Iran V Portugal World Cup 2018

Iran V Portugal

(Synopsis in red)

Pregame bets:

Goals will be the objective today for Portugal, knowing that this is what is needed to come top of the group. Step forward Ronaldo so to do the business. Sure Iran are still in it, but with a well placed free kick, they soon wont be in it.

€1.47 Single
Iran v Portugal – To Score a Direct Free Kick C Ronaldo 14/1

€10.00 Single
Iran v Portugal – Anytime Goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo 5/6

Full betting review here>https://www.thisdrinkinglife.com/top-bets-of-the-world-cup-2018/

Ah Jesus Ronnie, what did you do!!!!!! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Beers: Group B of Beer World Cup:

World Cup of Beer Group B

Portugal, and Super Bock, on themselves today as I couldn’t source a beer from Iran, how sad.

SuperBock on its own, nice and smooth. No competition, so Portugal take top sport in my World Cup of Beer, Group B.

PreGame:

Against Morocco, Portugal scored after about 5 minutes and that was about all they did in the game. Just about crossed over the line. Morocco had them on the ropes all game but didn’t have the knock out punch required to get a result in this game.

Shame really as they played well enough in the game, and in particular N Amrabat who had Guerreiro in his back pocket all day.

And what can we say about Ronnie, what a great header, throws off his defender so easy, and powers Portugal into the lead. It pretty much stunned Morocco and it took them a good while to recover from it.

Morocco had a few chances where they could have scored an equaliser. Benatia was unlucky with a fine header, while Rui Patrício, the Portuguese GLK pulled off an amazing save to deny Belhanda, and then Benatia in the end with another free header that probably he should have did better with. They should have at least got one goal for all their effort, but that’s the marking of a good team, all chances no goal, Portugal one chance, one goal. That’s the difference!

Fair dues to Iran they defended stoutly in their game against Spain, I should have guessed their wily old manager Carlos Queiroz would have had the team well drilled for a show of defensive strength. Now normally this has all the hallmarks of a dull game, but in truth it was anything but. It was a fascinating duel between the classy Spain against the resolute defending of Iran. For a long time I really couldn’t see how the usually patient Spanish build up was going to break down such a solid defensive line. Where was the goal going to come from?

Not only that but at times Iran broke out of their defensive lock to attack Spain as well. Ansarifard had what the whole watching public thought was a goal, close but unfortunately for Iran it was the side netting. Oh so close. Then there was that goal, but so unlucky to be stroked off due to a very close offside, bad luck that VAR is unflappable!

Diego Costa got the lucky goal, scoring off a rebound that hit his knee, don’t think he even knew too much about it. Not much the goalkeeper could do about it.

Iran would have one final chance, Amiri managed to nutmeg Pique, in what must be one of the early highlights of the world cup so far, and sent in a killer cross for Taremi who missed a header that he probably should have at least got on target.

Today Iran get to play Portugal who at this moment I am sure are definitely not looking forward to meeting them. Ronaldo will have to wear some extra big shin pads when he plays against them as they are a pretty tough tackling bunch.

A more detailed review on Iran here and on Portugal here

Looked at the second half of this game and boy was it incident packed, and not for all the right reasons. Quaresma had put Portugal ahead just before half time with a lovely goal, outside of his foot curling it in, lovely stuff.

Ronnie was fouled in the box, initially didn’t look like a penalty and I dont think Ronaldo protested that much either, but then the ref changed his mind, and had got VAR to recheck it. And sure enough it was a penalty. Looking at the slow-mo I guess there could be an argument that the defender clipped Ronaldo. Either way the big oaf missed it or to put it more correctly it was well saved by Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand

Iran then went up the field and had a great chance but Pepe got in a last ditch tackle. Iran were getting closer.

There was quite a lot of diving in the game. Quaresma made a right fool of himself, rolling around like a baby. It is always the fellas with all the tats, its a sure sign of insecurity.

Then we had one of the big incidents of the night. Ronaldo’s hand brushed Pouraliganji’s chest and the poor soul nearly had a heart attack. I never knew Ronnie had ninja like strength, amazing. I thought the referee did very well, considering the pressure from the crowd and the Iran bench. He gave a yellow and should have given one to Pouraliganji for playacting, bloody clown. There is a reason why Iran dont play rugby.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, we still had the late drama of another penalty. This time awarded to Iran when, Portugal defender, Cedric Soares, accidentally brushed the ball with his hand, when he was jumping to head the ball, very slight, and in my opinion not a penalty. But of course he gave it. Ansarifard scored it, and Portugal had to endure a tense final few minutes as Iran went in search of a winner.

And the funny thing about it all is that Iran nearly won the match at the death. Mehdi Taremi was free at the far post and took a shot that most of the stadium must have thought was in, I certainly did, but alas it was the side netting. He will live with that chance for the rest of his live, and no doubt so will most Iranians.

A tense game overall but I dont like this VAR, complicates things too much. Portugal were playing Russia one minute then Uruguay the next and in the end nearly went out altogether. They will have it tough against Uruguay for sure, while I wont be sad to see Iran go, didn’t like the vuvuzelas, and they were very cynical in the way they played the game. We have enough of those kind of teams already in the competition (Spain and Portugal are two that comes to mind!). Bye. bye