Ronaldo dazzles, Portugal draw 3-3 against impressive Spain
Sochi, June 16: Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Portugal and Spain drew a thrilling World Cup Group B game 3-3 in Sochi.
In the Friday night match, Ronaldo's last goal was a spectacular free kick, just when it looked as if two goals from Diego Costa and a volley from Nacho Fernandez would give Spain a winning start to their World Cup campaign, just two days after Fernando Hierro replaced Julen Lopetegui as coach, Xinhua reported.
Despite Ronaldo's late goal the Spanish can take heart that the change of coach doesn't appear to have had any negative effects on their play and both sides look much stronger than both Iran and Morocco, who played each other in Group B earlier in the day.
New Spain coach Fernando Hierro decided to play Costa in attack, while Koke partnered Sergio Busquets in midfield and Nacho Fernandez was given the task of stopping his Real Madrid clubmate, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal meanwhile fielded an attacking line up with Ronaldo, Goncalo Guedes and Bernardo Silva in the starting 11.
The game was only 4 minutes old when Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot after drawing a foul from Nacho, though TV replays implied it was the Portuguese striker who had looked for the contact.
Spain began to dominate possession but failed to turn that into chances until the 23rd minute when Costa won a high ball, twisted and turned and then beat Rui Patricio with a low shot.
A minute later Isco hit the bar from 25 yards and Spain were clearly on top, with their mobile midfield quintet causing Portugal problems with their pace and mobility as Iniesta shot just wide in the 35th minute.
However, on the stroke of halftime a dreadful error from Spain keeper David de Gea allowed Ronaldo to put Portugal back in front with a left foot shot from outside of the penalty area, which the keeper should have easily saved.
The second half began with a similar pattern to the first with Spain dominating possession and they were level 10 minutes after the break after Sergio Busquets nodded a Silva free kick across goal for Costa to score his second of the night from close range.
Three minutes later Spain were ahead when Nacho's volley from outside the area went in off the post and in the 69th minute Thiago Alcantara replaced Iniesta, moments before Costa fired wide from a low Jordi Alba cross as Spain continued to move the ball fluidly.
Portugal substitute Ricardo Quaresma hit a shot over the Spain bar and a run from Ronaldo had De Gea struggling as he came off his line, but Spain looked as if they were going to hold on until Ronaldo produced a moment of magic with an 87th minute free kick which left De Gea rooted to the spot.
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BJP offering Rs 100 cr each to Cong MLAs to topple govt, alleges ruling party MLA Ravi
Mandya (Karnataka) (PTI): Days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP was offering Rs 50 crore to Congress lawmakers to defect, in a bid to topple his government, a ruling party MLA on Monday alleged that it has been raised to Rs 100 crore by the opposition party.
Claiming that Kittur MLA Babasaheb D Patil and Chikkamagaluru MLA H D Thammaiah are among those contacted by the saffron party, Congress MLA from Mandya Ravikumar Gowda (Ravi Ganiga) said, he has "documents and evidence" to prove that the BJP was attempting to lure the ruling party legislators.
However, both Patil and Thammaiah have clarified that they were not contacted or offered money or anything by the BJP or anyone.
The BJP has challenged the Congress and its MLA to release documents and "ensure" a probe.
"...BJP should give up the attempts to dislodge the government, buying MLAs. None of our MLAs will fall for 'Operation Kamala.' We have documents and evidence to prove their attempts, we will release it before the media at an appropriate time soon," Ravi told reporters.
"As allegations after allegations against BJP are coming out, its leaders are worried about going to jail, so they somehow want to form the government. They want to dislodge this government from the money they had made during the previous government, also there are funds from the Centre. JD(S) too has joined them," he alleged.
Alleging that BJP plans to lure about 50 MLAs and thereby wants to bring down the government, the Congress MLA said, none of them will switch sides, as they all were staunch Congressmen.
"Offer was made to 50 legislators, also they had said 30 will be made ministers...they say they don't want anything other than their party government...all kinds of offers were made....As MLAs are not falling for Rs 50 crore, they have now come to Rs 100 crore (offer), they are not worried about Rs 50 or 100 crore, they somehow want to form the government," he said.
Documents and evidence are there in both audio and videos, Ravi further claimed. "Who spoke to whom at which airport or hotel or guest house all are there....after releasing the documents at the earliest, I will meet the CM and request for action....I have already brought things to the notice of the CM."
Home Minister G Parameshwara, reacting to the claims, said "everyone is well aware that there is no value for crores now and any amount can be quoted, but it is true that such attempts are on and BJP is known for it."
"BJP is expert in 'Operation Kamala.' They have done it in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh...they are in such talks in the state. Though the exact amount cannot be quoted, an estimated Rs 50 crore is being offered...it is going on, CM himself has said it," he said.
To a question on BJP and JD(S) asking the government to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations, the Home Minister said: "if necessary it will be done....if such a situation arises it will be done."
BJP leader and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi challenged the Congress to release the audio and video they claim to possess, and ensure a probe.
"To divert the attention, the Congress indulges in such things, because CM Siddaramaiah is caught (in MUDA case)....let them release documents as to who offered crores of money, the Government of India will take actions against them....release documents, investigation should happen," he added.
In the previous Assembly, some Congress MLAs had resigned and come to BJP and they were sent by their party and Siddaramaiah, to ensure that H D Kumaraswamy did not continue as CM of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, Joshi alleged and said, "as they (Congress) had no moral rights to rule, BJP inducted the MLAs who defected and formed the government."
In the 2023 polls, people have given the Congress a clear mandate, he said. "Our party's (BJP) clear stand is to function as a constructive opposition. To hide their lapses and failures they (Congress) are making such absurd allegations without any documents."
