MOSCOW – Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick, capped by a dipping free kick in the 88th minute as Portugal and Spain played to a wild 3-3 draw in the Group B opener for both countries in the World Cup.
Ronaldo scored twice in the first half, only to see Spain rally for a 3-2 lead after two goals in three minutes early in the second half.
Nacho Fernandez put Spain in front with a weaving half-volley from outside the penalty area in the 58th that bounced off the inside of the far post and trickled into the net.
Ronaldo had one more brilliant moment to come. Earning a free kick from about 20 yards out, Ronaldo’s shot got just high enough over the wall and dipped under the crossbar.
Goalkeeper David De Gea never moved and the Iberian neighbors each earned a point.
Ronaldo scored on a penalty kick he earned in the fourth minute and again just before halftime on a left-footed shot from the top of the penalty area that De Gea should have saved.
Diego Costa scored twice for the Spaniards, including a 55th-minute tally off a beautiful set piece set up by Andres Iniesta’s chip to the end line and a Sergio Busquets header back into the middle of the penalty area.
The draw capped a week of turmoil for Spain after the firing of coach Julen Lopetegui.
OWN-GOAL HANDS IRAN WIN
Aziz Bouhaddouz headed a free kick into his own net in the fifth minute of injury time to gift Iran a 1-0 victory over Morocco on Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the World Cup.
Only on the field as a 77th-minute substitute, the Morocco striker dived to reach a curling cross from the left but headed the ball past goalkeeper Monir El Kajoui.
There was an explosion of joy among the Iran squad, with coaching staff and substitutes sprinting onto the field and jumping for joy.
It was Iran’s second win in 13 matches at the World Cup, and Asia’s first since the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
With Spain and Portugal the other teams in Group B, Friday’s match in St. Petersburg was regarded as a must-win game for the two outsiders. (AP)
