Ronaldo helps Portugal draw Spain, Uruguay score late victory, Iran win on self-goal

The second day of the FIFA World Cup in Russia had a little bit of everything in it. There was a dramatic six-goal tie, a nail-biting finish and a heartbreaking self-goal defeat.

At 33, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup. With the strike, he helped his team earn a nerve-wracking 3-3 tie with former world champions Spain in Group B.

Spain defender Nacho Fernandez tripped Ronaldo to give away a penalty in the fourth minute, which his Real Madrid team-mate dispatched, but Diego Costa levelled for Spain in the 24th with a blistering strike.

Costa had tangled with opposing defender Pepe in the build-up to the goal, which was the first at a World Cup to be given after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR), but Ronaldo pulled the European champions ahead again right before halftime with a shot that squeezed under David de Gea.

Costa clattered home another equaliser in the 55th while Nacho’s stunning first goal for his country three minutes later looked to have given Spain a galvanising victory two days after their preparations were thrown into disarray when coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked for agreeing to join Real Madrid behind the Spanish soccer federation’s back.

But Ronaldo, who became the first player to score in eight consecutive major international tournaments, yet again delivered on the big occasion with his expertly taken set-piece to level for the Euro 2016 winners and inflict more pain on Spain. 

Own goal in game’s dying minute trip Morocco

Aziz Bouhaddouz headed an own goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Iran a stunning 1-0 victory over Morocco in the first Group B game.

The rank outsiders in a group also containing Spain and Portugal were set for a 0-0 draw of little use to either until Ehsan Hajsafi curled in a free kick from the left wing which Bouhaddouz tried to intercept at the near-post but instead steered it into the goal.

It was heart-breaking for Morocco, making their first finals appearance for 20 years, but after starting brightly they will rue their cautious second-half display.

Uruguay leave it late against Egypt

Uruguay’s Jose Gimenez scored with a thunderous 89th-minute header to deal Egypt a 1-0 defeat in their World Cup opener, just as the North Africans appeared to have escaped with a point despite missing key striker Mohamed Salah.

Gimenez rose perfectly to meet a Carlos Sanchez free kick and score the goal that broke a 48-year Uruguayan curse of failing to win their opening game at World Cup finals.

Egypt came within minutes of surviving largely thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, who bravely dived to snatch the ball from Luis Suarez’s feet and flung himself through the air to tip a Edinson Cavani volley wide.