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SPORTS Tuesday 26 June 2018

Ronaldo misses penalty, Portugal draws 1-1 with Iran

By BRETT MARTEL The penalty against Por-
AP Sports Writer tugal was awarded after
SARANSK, Russia (AP) — a video review showed
Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed a handball in the area.
penalty cost Portugal first But although Iran coach
place in its World Cup Carolos Queiroz benefited
group. from that review, he railed
It could have been worse against the system for the
if not for Ricardo Quares- second day in a row. In
ma, who started for the first particular, he cited a de-
time in the tournament and cision to give Ronaldo a
scored his maiden World yellow card after his elbow
Cup goal with a shot that struck Iran defender Morte-
had about as much flare as za Pouraliganji in the face
any in the tournament. in the second half.
Portugal finished second in “Elbow is a red card in the
Group B after a 1-1 draw rules,” Queiroz asserted in
with Iran on Monday. The English, adding that there
2016 European champions are no written exceptions
will next face Uruguay on for players named Ronaldo
Saturday in the round of 16. or Lionel Messi. “The deci-
“The conclusion and the sions, they must be clear for
most important thing is everybody, for the people.
we’re going to continue Everybody agrees that VAR
playing,” Portugal coach Portugal’s Ricardo Quaresma, left, celebrates scoring his team’s opening goal along with team- is not going well. That’s the
Fernando Santos said. “We mate Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo during the group B match between Iran and Portugal at the reality. There are a lot of
had a strong opponent.” 2018 soccer World Cup at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. complaints.”
Quaresma became the Associated Press Spain won Group B after
only player other than Ron- Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiran- game until the penalty, need to win to advance, its 2-2 draw with Morocco.
aldo to score for the Por- vand. and we didn’t make it. It but couldn’t break through Both Spain and Portugal
tuguese in three games in Ronaldo — who had scored wasn’t perfect, but that’s a second time despite a fu- had a goal difference of
Russia. The 34-year-old mid- all four Portugal goals in its football,” Santos said. “We rious charge in the waning plus-1, but Spain scored
fielder also became Portu- first two games of Group B did what was expected minutes. The Mordovia are- six goals in its three group
gal’s oldest scorer in World play — was denied on his and now we have to settle na momentarily vibrated matches while Portugal
Cup play by hitting a curl- penalty by Beiranvand’s down and think about Uru- from the sound of Iran fans’ had five.
ing shot from the edge of dive toward the right post guay.” roars when Mehdi Taremi Spain will next face host
the penalty area that went in the second half. Karim Ansarifard scored a hit the side of the net from Russia on Sunday in
beyond the reach of diving “We were on top of the late penalty for Iran, which 6 yards out. Moscow.q

Suarez scores again, Uruguay

beats host Russia 3-0

By ANNE M. PETERSON round for the third straight two matches 1-0, our goal
AP Sports Writer World Cup. was to get another,” Suarez
SAMARA, Russia (AP) — Luis Edinson Cavani also scored said. “We wanted to play
Suarez finally got rattled at Monday against the host the same we had before,
this year’s World Cup. nation, which dropped its only better.”
Sitting at the podium in the first match of the tourna- By advancing to the round
post-match news confer- ment. of 16 with victories over Sau-
ence following Uruguay’s Both teams were already di Arabia and Egypt, Russia
3-0 victory over Russia, a assured of spots in the secured its best World Cup Uruguay’s Luis Suarez scores his side’s first goal during the group
reporter asked him why he knockout round, but Uru- showing in the post-Soviet A match between Uruguay and Russia at the 2018 soccer World
often wore a sad expres- guay’s victory put it at the era. But Uruguay — ranked Cup at the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Monday, June 25,
sion. top of Group A and looking No. 14 in the world — posed 2018. Associated Press
Suarez tossed aside his toward a match in Sochi on a far greater challenge to
translation headphones, Saturday against Portugal. the hosts. with 53 international goals Ghana missed the penalty
then smiled broadly in de- Uruguay, which also ben- Suarez, who seems to have in 101 appearances, in- kick. Uruguay prevailed in
fiance and finally said: efited from an own-goal put past World Cup contro- cluding a goal against Sau- a shootout, and Suarez was
“What a waste of time. in the first half, had its third versies behind him, scored di Arabia last Wednesday. marked as a dirty player.
Next question please.” straight shutout of the tour- with a low shot from just But his two past World Cups Uruguay took a 2-0 lead
Other than that little blip, nament after consecutive outside the box that sailed have been marked by con- over Russia on an own-goal
Suarez has been on his best 1-0 victories over Egypt and past the wall of Russian troversy: He was sent home — the sixth of the World Cup
behavior in Russia, scoring Saudi Arabia. The Uruguay- players and into the right from Brazil four years ago to tie the tournament re-
twice as Uruguay swept ans and goalkeeper Fer- corner of the goal. The Bar- for biting Italy defender cord. Midfielder Diego Lax-
through the group stage nando Muslera have not celona striker then blew a Giorgio Chiellini. In 2010, alt’s shot from long range
with three straight victories allowed a goal in any of kiss to the national team’s he used his hands to block deflected off Denis Chery-
— sending the two-time the team’s six matches this fans. Suarez is the all-time Dominic Adiyiah’s header shev’s foot and past goal-
champions to the knockout year. “After winning the first leading scorer for Uruguay and then celebrated when keeper Igor Akinfeev.q