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Spain 3-3 Portugal: Ronaldo scores hat trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw against Spain

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SOCHI, RUSSIA (June 15, 2018) — Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa know each other well.

The two have faced off many times in the Spanish league, La Liga. Costa has been a member of Atlético Madrid three times, from 2007-09, 2010-14 and was recently signed in 2018.

Ronaldo scores hat trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw against Spain

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has been with Real Madrid since 2009.

The two strikers are no stranger to big competition and a rivalry. However, on the World Cup stage, the setting is much different — and both players know that.

In Sochi, Ronaldo and Costa found the back of the net twice. It was a matter of, “Who’s next?” and “Your move, Ronaldo or Costa.”

Ronaldo found the back of the net first in the fourth minute on a penalty kick. The foul was conceded by Spanish right back defender Nacho.

Then, it was Costa who equalized the match. Costa took a right-footed shot in the center of the box, sending it right past Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patrício.

However, right before the halftime whistle blew, Ronaldo fond the back of David de Gea’s net. Ronaldo blasted the shot, which bounced off de Gea’s knee and went right into the net. In the second half, Costa would find another equalizer in the 55th minute.

However, that wasn’t Spain’s saving goal.

Instead, Nacho, making up for his conceding penalty kick, scored the game-winning goal three minutes after Costa’s second equalizer. The shot was blasted from the left side of the box, completely catching Patrício off guard.

In typical Ronaldo fashion, the striker wasn’t settling for a loss. Instead, Ronaldo earned a free kick in the 88th minute, sending a strike right past de Gea. Spain and Portugal ended the match with a draw, each claiming one point.

A Close Battle

Spain held the possession count through the entire match, finishing with a 66 percent possession count. Portugal held the ball for 34 percent of the match.

However, the shots were relatively close.

Portugal sent nine shots around the pitch the entire match, putting three on goal. All three that went on goal resulted in finishes for Ronaldo. Meanwhile, Spain recorded 13 shots, sending six on goal.

Patrício made three saves.

The two sides were also about even on corner kicks. Spain had five corner kick attempts while Portugal finished with four corner kicks.

Looking At Group B

With the draw, Iran is on top of Group B.

Iran narrowly won their match over Morocco with a stunning stoppage time own goal from Morocco’s Aziz Bouhaddouz. Meanwhile, Spain and Portugal each earned a point with the draw.

All four teams in Group B will return to action on June 20. First up, Portugal will take on Iran at 8 a.m. ET. Then, at 2 p.m. ET, Spain will take on Iran, the group leaders.

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Rachael Kriger, Senior Editor

Rachael Kriger, Senior Editor

Rachael Kriger is a senior editor at Last Word on Soccer, and the lead Seattle Sounders writer. She has been with the site since March 2018, and serves as a social media expert and regular contributor on the Last Word SC Radio Podcast. Personally, Rachael lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is a nine-year basketball coach, an avid photographer and big Riverhounds fan. She loves her beloved Russian National Team and cried when they beat Spain in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

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