Ronaldo misses penalty, Portugal draws with Iran | World Cup roundup for June 25

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after failing to score a penalty as Iran’s Morteza Pouraliganji reacts, left, during the group B match between Iran and Portugal at the 2018 World Cup at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia on June 25.
Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after failing to score a penalty as Iran’s Morteza Pouraliganji reacts, left, during the group B match between Iran and Portugal at the 2018 World Cup at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia on June 25. Francisco Seco — The Associated Press

• Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed penalty cost Portugal first place in its World Cup group on Monday.

Portugal finished second in Group B after a 1-1 draw with Iran. 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 hit a curling shot with the outside of his right foot 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 was denied on a penalty shot.

Karim Ansarifard scored a late penalty for Iran.

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.

• Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani scored a goal each and Uruguay went on to defeat Russia, 3-0, on Monday, 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.

Uruguay, which also benefited from an own-goal in the first half, had its third straight shutout of the tournament after consecutive 1-0 victories over Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

By advancing to the round of 16 with victories over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Russia secured its best World Cup showing in the post-Soviet era.

But Uruguay ranked No. 14 in the world posed a far greater challenge to the hosts.

Suarez, who seems to have put past World Cup controversies behind him, scored with a low shot from just outside the box that sailed past the wall of Russian players and into the right corner of the goal. The Barcelona striker blew a kiss to the corner of Samara Stadium where most of La Celeste’s cheering supporters were seated.

Uruguay went up, 2-0, over Russia on an own-goal the sixth of the World Cup to tie the tournament record. Midfielder Diego Laxalt’s shot from long range deflected off Denis Cheryshev’s foot and past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

Russia, the lowest ranked team in the field at No. 70, went down to 10 men after right back Igor Smolnikov received a second yellow card in the 36th minute. Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov immediately took off Cheryshev for defender Mario Fernandes.

Cavani scored in the 90th minute and was taken out a short time later. The Paris Saint-Germain forward put a rebound into the left corner of the net after Diego Godin’s header was parried by Akinfeev.

Uruguay was making its 12th appearance at the World Cup, which it won in 1930 and 1950. More recently, the team finished fourth in South Africa in 2010 and made the round of 16 in Brazil four years ago.

Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira made his first start of the World Cup. Since the 22-year-old Torreira has been in Russia there have been persistent rumors that he is headed to Arsenal.

• A video replay in injury time gave Spain the goal it needed to win Group B at the World Cup.

Spain substitute Iago Aspas scored the late equalizer Monday in a 2-2 draw with Morocco. 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.

Another substitute, Morocco forward Youssef En Nesyri, headed in a goal in the 81st minute to give already-eliminated Morocco hope of a victory.

Earlier, a mix-up by Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos gifted Morocco its first goal of the World Cup. Iniesta quickly made amends by setting up Isco at the other end to bring Spain level at halftime.

With Portugal also drawing with Iran, Spain progressed as group winner because it scored more goals.

• The oldest person to play in a World Cup match made some spectacular saves Monday. He also watched two go past him.

Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who is 45, took the field for his team’s final group match to set the record. Although he saved one penalty, he couldn’t stop Saudi Arabia from winning, 2-1, in a game between two teams that had already been eliminated.

Salem Aldawsari scored the winner for the Saudis with almost the last kick of the match, volleying past El Hadary from a tight angle inside the Egypt penalty area.

Mohamed Salah, playing for the second time since injuring his left shoulder in last month’s Champions League final, had put Egypt ahead in the 22nd minute after deftly controlling a long ball from Abdalla Said and then lobbing goalkeeper Yasser Almosailem.

It was Salah’s second goal at the World Cup, and Egypt’s first in open play at the World Cup since 1934.

Salman Alfaraj got the Saudis level with a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time after Ali Gabr brought down Fahad Almuwallad in the area. The decision was confirmed after a video review and the penalty was taken in the sixth minute of injury time.

Almuwallad had earlier missed a chance to equalize when El Hadary saved his penalty. The veteran goalkeeper dived to his right and flicked his left hand up to push the shot onto the bar before it was cleared.

El Hadary was unable to repeat the feat at the end of the half, going the wrong way and having no chance as Alfaraj scored from the spot.

El Hadary also made a series of good saves in the second half to deny Saudi Arabia, notably in the 69th minute when he tipped a header from Hussain Almoqahwi over the bar. A minute later, he parried away a goal-bound header from Muhannad Asiri.

He had no chance with Aldawsari’s last-gasp winner, however.

El Hadary overtook Faryd Mondragon as the oldest person to play at the World Cup. The Colombia goalkeeper was 43 when he came on as a late substitute in his team’s 4-1 victory over Japan four years ago at the World Cup in Brazil.

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