Feats to be tied

Spain, Portugal net draws to advance in World Cup

SARANSK, Russia — Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed penalty cost Portugal first place in its World Cup group.

Portugal finished second in Group B after a 1-1 draw with Iran on Monday. The 2016 European champions will next face Uruguay on Saturday in the round of 16.

Instead of Ronaldo, it was Ricardo Quaresma who scored for the Portuguese. The 34-year-old midfielder responded to his first start of the tournament by producing one of the more aesthetically pleasing goals of group play.

Quaresma became Portugal’s oldest scorer in World Cup play by hitting a curling shot from the edge of the penalty area that went beyond the reach of diving Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand.

Quaresma’s goal came on a night when Ronaldo — who had scored all four Portugal goals in its first two games of Group B play — was denied on a penalty by Beiranvand.

Karim Ansarifard scored a late penalty for Iran, which need to win to advance but couldn’t break through a second time despite a furious charge in the waning minutes.

Spain won the group after its 2-2 draw with Morocco. Both Spain and Portugal had a goal difference of plus-1, but Spain scored six goals in its three group matches while Portugal had five.

Spain will next face host Russia on Sunday in Moscow.

Quaresma had never scored in a World Cup game; he had nine international goals in 78 previous appearances. But his goal had all the flare of a Ronaldo strike. He sent the shot with the outside of his right foot right into the far corner near the end of the first half.

Not bad for someone who had played little more than 20 minutes as a substitute in Portugal’s first two games. Ronaldo certainly looked impressed, wrapping his right arm around Quaresma’s shoulders as he roared and raised his left fist into the air.

Ronaldo has now missed six of his last 14 penalty kicks.

Ronaldo’s penalty was awarded after the use of video review following Portugal’s Ricardo Quaresma (left) celebrates scoring his team’s opening goal along with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo during a Group B match against Iran at the Mordovia Arena on Monday in Saransk, Russia. Irainan players react after their draw with Portugal on Monday in Saransk, Russia. an apparent takedown of the Portugal forward by Saeid Ezatolahi in the area. The Iranian team, already aggrieved by the replay system overturning a goal against Spain, reacted angrily. Players swarmed Paraguayan referee Enrique Caceres, who initially had waved play on after Ronaldo went down.

Beiranvand made it a moot point, but normally defensive-minded Iran still needed to score multiple goals to advance, and they were unable to do so against a squad that won the 2016 European Championship by virtue of its own strong defensive play.

Iran has now been to five World

Cups — all since 1978 — but has yet to advance out of group play. Its players collapsed on the field at the final whistle while Portugal’s somewhat muted celebration had more the look of relief.

Uruguay 3, Russia 0: Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani scored a goal each and Uruguay went on to defeat Russia, finishing undefeated in group play and handing the host nation its first loss of the World Cup. Both teams were already assured of spots in the knockout round, but Uruguay’s victory put it at the top of Group A and looking toward a match in Sochi on Saturday against the second-place finisher from Group B.

Saudi Arabia 2, Egypt 1: The oldest person to play in a World Cup match gave up a pair of goals, allowing Saudi Arabia to beat Egypt in a match between two teams that had already been eliminated. Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who is 45, took the field for his team’s final group match to set the record. Salem Aldawsari scored with almost the last kick, shooting from a tight angle inside the Egypt penalty area and poking the ball past El Hadary.

Monday, June 25 At Samara, Russia Uruguay 3, Russia 0 At Volgograd, Russia Saudi Arabia 2, Egypt 1

GROUPB

Team W D L GF GA Pts x-Spain 12 06 5 5 x-Port. 12 05 4 5 Iran 11 1 2 2 4 Morocco 0 1 2 2 4 1

Monday, June 25 At Kalinigrad, Russia Spain 2, Morocco 2

At Saransk, Russia Iran 1, Portugal 1

GROUPC

Team W D L GF GA Pts x-France 2 0 03 1 6 Denmark 1 1 02 1 4 Australia 0 1 1 2 3 1 Peru 00 2 0 2 0

Tuesday, June 26 At Sochi, Russia Australia vs. Peru, 10 a.m. At Moscow

Denmark vs. France, 10 a.m.

GROUPD

Team W D L GF GA Pts x-Croat. 20 05 0 6 Nigeria 10 1 2 2 3 Iceland 01 1 1 3 1 Argentina 0 1 1 1 4 1

Tuesday, June 26

At St. Petersburg, Russia Nigeria vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. At Rostov-on-Don, Russia Iceland vs. Croatia, 2 p.m.

GROUPE

Team W D L GF GA Pts Switz. 11 03 2 4 Brazil 11 03 1 4 Serbia 10 1 2 2 3 C.Rica 00 2 0 3 0

Wednesday, June 27 At Moscow

Serbia vs. Brazil, 2 p.m.

At Nizhny Novgorod, Russia Switzerlandvs.CostaRica,2p.m.

GROUPF

Team W D L GF GA Pts Mexico 20 03 1 6 Germ. 10 1 2 2 3 Sweden 1 0 1 2 2 3 S.Korea 00 2 1 3 0

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