The Portugal versus Spain Group B encounter totally lived up to its billing.
Touted as one of the biggest matches in the group stage – the Iberian cousins put up a display for the audience at the Fishct Stadium in Sochi and the millions of football fans all around the world.
As expected for Portugal – it was a one-man show with Ronaldo single handedly doing it for them.
(For complete FIFA World Cup 2018 coverage, click here to visit our special WC page)
The action started as early as in the fourth minute when Nacho decided to trip Ronaldo in the Spanish box. The referee was quick to signal to the spot. Though Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea did his best to unsettle the Real Madrid goal machine , Ronaldo resembled the ‘Zen Master’ as he sent the ball to the top right corner of the box while the Spanish goalkeeper jumped to his left.
Ronaldo’s celebration after the first goal did have a not so secret message when he stroked his chin. Maybe he was hinting at the fact that he is the GOAT – Greatest of all time.
The second goal was the most ordinary one – as per Ronaldo’s standard – the shot from 20 yard just went through the hands of David Dea Gea, which will surely question his status as the best goalkeeper in the tournament
Like how we have dessert at the end of the meal – maybe Ronaldo also plans his matches in a similar way. I think this is the only way we can describe his 88th minute free kick. Inhuman, celestial and divine are some of the adjectives we can associate with it. The ball had enough curl and dip to find the top corner
But, if we take Ronaldo out of the equation for Portugal then the camp certainly have some thinking to do. The defense was completely out of place, proof Diego Costa’s two goals, which also highlighted his personal brilliance.
During the first goal Costa beat Pepe to the ball and used several neat moves to clear defenders before firing a low shot into the corner from inside the area.
For the second goal Busquets and Costa teamed up to turn in a set piece – while Portuguese defense was left napping.
Nacho scored the third of the La Roja – a glorious shot from 22-yard.
The match as expected turned out to be a goal fest but both camps have some thinking to do before their next game and for the knockout stages of the tournament.
The Portuguese team have been able to succeed recently because of its steady defense, but this time it was not able to hold on to its early leads despite twice getting ahead with goals by Ronaldo. It was the star striker who saved the team from defeat with his late equaliser. Cedric Soares, Pepe, Jose Fonte, Raphael Guerreiro must buck up, so do the entire team.
For Spain – it looks like that they over come all the drama that preceded their opening match. They were the better team on the given day. They had more of the ball, created more opportunities, played the slicker, smoother football. Their finishing which was a concern before the game – might not be any more as Deigo Costa showed it on the night, but still for me Isco was the more dominant player for the side the one who was most involved, who prompted and probed and prodded.
Ronaldo joined the likes of Pele, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler to score in four World Cups.
In all a match – which was good enough, sorry, great enough to get World Cup all set rolling