FIFA World Cup

Queiroz had no doubt about the size of the task facing his side when he spoke to the international media on Tuesday, accepting "Iran don't have supermen like Spain, but we can do super things" as he plotted the unlikely downfall of a team battling suggestions of crisis.

For the most part Iran did exactly those "super things" on Wednesday, as they dug deep, held firm and limited Spain's flow of chances. It wasn't pretty, but for long periods it was effective.

Even off the pitch, Iran were astounding.

Uruguay's result also means hosts Russia, who have won their opening two Group A matches, are through to the next phase with one fixture to spare, while Egypt and Saudi Arabia are both out of the tournament.

Saudi Arabia gave a far better performance than they produced in their 5-0 loss to the hosts but a poor mistake from replacement goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais handed the South Americans the winner in Rostov-on-Don on Wednesday.

Whatever was to unfold at Krestovsky Stadium – ultimately almost certainly a swift World Cup exit via a chastening 3-1 defeat for his country – Salah would be in no position to influence the outcome.

Having scattered defences across England and Europe throughout a dizzying 2017-18 campaign that yielded 44 goals, here Salah was on the periphery. A powerless, forlorn victim of circumstance.

Poland were widely expected to qualify for the knockout rounds but after suffering a seventh loss in their last nine World Cup matches, FIFA's eighth-ranked team are in danger of making an early exit.

Thiago Cionek's own goal, the defender deflecting in a shot from Idrissa Gueye, handed Senegal the lead in the 37th minute.

Senegal doubled their lead when M'Baye Niang took advantage of a mix-up between Grzegorz Krychowiak and Wojciech Szczesny to finish with ease.

The Group H favourites suffered a nightmarish start to their campaign when Sanchez blocked Shinji Kagawa's shot with his arm after just two minutes and 56 seconds, prompting the referee to brandish the first straight red card for handball at a World Cup since Luis Suarez was sent off against Ghana in 2010.

Kagawa then put Japan ahead from the penalty spot but even with 10 men Jose Pekerman was able to make his side competitive and Juan Fernando Quintero levelled with a free-kick six minutes before half-time.

England's talisman and captain put them ahead in the 11th minute of Monday's clash in Volgograd, but Tunisia levelled in contentious fashion.

Referee Wilmar Roldan pointed to the spot when Kyle Walker caught Fakhreddine Ben Youssef with his arm and Ferjani Sassi levelled with an unconvincing penalty.

England wasted numerous opportunities prior to that leveller but will have been unimpressed by Roldan's performance thereafter, the Colombian ignoring multiple penalty appeals from the Three Lions.

According to the Instituto de Investigaciones Geologicas and Atmosfericas' seismic monitoring network, a spike in activity was recorded after Lozano struck against the world champions.

"The #sismo detected in Mexico City originated artificially," the organisation posted on social media. 

"Possibly by massive jumps during the goal by Mexico in the World Cup."

With Diego Maradona watching on from the stands, Messi failed to convert from the spot in the second half of an eventful Group D opener at the Otkrytie Arena in Moscow.

Sergio Aguero had fired the beaten finalists from four years ago ahead in the 19th minute, finally breaking his World Cup duck at the ninth attempt with a rising left-footed drive.

Yet debutants Iceland refused to melt on the main stage, Alfred Finnbogason capitalising on Willy Caballero's weak punch to score his country's maiden goal in the history of the tournament just four minutes later.

Spain led with three minutes to go after Nacho Fernandez hit a wonderful 25-yard drive but Ronaldo was determined to steal the headlines for himself.

And he ended the day with a World Cup match-ball after hitting an outrageous late free-kick to ensure the spoils were shared in this blockbuster clash in Sochi.

Captain Ronaldo had given Portugal a fourth-minute lead from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Madrid team-mate Nacho, restoring the lead thanks to David de Gea's horrible mistake.

The European Champions League now represents the highest-quality football on the planet, and a bloated 48-team World Cup will only fall further behind.

The decision-makers have put the desire for profits — more games means more ticket sales and TV money — ahead of any concerns for the integrity of the tournament itself.

FIFA politics also plays a part. The governing body's top dogs, supposedly representing a new start after a series of scandals rocked the organisation, can gain political leverage by promising World Cup spots to a higher number of countries.