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54'
Diego Costa
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Match report in news

End of match

End of match

  • 94'
    FT: Iran 0-1 Spain. An entertaining game in the end after a dismal first half. Diego Costa's fortunate strike is the difference between the two sides. Iran impressed though and saw one goal disallowed for offside before seeing several decent chances go to waste.
  • 94'
    De Gea makes a huge punch to put an end to what will surely be Iran's last attack.
  • 93'
    Isco's ball in is poor and Iran clear.
Card

Yellow card

a Irán
  • 92'
    Ebrahimi is booked for an ugly challenge on Rodrigo. Spain have a free-kick just outside the Iran box out on the right.
  • 91'
    Azmoun meets a long ball form heep with a header but De Gea gobbles up the loose ball. 3 to play.
  • 90'
    4 minutes added on. Time is running out here and Iran are in possession.
Substitution

Substitution

at España
  • 89'
    Rodrigo joins the fray for Rodrigo as Spain look to run down the clock.
Substitution

Substitution

at Irán
  • 86'
    Ghoddos is on for Amiri for Iran, the last throw of the dice for Carlos Queiroz.
  • 82'
    CHANCE! Amiri slips the ball through Pique's legs on the byline before crossing to the far post but Taremi can only head over. Iran have looked a different animal since that spain goal!
  • 81'
    Isco bursts forward and exchanged passes with Alba but nothing comes of it.
Substitution

Substitution

at España
  • 79'
    Asensio replaces Vazquez for Spain.
Card

Yellow card

a Irán
  • 79'
    Amiri is booked for bringing down Carvajal.
  • 77'
    Isco takes aim with a free-kick from just outside the box but the Iran wall holds firm to repel the strike.
  • 75'
    CLOSE! Taremi is inches away from meeting an inviting cross from the left. Iran are making a battle of this.
Substitution

Substitution

at Irán
  • 74'
    Ansarifard's night is over as Jahanbakhsh replaces him.
Substitution

Substitution

at España
  • 71'
    Koke replaces Iniesta for Spain.
  • 69'
    Iran captain Hajsafi goes down again and he can't continue, with Mohammadi on in his place.
  • 67'
    Koke will be joining the fray shortly for Spain.
  • 65'
    Spain look so brittle when forced to defend, Iran are gorwing in belief here.
Goal disallowed

Goal disallowed

  • 62'
    DRAMA! Iran have a goal disallowed! The ball is crossed in and it eventually drops in the six yard box to Ezatolahi and he hammers it through De Gea and a crowd of players. The Iran players go wild in celebration, but the linesman adjudges it to be offside and VAR agrees.
  • 61'
    Taremi is brought down 30 yards out and Iran have a free-kick. Queiroz is screaming for them to put it in the mixer.
  • 60'
    Iran are certainly attacking more now. They have four men in the box as Taremi heads a cross from the right wide of De Gea's goal.
  • 58'
    Spain looking very dangerous now as Amiri has to head away Isco's deep free-kick at the far post.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de España en el 54'
  • 54'
    GOAL! SPAIN! COSTA! 1-0! Iniesta slips in Costa on the edge of the box and Rezaeian comes across to make a challenge, but he can only fire the ball into the shins of Costa, with the ball skidding in at the near post. The resitance is broken! Spain lead!
  • 53'
    CHANCE! So close for Iran! They lump a long throw into the mixer and it drops for Ansarifard, who hammers an effort goalwards, but it is the side-netting that ripples and not the back of it.
  • 51'
    CHANCE! Much better from Spain so far as Vazquez gets in down the right and pulls it back for Isco, but he lashes his effort over the bar first time.
  • 50'
    CHANCE! Busquets has a go from the edge of the box and Beiranvand gets across to it but palms it straight into the air. Lucas Vazquez is steaming on in pursuit of the rebound but the goalkeeper recovers to scramble the ball behind.
  • 49'
    CHANCE! Isco swings in a corner from the right and Pique meets it in the middle, flicking it goalwards, only for it to be blocked practically on the line.
  • 48'
    More possession for Spain early in this second half. Alba crosses from the left but it is hacked clear.
  • 46'
    Iran get us back underway here!
  • 45'
    HT: Iran 0-0 Spain. A determined first half form Iran as they go in at the break level. Spain have had all the ball, but failed to really break their less illustrious opponents down. A big second half is needed from the Spanish.
  • 45'
    CHANCE! Some fluid interplay on the edge of the box ends with Silva finding space to measure an effort. He strikes at goal and it takes a huge deflection, looping high into the air before dropping just wide. Spain are getting closer!
  • 45'
    3 minutes added on.
  • 43'
    That sums up Spain's half, Costa looks to drop the ball of for Alba to cross and instead punts the ball straight into touch.
  • 42'
    A HUGE BLOCK! Hoseini comes across to deny Silva a clear shot on goal form six yards after he was found by Isco.
  • 38'
    DRAMA! Costa appears to catch Beiranvand on the foot as he prepares to take a goal kick. The goalkeeper throws the ball into touch, leading to angry reactions from Costa and Ramos, who accuse the Iranians of wasting time.
  • 37'
    It's a good ball in from Ansarifard, but Costa heads it to safety. Meanwhile Iran skipper Hajsafi has gone down in need of some treatment.
  • 36'
    Rezaeian crosses from the right on a rare Iran forway forward but Ramos heads it behind.
  • 34'
    Spain with 83% of the possession so far, but there's only one stat that matters.
  • 32'
    Isco shows some neat footwork in the middle of the park to evade his marker but he gets carried away and winds up dragging an effort from 25 yards well wide of the far post.
  • 30'
    The corner is cleared but the ball is put back into the mixer and Costa nods it down at the far post, before Silva fires an ambitious overhead kick over the top from eight yards.
  • 30'
    Space opens up for Iniesta in the box, but he is quickly closed down and Spain have a corner.
  • 25'
    Silva tries his luck on this occasion and it takes a nick on the way through but Beiranvan makes the save.
  • 23'
    Busquets is clipped from behind by Azmoun and Spain have a more dangerous free-kick here. 25 yards out, just right of centre.
  • 22'
    Ramos has a go with a free-kick from some 30 yards but the wall does its job.
  • 19'
    Silva takes aim from range and catches it beautifully but Ebrahimi makes a determined block. There'll need to be a few more of those from Iran you sense.
  • 16'
    Beiranvand makes another good claim at the far post as Ramos angles in a cross.
  • 14'
    Ansarifard has a go from 30 yards but he drags his shot a long way wide of De Gea's left-hand post.
  • 10'
    Silva swings in a lovely free-kick from the left but it somehow evades everyone in the middle. Plenty of attacks, no real chances so far.
  • 8'
    Ramos gets a talking to following a crunching challenge on Azmoun.
  • 6'
    The ball in is a good one but Pique rises to clear before a speculative 30-yard volley flies into the back of the stand. A little warning that 'La roja' might not have things all their own way here.
  • 5'
    Iran burst forward and Carvajal bundles Amiri over down near the corner flag. Iran's winner against Morocco came from a set-piece...
  • 3'
    Good goalkeeping! Isco hangs up a cross to the far post, but Beiranvand gets up and punches the ball clear, seemingly unconcerned that Diego Costa is in close attendance.
  • 1'
    David Silva's cross form the right is headed to safety as Spain go on the attack early on.
  • 1'
    Spain get us underway here in Kazan!
Start of match

Start of match

  • PRVW
    The players are out on the pitch and we're minutes away form the start here!
  • PRVW
    Warm-ups are underway here:
  • PRVW
    Gerard Pique will make his 100th Spain appearance this evening:
  • PRVW
    Iran have never beaten European opposition at the World Cup in six attempts (W0, D1, L5).
  • PRVW
    Tonights game will be the first ever meeting between the two sides.
  • PRVW
    Iran's win over Morocco was their first at the World Cup since 1998 and Ashkan Dejagah is eyeing another piece of history tonight:
  • PRVW
    So, it is not Reza Khanzadeh but Majid Hosseini who replaces Cheshmi at the back, whilst Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Masoud Shojaei also drop out, with Mehdi Taremi and Saeid Ezatolahi coming in.
  • PRVW
    Iran: Beiranvand; Reaeian, Pouraliganji, Hosseini, Hajsafi; Taremi, Ebrahimi, Ezatolahi, Amiri; Azmoun, Ansarifard.
  • PRVW
    We're still waiting for confirmation of the Iran team, but defender Rouzbeh Cheshmi is believed to have been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after suffering a muscle injury in training, with Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh in line to be set to take his place alongside Morteza Pouraliganji in defence.
  • PRVW
    So, Carvajal does indeed return for this one, coming in for Real Madrid team-mate Nacho. David De Gea is kept faith with in goal despite his error-strewn performances of late, whilst Lucas Vazquez comes in for Koke as Hierro names a more open and attacking side than the one that faced Portugal.
  • PRVW
    Spain: De Gea; Carvajal, Ramos, Pique, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta; Silva, Isco, Lucas; Costa.
  • PRVW
    Fernando Hierro has been handed a huge boost ahead of this one, with Dani Carvajal declared fit to play following his hamstring problem suffered in the Champions League final.
  • PRVW
    Spain meanwhile played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Portugal, with a fine hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo the only thing that prevented 'La Roja' from taking home all three points.
  • PRVW
    Iran claimed a shock victory in their tournament opener, with Aziz Bouhaddouz's late own goal handing them all three points against Morocco.
  • PRVW
    Who would have guessed that Iran would be ahead of Spain going into this one? The Group B table is nicely poised ahead of this game, with Portugal's undeserved win over Morocco earlier sending them top with four points, one ahead of Iran in second, with Spain third with one point. Morocco sit rock bottom without a point, with their defeat to Portugal earlier eliminating them.
Info

Pre-match

20 June 2018, 20:00

Referee: Andrés Cunha

Stadium: Ak Bars Arena

  • PRVW
    Hello and welcome! We've got some Group B action for you tonight as Iran take on Spain at the Kazan Arena.