FIFA announcing the match officials for the First Stage Group C game, France vs Australia on Saturday June 16 at the Kazan Stadium in Kazan, Russia at 17:00 local time. It is Referee Andrés Cunha from Uruguay to direct the game.
Referee Cunha will be assisted by Assistant Referee 1: Nicolás Taran (URU), and Assistant Referee 2: Mauricio Espinosa (URU). The Fourth Official: Julio Bascuñan (CHI). The Fifth Official: Christian Schiemann (CHI). The VAR will be Mauro Vigliano (ARG). The AVAR1 will be Tiago Lopes Martins (POR). The AVAR 2 will be Carlos Astroza (CHI). The AVAR 3 will be Jair Marrufo (USA).
33% Ball Possession PORTUGAL and 67% Ball Possession SPAIN
Portugal 3 – 3 Spain
4′ Cristiano Ronaldo 24′ Diego Costa
44′ Cristiano Ronaldo 55′ Diego Costa
88′ Cristiano Ronaldo 57′ Nacho Fernandez
The First Stage Group B game between Portugal and Spain ended with a 3-3 draw on Friday June 15 at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi, Russia. We might say that new Spain Coach Fernando Hierro made his debut sending good signals after the sacking of Coach Julen Lopetegui on June 12 just 2 days before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup after he signed with Real Madrid as the new coach.
FIFA Group B Standing after the first game sees Iran in the first position with 3 points and a positive goal difference of +1. Portugal in the second position with 1 point and a goal difference of “0”, Spain in the third position with 1 point and a goal difference of “0” and Morocco in the 4th position without points and a negative goal difference of -1.
Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo playing one of his best games scoring a hat-trick becoming the Man of the Match. It’s the 51 hat-trick in his career. Moreover, a record for Cristiano becoming the fourth player to score in four different World Cup 2006, 2010, 2014, adn 2018, the three previous were Pelé, Miroslav Klose and Uwe Seeler. Another record, Cristiano is the oldest player to score three times in a World Cup match.
Crisis for Spain, Referee giving a penalty to Portugal. It is Cristiano Ronaldo to convert the penalty with a right footed shot defeating Spain goalkeeper De Gea the bottom right corner. The penalty is conceded by Nacho after bringing down Cristiano inside the penalty box.
Spain equalizing for the 1-1 in the 24th minute. It is forward Diego Costa to defeat Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio with a right footed shot in the bottom left corner. The assist is by Sergio Busquets.
Portugal taking the lead again and is thanked to the goal by the ONE AND ONLY Cristiano Ronaldo! An inspired Cristiano delivering a mega left footed shot all the way to the center. The assist is by Gonçalo Guedes.
?? @Cristiano has now scored in FOUR World Cups! ?
Spain taking the lead in the 57th minute with the goal by Nacho Fernandez from close range delivering a right footed shot in the center. The headed assist is by Sergio Busquets.
— Selección Española de Fútbol (@SeFutbol) June 15, 2018
1 – Nacho Fernandez is the first Real Madrid player to score from outside the box with #ESP in the World Cup since Fernando Hierro vs Nigeria in 1998. Missile. pic.twitter.com/I4gyHm2QSS
A superb goal by Cristiano Ronaldo equalizing for the 3-3 in the 88th minute. Cristiano lifting Portugal’s faith by delivering a mega right footed free kick shot directly to the top right corner not even giving time to goalkeeper De Gea to attempt to save it. Smacking goal, watch the video.
Click the video to watch Portugal 3 – 3 Spain highlights including all goals.
Here is PORTUGAL official starting lineup – formation by Head Coach Santos:
Goals: 4′ Cristiano Ronaldo (P)(pen), 24′ Diego Costa (S), 44′ Cristiano Ronaldo (P), 55′ Diego Costa (S), 57′ Nacho Fernandez (S), 88′ Cristiano Ronaldo (P)
FIFA announcing PORTUGAL vs SPAIN official starting lineups for the First Stage Group B game on Friday June 15 at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi, Russia at 21:00 local time. It is Referee Gianluca Rocchi from Italy to direct the game.
FIFA announcing MOROCCO vs IRAN match officials for the FIFA World Cup First Stage Group B game on Friday June 15, 2018 at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia at 17:00 local time. It is Referee CAKIR Cuneyt from Turkey to direct the game.
Referee Caker will be assisted by Assistant Referee 1 DURAN Bahattin (TUR) and Assistant Referee 2: ONGUN Tarik (TUR). The fourth official will be KARASEV Sergey (RUS). The Video Assistant Referee will be Felix ZWAYER (GER). The Assistant Video Assistant Referee 1 will be Mark BORSCH (GER). The Assistant Video Assistant Referee 2 will be Bastian DANKERT (GER) and the Assistant Video Assistant Referee 3 will be Jair MARRUFO (MEX)
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Morocco: 1 Italian Serie A player Juventus defender Mehdi Benatia
Here are MOROCCO vs IRAN official starting lineups – formations for the FIFA World Cup First Stage Group B game on Friday June 15 at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia at 17:00 local time. It is Referee CAKIR Cuneyt from Turkey to direct the game.
MOROCCO (3-4-3): El Kajoui; Hakimi, Benatia, Saïss; Boussoufa Boussoufa, Ziyech, El Ahmadi, Harit; N. Amrabat, El Kaabi, Belhanda.
Subs.: Bounou, Tagnaouti; Da Costa, Mendyl, Fajr, S. Amrabat, Bouhaddouz, Aït Bennasser, Boutaïb, Carcela, En-Nesyri, Dirar.
By Anna Italia
France – Australia 
Portugal 3 – 3 Spain 
Morocco – Iran 