Monday June 25th

Group A

Russia brought down to earth

Russia 0 Uruguay 3 (Samara)
Uruguay won the group after an easy 3-0 win over hosts Russia. In the 10th minute Luis Suarez fired a free-kick into the bottom right corner and in the 23rd minute a corner was cleared out of the area as far as Stuani whose shot was deflected past the Russian keeper. Russia were reduced to 10 men when Smolnikov was dismissed for his second yellow card offence 9 minutes before the break. The Russians held on until the last minute of the match when Akifneev saved a header from a corner kick and Cavani knocked in the rebound. Russia go through as runners up in the group.

Group A

Saudis salvage some pride

Saudi Arabia 2 Egypt 1 (Volgograd)

Saudi Arabia came from behind against Egypt to score a late winner and go home happy. Mohamed Salah got on the end of a long pass from Abdalla Said and lifted the ball over the keeper to put Egypt into the lead in the 22nd minute, and 2 minutes later Salah received another through ball but with only the keeper to beat chipped the ball wide of the post. In the 39th minute the referee awarded Saudi Arabia a penalty for hand ball and The Egyptian keeper El Hadary, the oldest player in the history of the World Cup, did brilliantly to get down and push Fahad's spot kick onto the bar, but in first-half stoppage-time Saudi Arabia got another chance from the spot and this time Salman Al Faraj sent the keeper the wrong way. El Hadary tipped Almoqahwi's firm header over the bar in the 70th minute, but late in stoppage time the ball was played into the box from the right and Salem El Dossari scored the winner with a low shot across goal.

Group B

VAR scare for Portugal

Portugal 1 Iran 1 (Saransk)

Portugal could have been eliminated but had to settle for second spot in the group and a meeting with Uruguay after a 1-1 draw with Iran in a match that was littered with controversial VAR decisions. With the teams ready to go into the break at 0-0, Ricardo Quaresma played a quick one-two before curling the ball with the outside of his right boot into the far corner beyond the reach of Beiranvand. The Iranian keeper became a hero when he dived to his left to save a penalty from Ronaldo after the referee had awarded Portugal a soft penalty with the help of VAR in the 51st minute. In stoppage time the referee once again turned to VAR to overturn his initial decision and awarded Iran an even softer penalty which Karim Ansarifard dispatched confidently into the top corner. Moments later Portugal faced elimination but Taremi could only hit the side-netting from the edge of the 6-yard box.

Group B

Morocco stretch Spain

Spain 2 Morocco 2 (Kaliningrad)

Spain needed a goal in stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw with Morocco and top the group. A Spanish mix-up on the centre-line in the 14th minute allowed Khalid Boutaib to steal the ball and run towards goal before slotting it past de Gea, but 5 minutes later the Spaniards passed the ball into the box and Iniesta pulled the ball back for Isco to smash into the roof of the net. Boutaib was once again set free to run at goal in the 25th minute, but de Gea got in his way at the near post. Ten minutes into the second half, an Amrabat screamer struck the underside of the top corner with de Gea a mere admirer. In the 62nd minute Isco's towering header was cleared off the line by Saiss, but in the 81st minute at the other end Youssef En Nesyri met a corner kick with a bullet header to put Morocco back in the lead. In stoppage time a quickly-taken corner was crossed into the 6-yard area for Iago Aspas to flick in and give Spain a draw.