Portugal vs Spain Review

Portugal 3-3 Spain 

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick for Portugal as he denied Fernando Hierro's a victory in his opening game as Spain boss with a peach of a freekick late on in their World Cup Group B opener.

Wow! That game was absolutely superb. Portugal started off the liveliest, and when Cristiano Ronaldo went down under a challenge from Real Madrid Nacho, and converted it, we began wondering whether the decision to sack Julen Lopetegu had effected the Spanish national team 

Following the shock decision by the Spanish FA to sack boss Julen Lopetegui was fired as Spain boss for agreeing to replace Zinedine Zidane, after the World Cup and move to Real Madrid, 

Ronaldo had earlier opened the scoring, a penalty in the fourth minute after Nacho tripped him in the box, before Diego Costa's outmuscled Pepe before twisting and turning the Portuguese defence, and drilled a finish to drag Spain back into the match.

But just before the break De Gea made a terrible and uncharacteristic error, similar that of Rob Green vs USA in 2010, fumbling a zipping Ronaldo shot through his gloves and over the line. 

Costa yet again Spain's hero,  the Atletico Madrid striker smashing in from a Sergio Busquets' knockdown nine minutes after returning half-time, before Nacho's world class finish and curl onto the inside of De Gea's right post, redeeming himself for that 4th minute penalty. 

Ronaldo, following an electric first half, was in largely anonymous in the second but he was the only man for the job, when a late Portugal freekick presented itself. Ronaldo's signature shorts roll and stance teed up a chance for an entertaining end to the game. Cristiano did what he does best and a freekick that lifted up and over the wall, dipping down into the back of the net. This was the last real chance of of this fascinating spectacle and become just the fourth player to score at four World Cups.

This was an absolute treat of a spectacle and defined exactly what the World Cup means and is. This match tonight, is probably the game of the 2018 tournament. 

Group B Prediction

(1) Spain 

(2)Portugal 

(3)Iran 

(4)Morocco