Welcome to the Who Cares Guide to Portugal v Spain World Cup Group B Action. The Gurgler’s quick and easy guide for one of the two big, big games of the Group Stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
We’ve gone to the minimal of effort, so you can go to even less to keep up to date.
Sure you can go to many, far better websites, blogs, and endless TV shows of varying quality, but none will attempt to put it in the style you want. As little effort as possible.
We’ll throw in some barely interesting stats that you can roll off at work, home, or even on public transport until you have to get off at Sunshine station.
Conveniently, due to our own apathy, you can come here for both the preview and review.
So onwards then, to the Portugal v Spain World Cup Group B Action.
A WHO CARES PORTUGAL v SPAIN WORLD CUP REVIEW
What a game, that’s all there is to say. The best of it all is below.
THE RESULT
PORTUGAL 3
Cristiano Ronaldo (4′minutes pen, 44′minutes, 88′minutes)
SPAIN 3
Diego Costa (24′minutes, 55′minutes), Nacho (58′minutes)
WAS IT WORTH THE LACK OF SLEEP?
GAME RATING 9.5/10
Oh yeah. Two big top 10 teams fighting over three points and a vital first place in Group B and an easier passage through to the finals.
Often the big games turn out to be cagey, dull and a disappointment (like mostly in the EPL) but this game was great from start to finish, and certainly worth the loss of sleep in on Saturday morning.
SO, WHAT HAPPENED?
A lot of things happened. Six goals in all, changes of lead, and a hat trick for one of football’s greatest on the big stage.
The first goal came quickly, and through Ronaldo as he was taken down inside the penalty area. The penalty was soft, but correct.
Diego Costa equalised through brute strength on the 21st minute, with not even VAR being able to spoil the party for the Spanish.
Spain did a lot of passing, but Portugal looked dangerous on the counter attack, and who wouldn’t with Ronaldo lurking and waiting, and that is exactly what happened just before half time when Ronaldo scored his second goal after drilling a seemingly easy shot to David de Gea who spilled the ball through his arms into the net. 2-1 just before half time.
Spain got on top in the second half, and Diego Costa levelled again in the 55th minute with a powerful header. And three minutes later Nacho sent a firecracker through the Portuguese goal keeper and took the lead 3-2.
The game went end to end in a thrilling finish, until Ronaldo drilled the final free kick.
Almost worse still for Spain, is that Portugal could have snatched the game, but fairly they didn’t.
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Some things we knew before the game, but a few surprises came out of it.
Cristiano Ronaldo is bloody good. Like him or hate him, the man wins big games. There was an air of inevitability when Ronaldo was standing over that free kick at 3-2 down.
David de Gea is human after all.
Diego Costa is an effective forward even with the passing game of the Spanish.
After both sides conceded very few goals in qualifying, the three goals each shipped was a surprise. And perhaps this World Cup isn’t going to be a defensive as first feared.
TURNING POINT?
When Diego Costa goes off with Spain 3-2 up. In my opinion.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
Both teams should still get through, but pressure is now on, as another loss puts them in danger of an early exit.
Portugal have Morocco next, and Spain play surprise early Group B leaders Iran.
MOMENT OF JOY?
Depending on who you were supporting. The Nacho goal would have been the moment for Spanish fans and neutrals, and the third Ronaldo goal was pure joy for Portuguese.
BEST GOAL
The last two certainly saved the best until last. Nacho’s super strike from outside the box was super and unstoppable. But so was Ronaldo’s free kick, and under such pressure.
THE STAR
Cristiano Ronaldo
Was the difference between Portugal getting something or nothing out of the game. His final free kick just showed his superstar quality in big games.
Diego Costa was also very good for Spain.
OTHER BITS AND PIECES + FUN AND GAMES
Diego Costa looks so robust on a Football field, one wonders if he could be one of the only footballers on earth to be able to make it in rugby league. English Football League Beast Adebayo Akinfenwa is one of the other.
For all his greatness, is Ronaldo the most petulant sportsperson ever? Or is that just the tall poppy syndrome talking?
Another potential candidate for worst head injury that wasn’t quite, as Diego Costa slightly brushed the chin of the Portugal defender who immediately went down clutching his forehead.
LOOKALIKES
Sometimes the 90 minutes can drag on, so you need something else to keep your mind engaged at whatever in the morning it was. So here are the best fromthe Russia v Saudi Arabia world cup opener.
Cristiano Ronaldo sort of looks like the bust that someone made of him a while back.
The referee looked a little like Dr House aka Hugh Laurie.
A WHO CARES PORTUGAL v SPAIN WORLD CUP PREVIEW
Head to Head Record
Portugal 2 Draw 3 Spain 2
Last Meeting
Portugal 0 Spain 0 – Euro 2012
When is it? (AEST)
Saturday 16 July at 4am
How Should I Watch It?
Should I Stay Up? (Must watch and Stay Up),
Get Up? (Gotta watch live with pre sleep),
Wake Up? (Record and Wake up Normal Time), or
Catch Up? (Check the Score and the Group table and move on)
Gotta be Wake Up for this blockbuster clash.
The story…
This is the big game for Group B, and one of the biggest for the whole Group stages. It appears to be a great all round team up against one of the greatest players ever, but that is under estimating the rest of the Portugal side who won the last Euro.
In saying that, would Portugal win without Ronaldo? Probably not.
With Group A looking like Uruguay is going to top it, a loss here could see a very tricky opponent in the knockout stage.
Players to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Our Bold Prediction
Spain 1-0
Odds
Portugal $4.40 Spain $1.90
Draw $3.20 0-0 $7.50
1-0 Spain $5.75
Courtesy of Neds Bet
Best Bet
Spain to win and Under 2.5 Goals @ $3.60
Bluff your way to World Cup expertise
Spain won the World Cup in 2014, and a Euro Championship either side of that win. Portugal won the last Euro in 2016. Big teams winning big stuff.
Who Will Win based on a bunch of Stats of varying use.
BEST KIT – Spain
BEST BADGE – Portugal
BEST HEAD TO HEAD – Draw
BEST MOST RECENT RESULT – Draw
BEST BETS – Spain
BEST NICKNAME – The Red Fury (Spain) > National Team of the Quinas (Portugal)
UNDERDOGS CHOICE – Draw
MUTTSTRADAMUS THE DOG SELECTS – Draw
V a 2YO or 5YO CHILD – Draw
From our previous discussion on how to pick World Cup winners.
STATS WINNING SELECTION – Spain
REVIEW
Stand by for the review after the game.
