Group B went batshit crazy on Monday, but when the dust settled and the VAR screen had been flicked off, nothing had changed over the course of 90 overly dramatic minutes in Russia: Spain finish top and will play Russia, Portugal finish runners-up and take on Uruguay. One major talking point is that the European champions could’ve been preparing for that game without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was given a VAR-inspired yellow card for an off-the-ball elbow.
RT si crees que la tarjeta tenía que ser de otro color…#FiestaEnRusia pic.twitter.com/ftgecqTII1
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) June 25, 2018
With Portugal leading 1-0 in the 81st minute, Ronaldo attempted to close down Iran in possession, but Morteza Pouraliganji got in the way. Ronaldo brushed Pouraliganji out of the way, but the Iranian man went down theatrically and the VAR instructed the referee to take another look.
For those who think Ronaldo should’ve seen red, you’ll be happy to know that another VAR decision — this one going entirely against Portugal and giving Iran a late penalty — doomed the side to a runners-up finish and a date with Uruguay in the Round of 16.
Uruguay looked much-improved today against Russia, and there’s no denying that a clash between Ronaldo and Uruguay’s center back pairing of Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin (it’s a Madrid Derby!) gets the blood pumping.
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