Quaresma’s flash of brilliance saves Portugal in tie with Iran
Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed penalty cost Portugal first place in its World Cup group.
It could have been worse if not for Ricardo Quaresma, who started for the first time in the tournament and scored his maiden World Cup goal with a shot that had about as much flare as any in the tournament.
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.
“The conclusion and the most important thing is we’re going to continue playing,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. “We had a strong opponent.”
Quaresma became the only player other than Ronaldo to score for the Portuguese in three games in Russia. The 34-year-old midfielder also 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.
Ronaldo who had scored all four Portugal goals in its first two games of Group B play was denied on his penalty by Beiranvand’s dive toward the right post in the second half.
“We were on top of the game until the penalty, and we didn’t make it. It wasn’t perfect, but that’s football,” Santos said. “We did what was expected and now we have to settle down and think about Uruguay.”
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. The Mordovia arena momentarily vibrated from the sound of Iran fans’ roars when Mehdi Taremi hit the side of the net from 6 yards out.
SPAIN 2, MOROCCO 2 >> It took a video review of an injurytime equalizer to give Spain first place in its World Cup group. Spain substitute Iago Aspas scored the late goal to force the tie. His clever deflection off a cross from Dani Carvajal was initially disallowed for offside, but the video assistant referee overruled the call at Kaliningrad Stadium.
“Until the last minute, we weren’t sure who was going to finish first and second,” Spain coach Fernando Hierro said. “And I have to say we were lucky to finish first.”
The decision set off a touchline melee among players from both sides.
Hierro took over as Spain coach on the eve of the World Cup when Julen Lopetegui was fired after taking the job at Real Madrid. Now he is heading to the World Cup’s knockout stage.
“Obviously we can improve,” Hierro said. “Five goals in three matches, that is not the way forward. That is what I have told my players, and they understand that.”
A rare mix-up by Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos gifted Morocco its first goal of the World Cup, with Khalid Boutaib pouncing on the loose ball and scoring in the 14th minute. Iniesta made amends five minutes later by setting up Isco at the other end with a clever cut back pass to bring Spain level at halftime. URUGUAY 3, RUSSIA 0 >> Luis Suarez finally got rattled at this year’s World Cup. Sitting at the podium in the post-match news conference following the victory, a reporter asked him why he often wore a sad expression.
Suarez tossed aside his translation headphones, then smiled broadly in defiance and finally said: “What a waste of time. Next question please.”
Other than that little blip, Suarez has been on his best behavior in Russia, scoring twice as Uruguay swept through the group stage with three straight victories sending the two-time champions to the knockout round for the third straight World Cup.
Edinson Cavani also scored against the host nation, which dropped its first match of the tournament.
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 Portugal. SAUDI ARABIA 2, EGYPT 1 >> The oldest person to play in a World Cup match made some spectacular saves. He also watched two go past him.
Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, 45, played in his team’s final group match to set the record. Although he saved one penalty, he couldn’t stop Saudi Arabia from winning a game between two teams that had already been eliminated.
“I am very sorry for the fans, for everyone in Egypt,” El Hadary said. “I want to thank my teammates. It was a great honor for me to play.” EXTRA MOTIVATION FOR MESSI? >> If Lionel Messi needed extra motivation for Argentina’s crucial World Cup game against Nigeria, then an opposing player may have just given him some. Argentina will be eliminated unless it beats the African team in St. Petersburg today, with speculation that Messi, 31, could retire from the national team if his side loses.
Nigeria defender Bryan Idowu is looking forward to perhaps swapping jerseys with Messi, but he especially wants to send him out of the competition. “That will be our main goal, to make it Messi’s last World Cup game,” Idowu said at a news conference. “As much as we enjoy watching Messi play, it’s against us. There’s only one option for us, (which) is that he plays his last game in St. Petersburg.”
MEXICO OUTLOOK >> Heading into its final group-stage game against Sweden early Wednesday (7 a.m. PDT), Mexico is facing several scenarios that could send it to the knockout rounds as Group F champion or send it home. With a win or draw vs. Sweden, Mexico wins the group and advances to the second round. Even with a loss to Sweden, Mexico still goes through if Germany fails to beat South Korea.
Under that scenario Sweden would be the group champion and Mexico the group runner-up. If Sweden and Germany both win — meaning Mexico loses — all three teams will finish group play with six points and goal differential will determine who advances. NEWS NOTES >> FIFA has fined three Switzerland players for making hand gestures of an Albanian national symbol to celebrate World Cup goals against Serbia. Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri received a warning and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) for unsporting behavior, in a judgment by FIFA’s disciplinary panel. … England fans are finally showing more interest in going to Russia to roar their team on now that it’s winning at the World Cup. England has cruised to the knockout stages and captain Harry Kane is leading the scoring at the tournament with five goals. Expect planes, trains and buses to be packed on the way to Kaliningrad for Thursday’s group game between England and Belgium . ... Already smarting after struggling through its opening two matches, Brazil needs to improve. Luckily, the five-time champions head into their final group match against Serbia on Wednesday knowing a draw is enough to advance.