In the final round of games the matches are played simultaneously, just to make it less likely that teams might manipulate the outcome in their favour safe in the knowledge of the outcome of the corresponding match in the group. The challenge here is which of the games to watch live and which you watch afterwards... or at all.
In Group A it was already known which sides would progress and which would be eliminated so I chose to watch the match to determine first place as Uruguay take on Russia. Sometimes a team might be motivated to win (or lose) such games because of their likely opponent in the round of 16. Here the opponents for the two sides playing comes from Spain, Portugal and Iran. Iran play Portugal in a game Iran have to win if they wish to proceed so Spain are a more likely Group B winner. Loser of this match would likely play them.
Uruguay and Russia, to their credit, played to win whether for that reason or any other and the match was graced with an early goal courtesy of Luis Suarez. Notably the free kick from which he scored was assisted by one of the Russian players as he pushed two Uruguayan members of the Russian wall out of the way and a wrong footed keeper was stranded. Russia pushed back and had some chances of their own until a speculative long shot was deflected by Cheryshev who was credited with an own goal as the Russian keeper, again, was left wrong footed and watched the ball roll into his net a second time.
The match was effectively settled when Igor Smolnikov was booked for the second time as he sought to stop Laxale from making something happen on the left side of the Uruguayan attack and left the home side with an improbable 3 goals to score against a better opponent with only 10 men. In order to make up the defensive gap created by the red card Chryshev's ignominy was completed when he was replaced by the typically Russian player named Mario Fernandes.
Meanwhile Salman converted a penalty that was conceded by Al Gabr, awarded by the Referee, VAR flagged, reviewed and confirmed in a highly extended run of added time at the end of the first half to ensure that the game was tied at 1-1 after earlier Mohammed Salah lofted the ball over the advancing keeper after running onto a well weighted long ball for a splendid opening goal. Saudi Arabia had had a penalty awarded around the 40th minute for a handball on a cross but Fahad Al Muwallad had his shot saved.
The Colombian referee awarded a second penalty that the new penalty taker converted. On balance Egypt possibly had the better of the chances in the game so far but obviously not of the scoreline.
As the second half resumed back in the Uruguay v Russia match the hosts were doing their best to swing the game back in their favour but Uruguay are a very experienced side and know how to close out a game in a way that wins praise with terms like "tenacity" and "grittyness" which is usually code for "sneaky" and "rough".
The Russian effort waned towards the end of the game and Cavanni got a tap in goal from a parried header to close out the scoring and take top place in the group with a 3-0 win. As something of a consolation, and possibly a case of foresight on the part of the planners, the Russians will play their round of 16 match in Moscow rather than Russia.
Away in Volgograd Saudi Arabia were making most of the running as the Egyptian players started to think about which inflight movie to watch on the way home. The Saudis left it very, very late to snatch a winning goal by Al Dawsari as a well worked move saw him squeeze away a shot that eluded defender, keeper and snuck in after clipping the far post from a tight angle. An enthusiastic flip to celebrate Saudi Arabia's first win at the World Cup finals since 1994 was a fitting way to finish as the whistle ended the game immediately after the restart of play.
The group finished thus...
Uruguay 9 points
Russia 6 points
Saudi Arabia 3 points
Egypt 0 points
So we move on to Spain v Morocco and Iran v Portugal. The latter of those 2 games is "live" in the sense that both teams can still progress with Iran needing a win to do so at their opponents' expense. A highly unlikely combination of an Iranian win and a Spain loss would mean that both teams could qualify.
In truth Iran have failed to make much of an impression in matches so far managing only a late own goal and barely any shots at goal of their own. Portugal, or rather Ronaldo, has been having a much better time of it and he managed a shot on goal on two and a half minutes that was well saved. Iran however did better than simply sitting back and trying to absorb the Portuguese attack, helped no doubt by the insight of their coach Carlos Queiroz who has coached Portugal for 2 separate stints. Not much better, but a little.
On 15 minutes Portugal managed to get themselves a free kick (there was no contact in the attempted tackle) for Ronaldo to have a go at goal, because clearly he's the only player allowed to score. The ball clipped the top of the wall this time. I imagine Iran are under strict instructions to not concede any free kicks anywhere even remotely close to their goal. This, of course, is made harder when there is a certain flopsiness to the Portuguese.
On 20 minutes Iran got a free kick near the Portuguese goal and the raucous fans in the stadium took it up a notch as the kick missed the wall (good) and the goalkeeper (also good) but also the goal itself (bad).
Meanwhile the Moroccans scored an early goal against Spain with a defensive mixup between Iniesta and Ramos giving Boutaib to race through on goal and put it uder De Gea to score. A suitably jubilant Moroccan team stayed jubilant for only 5 minutes as Isco got to the pullback from Iniesta before anyone else and gave the Spaniards the kind of reassurance that trailing 1-0 doesn't.
Following that the only point of note in the half was that Morocco was doing their best to ensure if they didn't score then at least the referee would remember all their names because he had to write down many of their names.
Over in Saransk there wasn't much in the way of goals either but intriguingly Iran was getting some "moments". That is to say not direct chances (save a header straight at Rui Patricio) but opportunities to make those chances and tellingly Portugal wasn't really doing a lot better. As stated Portugal can afford a draw, but risk playing Uruguay in the next round which would be a harder task than Russia... or at least that's the thinking.
Turns out that the rule about only Ronaldo being allowed to score isn't as hard and fast as you'd think. In something of a lull before halftime Quaresma received the ball near the sideline, cut inside and after a one-two pass curled the ball beyond the outstretched hands of the keeper with the outside of his right foot and scored a goal as good as you could hope. Halftime in both games suggested that neither game was entirely done but it certainly felt like both Iberian sides would progress to opposite sides of the knockout draw.
And so it was. On 50 minutes a tackle just inside the Iranian penalty area was waved away by the referee before the VAR encouraged him to look again and a penalty was awarded ad Ronaldo stepped up to take it. As it turns out Ronaldo is not infallible and Beiranvand saved the penalty and clutched onto the ball like it was the most precious thing in the world. Iran still needed to score twice to win, but that's still better than having to score 3 times.
Iran kept pushing, Portugal pushed back and they would be relieved that Ronaldo wasn't red-carded for an incident he merely got a yellow card for. Ultimately though the VAR came to Iran's aid and a handball decision went Iran's way into stoppage time for a penalty. Ansarifard as Iranian captain stepped up to take an unlikely equaliser and made no mistake.
Unbelievably it wasn't the end of the chances as the frenetic ending to the match saw Iran hit the side netting when cooler heads might have seen them score... and top the group!!!
The final whistle came and the Iranian players were various levels of inconsolable as they clearly had given their all and pushed the European champions if not into crapping themselves then at least into mentally taking account of the nearest bathroom.
Over in the other group Spain and Morocco were also getting up to some mischief as Morocco's En Nesyri put the cat among the pigeons by heading home from a corner with 10 minutes to go leaving Spain sitting on the same number of points as Iran and behind Portugal. While there was nothing for Morocco to play for but pride you can't argue that it wasn't a worthwhile prize.
Spain managed to pull a goal back into stoppage time, with some questions about offside brushed away, to draw a game they possibly didn't really deserve to.
Spain 5 points
Portugal 5 points
Iran 4 points
Morocco 1 point
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