spanish were not out of the woods. Ezatolahi crashed the ball in, provoking delirium from their bench, though was correctly ruled offside when the ball reached him from a free kick to the back post — a decision confirmed by VaR.
Queiroz said the stress of waiting for the VaR decision caused a member of his staff to be taken to hospital with heart trouble. ‘we hope everything will be all right. we pray for him,’ he said.
Queiroz’s side again almost equalised when Vahid amiri nutmegged Gerard Pique on the left and crossed for Mehdi taremi, who powered his header over, to spain’s overwhelming relief.
this was the kind of test which those with pretensions to win this trophy have to pass.