Iran v Portugal, 25 June 2018

Kick-off: 9.00pm local Iran v Portugal was Match 35 of the FIFA World Cup 2018 Refereeing team: Referee: Enrique Caceres (Paraguay) Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay) Assistant Referee 2: Juan Zorrilla (Paraguay) Fourth Official: Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria) Reserve AR: Anouar Hmila (Tunisia) VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) Finishing as runners-up to Spain, Portugal had now progressed from the group stage of the World Cup finals for the fourth time; also in 1966, 2006 and 2010. Iran had now been eliminated at the group stage at all five of their appearances at the World Cup finals (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014 and 2018). Portugal had yet to lose a game at the World Cup finals when they had scored the first goal (won 13 and drawn three). Cristiano Ronaldo's 53rd minute penalty was saved. It was the 19th penalty to be awarded at this World Cup finals; more than in any other tournament in the competition's history. At 34 years and 272 days, Ricardo Quaresma became the oldest player to score on his first start in the World Cup finals since Yahya Golmohammadi for Iran against Mexico in 2006 (35 years and 84 days).