Video: Portugal 3 – 3 Spain [World Cup 2018] Highlights

Tunde Lawal June 15, 2018

Hierro has kept matters simple after a whirlwind 48 hours for his team. In Spain’s final warm-up match they defeated Tunisia 1-0 with Aspas netting the decisive goal. From the team that started that contest, Hierro makes three changes. Costa leads the line through the middle, while Koke and Nacho are preferred to Thiago and Odriozola.
Santos has not provided a surprise with his line-up, with the only debate over who would partner Ronaldo in attack. Guedes has been given the nod over Andre Silva after scoring a brace in his side’s final warm-up fixture against Algeria last week. The only other change from that game sees Fonte replace Bruno Alves in the heart of the defence.

Ronaldo was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and he could hardly have placed the ball in a more ideal position for one of his special set-pieces, despite having failed to score with 44 previous free-kick efforts in World Cups and European Championships.

With the Sochi crowd on the edge of their seats, Ronaldo delivered with a trademark curler that bent over and away from the wall to settle a contest that will go down in history as a World Cup classic.