The match between the Iberian neighbours – Portugal vs Spain is always a pulsating encounter and their last encounter at the World Cup was in South Africa 2010 during a Round of 16 clashes. A David Villa goal made the difference for Spain as they triumph 1 – 0. Early on in the encounter today at the Fisht Stadium, a Spanish defender brought down Cristiano Ronaldo in the 18-yard box and the referee called for a penalty.
Cristiano Ronaldo in the 4’ fantastically struck the penalty and sent De Gea the wrong way putting Portugal ahead early on. That goal made him the first ever player to score in eight consecutive football tournaments. The match continued with both teams having the best of each other. Sergio Busquets received a yellow card in the 17’ after tripping a Portuguese player, Goncalo Guedes and it resulted in a free kick.
In the 24’ minute, Atletico Madrid ace, Diego Costa received a long ball and contested it out with Pepe, outwitting him in the process and firing into the top right corner of the net for grab an equalizer for Spain. This goal makes it his seventh in his last eight starts for Spain. At the stroke of half-time in the 44’, Cristiano Ronaldo fired a shot from long range and it wriggled out of David De Gea’s hands to ensure that Portugal takes the lead at half-time.
Diego Costa in the 55’, took advantage of a rebound freekick effort and scored the second equalizer for Spain. Six minutes after, the Spanish defender, Nacho scores a bedazing goal to put Spain ahead in 58’ for the first time during the encounter. Nacho became the first Spaniard to score on his World Cup debut since Juanito did at the Germany 2006 tournament against Saudi Arabia.
Both sides maximised their substitutions by the 86’ and two minutes after in the 88’, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant free kick that leaped over Spain defensive wall and left the goalkeeper, David De Gea stranded. That was Cristiano Ronaldo’s 51st career hat-trick for both his club and country and the 51st hat-trick to be scored in the history of the World Cup.
