WORLD CUP DAY 2
World Cup Recap: Cristiano Ronaldo steals the show with a hat-trick on Day 2
Jun 15, 2018, 5:10 pm
That Ronaldo guy is good at soccer. Photo courtesy of Nike, Inc.
After Thursday’s opening activities, action in the 2018 FIFA World Cup ramped up with three matches on Friday. Egypt vs. Uruguay and the heavy-hitting Portugal vs. Spain were the bouts on everyone’s checklist - particularly because a win could decide the group winner in their respective groups.
Egypt 0-1 Uruguay
Ekaterinburg Arena, Ekaterinburg
Attendance: 27,015
This match was one of the must-see today because of the star power that could potentially be involved in the result - Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah for Egypt and FC Barcelona’s Luis Suarez as well as Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani for Uruguay. Instead it wasn't a goalscorer but a defender - Atletico Madrid’s Jose Maria Gimenez - that decided the match to give Uruguay a clear path to winning the group.
To start the match, Egypt looked like the better side because they looked better organized and looked more dangerous moving forward despite not starting Salah. Salah was not expected in the starting XI but was on the bench, as expected as he makes his way back from a dislocated shoulder injury in the UEFA Champions League final. Cavani and Suarez did have opportunities but they were defended well by the Egyptian defense. The clearest opportunity in the first half came off a corner in the 24th minute where Suarez misses the target and hits the side netting. Six opportunities is what Uruguay generated in the first half but only one was on target. Egypt had 2/3 shots on goal in the first but in the end teams headed to the dressing room with a scoreless draw.
Uruguay looked much more dangerous in the second outing. La Celeste went for the win but Egypt just would not break. Egypt’s goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was looking like the man of the match, forcing Suarez into tight spaces and saving a marvelous long-range attempt from Cavani. Salah would not come off the bench as the manager opted for other options but it was a gamble that looked like it would pay off - until the 89th minute. Uruguay had an opportunity off a free kick and it was all they would need to walk away with the 1-0 win.
Analysis: Not picking up results in the opening match can complicate teams, even the great ones, as we’ve seen in past World Cups. Uruguay was looking to head that way if they did not pick up a result. Fortunately, for them, they did pick up the three points and now look to be heading for the top of the group as all predicted.
Egypt on the other hand are still in good shape to go through despite the loss but a draw would have helped better their chances of getting a more manageable opponent in the round of 16. No sense in looking ahead now, as the pressure starts with host Russia up next.
Notable stat: Uruguay won their opening match to start a World Cup for the first time since the 1970 edition.
Morocco 0-1 Iran
Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg
Attendance: 62,548
This match was always going to leave much to be desired, especially considering the other two bouts of the day, which is why it was perfectly sandwiched in the middle of today’s TV schedule. Still, it was a must-win for both these teams because European powers Portugal and Spain are the other two teams in Group B. Both sides looked sloppy coming out of the gate an neither really did much to generate opportunities on goal. Everything shot at the goalkeepers was either a missed shot or something with not enough power behind it. It looked as though this would end in a scoreless draw but a winner was decided - sadly it was off a defensive mistake. An own goal by Moroccan forward Aziz Bouhaddouz when defending a free kick in stoppage time was the decider that gave Iran the three points.
Analysis: As mentioned, this was a must-win for either team given Portugal and Spain are the favorites to move out of this group. Still, if you wanted to give yourself a chance it was with a win here and hope other results work out for you in the next two matchdays. Ultimately, it still looks difficult for Iran but they’ve given themselves a chance and can already call this World Cup a success. Morocco on the other hand have to feel like they’re eliminated and are now staring at a winless trip with Portugal and Spain, respectively, up next.
Portugal 3-3 Spain
Fisht Stadium, Sochi
Attendance: 43,866
This match delivered great moments and left us wanting more. Six goals in total, a hat-trick by Cristiano Ronaldo and, of course, the drama of how Spain would react on the field just two days after parting ways with their head coach. Well, I hope you sat down to watch this one because highlights may not do it justice.
Less than five minutes into the first half, Cristiano Ronaldo gets dropped inside the box and to the penalty spot we go. As he’s done so clinically for Real Madrid in the Champions League, Ronaldo did here to put Portugal in the lead over their Iberian Peninsula neighbors. The lead would only last until the 24th minute when Diego Costa converted on an individual play but not before elbowing a defender on a controversial play. Both of the plays - the penalty and the Costa potential foul - did not go to video review despite having the ability to for the first time ever of a World Cup. Ronaldo would rally his troops and would shoot his shot right before halftime, one that becomes a goalkeeping blunder by who many consider the best keeper in the world in David De Gea, and Portugal heads into halftime with a 2-1 lead.
Diego Costa would match Ronaldo in the second half by tying the match in the 55th minute, a free kick attempt that touches the feet of three Spanish players before Costa pushes it in to goal. As the second half goes on, Spain look the more dangerous side and translate that form in to the scoreboard. Nacho would score in the 58th minute with a spectacular shot from long range to place the Spaniards up 3-2 over their rivals. Then, a free kick opportunity in the final stages of the second half. Of course, there was no doubt who would take the attempt. Ronaldo converts and Portugal tie it 3-3 in the 88th minute.
Analysis: This result leaves the top of the group open and, given that the Group B winner faces the Group A runner-up in the next round, that could mean the difference between facing Uruguay or Egypt/Russia. Despite it being a draw, it feels like a win for Portugal. For Spain, a win was needed to calm the waters of firing their coach two days ago. Regardless, the group will likely be decided now by whoever scores more against both Morocco and Iran.
Upcoming Matches (All Times CT):
Saturday, June 16
5 a.m. - [Group C] France vs. Australia (FS1, Telemundo)
8 a.m. - [Group D] Argentina vs. Iceland (FOX, Telemundo)
11 a.m. - [Group C] Peru vs. Denmark (FS1, Telemundo)
2 p.m. - [Group D] Croatia vs. Nigeria (FS1, Telemundo)
Sunday, June 17
7 a.m. - [Group E] Costa Rica vs. Serbia (FOX, Telemundo)
10 a.m. - [Group F] Germany vs. Mexico (FS1, Telemundo)
1 p.m. - [Group E] Brazil vs. Switzerland (FS1, Telemundo)
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While holding one’s breath that for a change the Astros aren’t publicly grossly underestimating an injury’s severity with Jose Altuve having missed the last game and a half with “right side discomfort…”
The Astros averting a sweep vs. Oakland Thursday was in no way a must-win, but getting the win allowed a mini sigh of relief. The Astros are NOT in the process of choking. Could they collapse? Sure that’s possible. Also possible is that they’ve just been in one more ebb phase in a season of ebb and flow. They certainly have left the door ajar for the Seattle Mariners to swipe the American League West, but with the M's simply not looking good enough to walk through that door the Astros remain in commanding position. The Astros made a spectacular charge from 10 games behind to grab the division lead. But there was a lot of runway left when the Astros awoke June 19th 10 games in arrears. September 3 the Astros arose with a comfy six game lead over the M’s. With Seattle blowing a 4-1 eighth inning lead in a 5-4 loss to the Texas Rangers Thursday night, heading into Friday night the Astros' advantage is back up to four and a half games despite the Astros having lost six of their last nine games and having gone just 10-12 over their last 22 games. Not a good stretch but nothing freefalling about it.
While the Mariners have the remainder of their four-game series vs. the dead in the water Rangers this weekend, the Astros play three at the lousy Los Angeles Angels. The Astros should take advantage of the Halos, with whom they also have a four-game series at Minute Maid Park next weekend. Since the All-Star break, only the White Sox have a worse record than the Angels 19-31 mark (the White Sox are 6-43 post-break!). Two of the three starting pitchers the Angels will throw this weekend will be making their third big league starts. To begin next week the Astros are in San Diego for a three-game-set against a Padres club which is flat better than the Astros right now. That does not mean the Astros can’t take that series. The Mariners meanwhile will be still at home, for three vs. the Yankees.
There are some brutal Astros’ statistics that largely explain why this is merely a pretty good team and not more. As I have noted before, it is a fallacy that the best teams are usually superior in close games. But the Astros have been pathetic in close games. There used to be a joke made about Sammy Sosa that he could blow you out, but he couldn’t beat you. Meaning being that when the score was 6-1, 8-3 or the like Sammy would pad his stats with home runs and runs batted in galore. But in a tight game, don’t count on Sammy to come through very often. In one-run games the Astros are 15-26, in two-run games they are 10-14. In games that were tied after seven innings they are 3-12. In extra innings they are 5-10. The good news is, all those realities mean nothing when the postseason starts. So long as you’re in the postseason. In games decided by three or more runs the Astros have pummeled the opposition to the tune of 53 wins and 28 losses.
General Manager Dana Brown isn’t an Executive of the Year candidate, but overall he’s been fine this season. Without the Yusei Kikuchi trade deadline acquisition the Astros would likely barely lead the AL West. Brown’s biggest offseason get, Victor Caratini, has done very solid work in his part-time role. Though he has tapered off notably the last month and change, relief pitcher Tayler Scott was a fabulous signing. Scrap heap pickups Ben Gamel, Jason Heyward, and Kaleb Ort have all made contributions. However…
Dana. Dana! You made yourself look very silly with comments this week somewhat scoffing at people being concerned with or dismissive of Justin Verlander’s ability to be a meaningful playoff contributor. Brown re-sang a ridiculous past tune, the “check the back of his baseball card” baloney. Dana, did you mean like the back of Jose Abreu’s baseball card? Perhaps Brown has never seen those brokerage ads in which at the end in fine print and/or in rapidly spoken words “past performance is no guarantee of future results” always must be included. Past (overall career) performance as indicative of future results for a 41-year-old pitcher who has frequently looked terrible and has twice missed chunks of this season to two different injuries is absurd. That Verlander could find it in time is plausible. That of course he’ll find it? Absolutely not. His next two starts are slotted to be against the feeble Angels, so even if the results are better, it won’t mean “JV IS BACK!”
Presuming they hold on to win the division, the Astros’ recent sub-middling play means they have only very faint hope of avoiding having to play the best-of-three Wild Card Series. Barring a dramatic turn over the regular season’s final fortnight, Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown are the obvious choices to start games one and two. If there is a game three, it is one game do or die. Only a fool would think Verlander the right man for that assignment. No one should expect Brown to say “Yeah, JV is likely finished as a frontline starter.” But going to the “back of the baseball card” line was laughable. Father Time gets us all eventually. Verlander has an uphill climb extricating himself from Father Time’s grasp.
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.