Christiano Ronaldo broke his goal duck against Spain, scoring a hat-trick in an extraordinary World Cup Group B game which ended 3-3.
Spain appeared to have shrugged off a tumultuous backroom crisis and were cruising to a 3-2 victory until Ronaldo curled a lovely free-kick in injury time to spoil the Spanish party.
Bullish Diego Costa twice cancelled a Christiano Ronaldo brace before Nacho powered the Spanish in the lead with a volley of breathtaking genius. But Ronaldo came in with his majestic strike.
There was a tangible sense of anticipation the night on which the two neighbours were paired in Group B and on the day when they met at Succhi Russia, that anticipation turned into sumptuous drama, a great football spectacle and a World Cup classic for many nights.
Spain had sacked their coach Julen Lepetegui two days into the World Cup. They did not end there. They slapped a €18.8 million tax fine against Christiano Ronaldo just hours into the game and took the stakes even higher but the big Real Madrid man knows how to turn adversity into great fortune.
The man who until today’s game had never scored against Spain, netted a hat-trick in spectacular fashion and left Nacho, his teammate at club level scratching his head and De Gea gnashing his teeth.
In what was more an El-Classico than a World Cup game, the big Real Madrid man, playing against four of his teammates, handed Spain a nightmarish start with a powerful penalty four minutes into the game.
He had been caught late by the trailing leg of Nacho after his trademark stepover and down he went with referee Rocchi pointing to the spot.
Ronaldo sent De Gea one way and put the ball the other way before heading towards the corner line for a Portuguese jubilation.
David Silva had the opportunity five minutes later to draw level but he skied his shot in the vital area with his weaker right foot.
The Spaniards were beginning to dictate the pace with a fondness of possession but it was the Portuguese side that broke away on a counter in the 20th minute. Ronaldo selflessly laid the pass for his partner who had De Gea at his mercy but he fluffed his line.
Three minutes later the Spaniards struck and it was Diego Costa who knocked down Pepe with an elbow, dummied two Portuguese defenders before striking low and hard to beat Rui Patricio in post for the Portuguese.
The Spaniards were in control, with the sleekly individual display and an even admirable teamwork. But Portugal were composed in defence looking for a break.
At this point it was difficult to blink an eye because to do that was to take a risk of missing an action or a great skill.
In one of those special Isco moments, the Real Madrid man fired a powerful left volley that begged for a goal-line technology after hitting the bar and bouncing off the goal line. Rocchi was right in waving play-on and the technology proved later it was a right decision to take.
Then in the 34th minute, Iniesta had his strike whisk just wide after a sublime build-up by the Spanish side.
