On this day 15 June 2018 (Exactly 2 years ago today) Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show with a spectacular hat-trck to ensure that Portugal and Spain shared the spoils in Match 3 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo was Portugal’s saviour once again as he scored a hat-trick to secure a draw against Spain. It was the former Real Madrid man’s highest goal tally in a FIFA World Cup tournament match.
He kicked off with an early penalty, deceiving Nacho inside the box to win it and then stroking the ball home from the spot. Fortunately for La Roja, Diego Costa was also at his bristling best, getting the better of the Portugal defence to level the scores. Isco then thumped a rasping drive against the bar. Yet while Spain dominated possession they were vulnerable on the counter, and it was on the break that Ronaldo put his side back in front, firing in a drive that David de Gea was unable to hold.
Costa scored his second equaliser of the night just after the restart before Nacho atoned for his penalty-box trip on Ronaldo by powering a superb half-volley in off the post, his first goal for Spain. As the clock ticked down, however, Gerard Pique brought down CR7 just outside the box, with the Portugal star dusting himself down to complete the scoring with a sublime free-kick.
Budweiser Man of the Match
Who else could it be but Cristiano Ronaldo? The Portugal captain ensured a share of the spoils in a match that Spain dominated, becoming only the third Portugal player to score a World Cup hat-trick after Eusebio at England 1966 and Pauleta at Korea/Japan 2002.
The stat
3 – Ronaldo opened the scoring from the spot with only three minutes and 30 seconds on the clock, the third fastest penalty in the history of the World Cup. Only Dutch duo Johan Neeskens and Robin van Persie have scored quicker spot-kicks, the former after 87 seconds of the Final against West Germany in 1974 and the latter after two and a half minutes of the match for third place against Brazil in 2014.
Elsewhere
On this day 15 June 1958 (Exactly 62 years ago today) Czechoslovakia thrashed Argentina 6 – 1 in the 6th FIFA World Cup match played at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinborg, Sweden.
Goals Scored
Czechoslovakia
Milan Dvorak (8)
Zdenek Zikan (17,40)
Jiri Fuereisl (69)
Vaclav Hovorka (82,89)
Argentina
Omar Corbattta (65 penalty)
On this day 15 June 1982 (Exactly 38 years ago today) Laszlo Kiss of Hungary scored the 33rd and to date the fastest hat-trick in the history of the FIFA World Cup playing against El Salvador in a 10 -1 win at the Nuevo Estadio, Elche (7 minutes). Kiss scored in the 69,72 and 76 minutes after replacing Andreas Torocsik in the 56th minute. He is also the only substitute to score a hat- trick in a World Cup match.
NB: Only 52 hat-tricks have been scored in over 800 matches in the 21 editions of the World Cup tournament. As FIFA is the governing body of football, official hat-tricks are only noted when FIFA recognises that at least three goals were scored by one player in one match.
The first hat-trick was scored by Bert Patenaude of the United States, playing against Paraguay in 1930; the most recent was by Harry Kane of England, playing against Panama on 24 June 2018.
On this day 15 June 1986 (Exactly 34 years ago today) Igor Belanov of Soviet Union scored the 39th hat- trick in the history of the FIFA World Cup in a round of 16 match against Belgium, but the Soviet lost the match after extra – time
Soviet Union 3 – 4 Belgium AET
Belanov (27,70,111P) Scifo(56)
Ceulemans (77)
Demol (102)
Claesen (110)
On this day 15 June 1988 (Exactly 32 years ago today) Former Netherlands striker Marco van Bosten scored the fifth hat-trick of the UEFA European Championship playing against England in Dusseldorf.
Marco van Basten: Euro1988 Group Stage
England 1-3 Netherlands
Only a substitute in the Netherlands’ 1-0 defeat by the Soviet Union in their tournament opener, Van Basten was this time handed a starting berth and paid back coach Rinus Michels in spades. The then Milan striker showed himself to be a lethal finisher of the very highest order against England, giving his team sufficient momentum to go all the way to the final – where he once again had a spectacular part to play.
On this day 15 June 1951 (Exactly 69 years ago today) American boxing legend Joe Louis knocked out Lee Savold in 2 minutes 29 seconds of the sixth round at Madison Square Garden in what was to be his last victory by KO.
On this day 15 June 1955 (Exactly 65 years ago today) At the 50th IOC Session in Paris, France, Rome won the rights to host the 1960 Olympic Games, having beaten Brussels, Mexico City, Tokyo, Detroit, Budapest and finally Lausanne. Tokyo and Mexico City would subsequently host the proceeding 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics respectively.
On this day 15 June 1984 (Exactly 36 years ago today) American boxer Thomas Hearns retained his WBC light middleweight title with second round knockout of Roberto Durán of Panama at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas; first time in his illustrious career Durán knocked out.
On this day 15 June 1987 (Exactly 33 years ago today) Michael Spinks knocked out Gerry Cooney in round 5 for heavyweight boxing title at the Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
On this day 15 June 1974 (Exactly 46 years ago today) 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert of America beat Olga Morozova of Russia 6-1, 6-2 for first of a record 7 French Open singles titles
On this day 15 June 1975 (Exactly 45 years ago today) Sweden’s Björn Borg retained his French Open title after beating Guillermo Vilas of Argentina 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
By:George ‘Alan Green’ Mahamah
