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Cristiano Ronaldo created history when he converted a controversial penalty against Ghana. He became the only men’s soccer player to have scored at five different FIFA World Cups. With the game between Uruguay and South Korea ending in a stalemate, Portugal was eager to get all three points from the Ghana game.

Although the game produced some controversial decisions from the referee Ismail Elfath and VAR, Portugal came out as 3-2 winners and are sitting at the top of Group H. They will play Uruguay next, and a win in the game will guarantee them a spot in the knockout stage.

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The controversial penalty decision overshadowed Cristiano Ronaldo 

Portugal vs Ghana game underlined the quality of refereeing in the ongoing World Cup. Ghana was undone by the “soft” penalty awarded for the foul on Ronaldo in the second half.

Many fans and pundits took to social media to criticize VAR as soon as the game ended. Some pundits went a beat further by dragging Cristiano Ronaldo into the controversy. One such pundit was Chris Sutton, former Chelsea player turned pundit, who labeled the Ronaldo act as “cheating.”

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Chris Sutton said, “It wasn’t a penalty. It’s ridiculous. It’s cheating and out of order. It isn’t a good play from Ronaldo. It’s a terrible example for kids around the world,” in a video released by MailOnline Sports.

Sutton not only criticized the player but also took a dig at VAR for not interfering. He wanted the officials to be stronger and was embarrassed with VAR.

Ghana fought until the end 

Ghana didn’t give up, despite trailing to a Ronaldo penalty. The intensity increased in the second half after a goalless first half. Ghana equalized through their veteran captain Andre Ayew in the 73rd minute.

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Portugal scored twice in three minutes with Joao Felix and Rafael Leao scoring in 78th and 80th minute, respectively. Bruno was at the heart of both goals. The game turned around when Osman Bukari scored in the 89th minute. Ghana increased the pressure on Portugal’s defense in added time and almost snatched the equalizer in the dying moments.

via Reuters

The draw in another Group H game means Ghana still has a chance to progress to the knockout stage. They will need wins against South Korea and Uruguay. Ghana improved their game when it really mattered against Portugal. Even though they lost to Portugal, they are high on confidence going into the next match.

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Watch Story: From Arsenal to PSG: Clubs that Almost Signed Cristiano Ronaldo

Despite winning their first game, Portugal is still not assured of a round of 16 spots. Group is still open. Which two teams will advance from Group H in your opinion? Let us know your predictions.

Written by

Nikhil Nibe

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One take at a time

Nikhil is a Soccer writer at EssentiallySports. He is a pharmaceutics graduate holding a PG degree in management with marketing as a specialization. A sales professional since 2011, he decided to change the course of his career into a sports writer to follow his passion for Soccer.
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Edited by

Sreeda U M