Spain, Portugal advance from group following morning of high drama at World Cup, as Ronaldo escapes red card after elbowing rival

June 26, 2018

Relive all of the action from this morning's World Cup clashes in Russia, where groups A and B were decided in style.

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8:26am

That'll be all from us today. We'll be back tomorrow, as groups C and D will be decided. Here are tomorrow's fixtures:

2AM Denmark vs France
2AM Australia vs Peru
6AM Nigeria vs Argentina
6AM Iceland vs Croatia

7:56am: FULLTIME - Iran 1 Portugal 1, Spain 2 Morocco 2

That's it! Both matches end in a draw.

Spain will face Russia in the second round. Portugal will have a blockbuster clash with Uruguay.

7:53am: 90+2 mins - Iran 1 Portugal 1, Spain 2 Morocco 2

Penalty! The penalty's been given for Iran! What a last few minutes.

Ansarifard belts it into the top corner. Spain now top of the group.

7:51am: 90 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 2 Morocco 2

GOAL!!! Spain's goal stands and it's 2-2.

7:49am: 89 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 2

If Iran can grab a goal, Spain will be eliminated here. Spain have a goal disallowed for offside though!

Iago Aspas has been robbed there! The referee will check with the VAR!

Six minutes of injury time in Portugal v Iran. 

7:43am: 83 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 2

Possible red card for Portugal! The referee calls for the VAR against Ronaldo! A nasty incident off the ball against Pouraliganji, this should be a red. Nasty and cynical from Ronaldo.

The decision comes in, and it'll only be a yellow! That is a complete shocker, Ronaldo has been saved by his name there. Horrible decision.

7:40am: 81 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 2

GOAL!!!  Huge chance goes begging for Morocco! A shot from Ziyech is deflected behind by Pique for a corner.

Morocco with plenty in the box, and they've scored! En Nesyri with a bullett header from the corner! Morocco in front again!

7:34am: 75 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Strange scenes now. Iran's manager looks like he's been sent to the stands for berating the match officials? 

7:26am: 67 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Ronaldo makes a dazzling run to the edge of the Iran area, he shoots right footed, but the ball sails well wide of the goal.

Still even for Spain against Morocco - Portugal to top the group as things stand.

7:21am: 62 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Isco with a huge chance to put Spain in front! A header from a cross into the Moroccan area sees Isco rise highest to get a header away, Morocco somehow manage to clear off the line though!

Spain desperate to take the lead here.

7:15am: 56 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Morocco hit the bar! A shot from the right has de Gea stranded, with the ball bouncing short of the line on the rebound! Spain survive.

7:12am: 53 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

The penalty is given! Iran are furious, Ronaldo will take it (obviously).

Ronaldo steps up... but it's been saved! What a moment in the match for Iran!

7:09am: 50 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Chance for Morocco as a ball over the top catches Spain unaware, de Gea comes with a punch to clear the danger though.

Elsewhere, Portugal have a review for a penalty.

7:04am: 46 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

We're back underway in Group B. All sides unchanged after the break. As things stand, Portugal will face Russia in the round of 16, Spain will face Uruguay.

6:48am: HALFTIME - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

That's the first half done and dusted between Spain and Morocco, bu Portugal and Iran have one more minute of stoppage time to play.

Portugal happy to dwell in possession now, they'll go through as group winners as things stand. The whistle goes to bring the half to an end.

6:46am: 45+1 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 1, Spain 1 Morocco 1

GOAL!!! Portugal score out of nowhere! Quaresma with the breakthrough, curling a shot with the outside of his right foot, perfect technique to finally break the deadlock.

That takes Portugal outright top of Group B.

6:43am: 43 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Iran starting to have the better chances now, Azmoun causing havok in and around the Portugal area. No breakthrough before halftime though.

6:37am: 37 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Chance for Spain! Busquets heads over the bar from a corner. Elsewhere, Iran are starting to find some luck in opening up Portugal at the back, Jose Fonte does well to clear any danger though.

6:34am: 34 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Chance for Iran now! A perfectly executed set piece sees a header aimed straight at Patricio, with the Portugal keeper pulling off a routine save.

Both games locked at 0-0 and 1-1 respectively.

6:26am: 26 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 1 Morocco 1

Spain and Morocco trading chances now! Once again Morocco are allowed clean through on goal, before this time de Gea makes a save. Spain run down the other end, only for Isco to fluff his shot from the edge of the box.

Scoreless between Portugal and Iran.

6:19am: 19 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 1 Morocco 1

GOAL!!! Spain hit back! Isco the scorer, but all the credit should to to Iniesta. A classic Spain goal passing their way into the area before Iniesta finds Isco unmarked in the box. Isco bashes his shot into the roof of the net to level scores.

Spain back on level terms, and as things stand, top of the group.

6:14am: 14 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 0 Morocco 1

GOAL!!! Morocco stun Spain on the break! Boutaib finishes past de Gea to put the underdogs ahead!

As things stand however, Spain would still progress ahead of Iran due to goals scored.

6:09am: 9 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 0 Morocco 0

Chance for Portugal! A huge mix up at the back for Iran and defender and goalkeeper go for the same ball. The rebound drops to Joao Mario, but he hits his shot well over the bar.

Both matches scoreless still.

6:06am: 6 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 0 Morocco 0

There's a scuffle between Spain and Morocco! Sergio Ramos appears to have angered the Moroccans after a foul on Isco - still scoreless in both games.

6:03am: 3 mins - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 0 Morocco 0

Ronaldo gets a shot away inside the Iranian area, but Beiranvand doesn't even have to move to make the save. Scoreless in both games.

At this stage, Portugal will win the group, Spain in second.

6:00am: Kick off - Iran 0 Portugal 0, Spain 0 Morocco 0

We're away with the final fixtures in Group B!

5:58am

The anthems are done and dusted, we'll bring you updates of both matches as soon as they're both underway.

5:54am

All four teams currently in the tunnel waiting to come out onto the pitch. Portugal and Iran make their way out first, before Spain and Morocco do the same.

5:43am

Here are the final starting Xis for both of this morning's matches:

SPAIN V MOROCCO:

Spain (4-3-3): 1. David de Gea (gk), 2. Dani Carvajal, 3. Gerard Pique, 15. Sergio Ramos (c), 18. Jordi Alba, 5. Sergio Busquets, 10. Thiago Alcantara, 6. Andres Iniesta, 21. David Silva, 19. Diego Costa, 22. Isco.

Morocco (4-2-3-1): 12. Munir Mohand Mohamedi, 17. Nabil Dirar, 4. Manuel Da Costa, 6. Roman Saiss, 2. Achraf, 8. Karim El Ahmadi, 14. M'barek Boussoufa (c), 16. Nordin Amrabat, 10. Younes Belhanda, 7. Hakim Ziyech, 13. Khalid Boutaib.

PORTUGAL V IRAN:

Portugal (4-3-3): 1. Rui Patricio (gk), 21. Cedric Soares, 3. Pepe, 6. Jose Fonte, 5. Raphael Guerreiro, 14. William Carvalho, 23. Adrien Silva, 10. Joao Mario, 20. Ricardo Quaresma, 9. Andre Silva, 7. Cristaino Ronaldo (c).

Iran (4-1-4-1): 1. Alireza Beiranvand, 23. Ramin Rezaeian, 8. Morteza Pouraliganji, 19. Majid Hosseini, 3. Ehsan Hajsafi (c), 6. Saeid Ezatolahi, 18. Alireza Jahanbakhsh, 9. Omid Ebrahimi, 11. Vahid Amiri, 17. Mehdi Taremi, 20. Sardar Azmoun.

5:33am

Well then, after Uruguay and Russia sealed their spots in the next round, Group B's winner and runner-up will be decided this morning.

Both Spain and Portugal have the chance to finish top of this group, hoping to avoid Uruguay in the second round, while Iran could sneak through into the round of 16 themselves.

Spain will face Morocco in their final group match in Kaliningrad, while Portugal and Iran go head to head in Mordovia.

We'll have the final starting XIs for you shortly.

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