World Cup 2018: Top performers and best goal

The first round of World Cup group games provided plenty of excitement, but who were the standout performers? And who scored the best goal? Poland’s meeting with Senegal in Group H marked the end of the opening round, with 38 goals scored in 16 games overall. Here are the highlights: Best team performances Spain and […]

The first round of World Cup group games provided plenty of excitement, but who were the standout performers? And who scored the best goal?

Poland’s meeting with Senegal in Group H marked the end of the opening round, with 38 goals scored in 16 games overall.

Here are the highlights:

Best team performances

Spain and Portugal showed vulnerabilities in their thrilling 3-3 draw in Group B, but there was also a lot to like about their performances, too.

Spain were outstanding going forward, while Portugal demonstrated their threat on the counter-attack with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way.

Mexico produced the biggest shock of the round as they beat Germany 1-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday courtesy of Hirving Lozano’s first-half goal.

Juan Carlos Osorio’s side frustrated the world champions for long periods, working tirelessly all over the pitch and counter-attacking to devastating effect.

Iceland, the surprise package of Euro 2016, shackled Lionel Messi impressively as they held Argentina to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, while Russia were excellent in their 5-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia in the opening game.

And what about England? Gareth Southgate’s men needed a late goal from Harry Kane to beat Tunisia, but earned plaudits for some of their slick attacking football as well as their refusal to give up on the win.

Best individual performances

Results may not have been predictable but you can always rely on Cristiano Ronaldo to take the headlines. His three-goal performance against Spain, capped with that free-kick in the dying minutes of the game, will take some beating.

He was not the only eye-catching performer in that game, however. Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa added a ruthless edge to Spain’s build-up play, scoring two goals – the first an outstanding individual effort – and causing real problems for Portugal’s backline.

While Ronaldo shone, Messi flopped. The Argentine’s struggles were in large part down to Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Thor Halldorsson. The 34-year-old, who also works as a filmmaker, saved Messi’s penalty and made a string of other important stops.

Saudi Arabia may not have offered much resistance but there were impressive individual performances in Russia’s curtain-raiser – not least that of Aleksandr Golovin, who scored once and provided two assists.

Harry Kane was mocked in some quarters when he made reference to catching Ronaldo in the Golden Boot race before England’s meeting with Tunisia, but his two-goal performance at the Volgograd Arena showed he is entitled to believe in himself.

Another player to impress was Mexico’s Hirving Lozano. The 22-year-old scored an excellent winner against Germany, with his pace and skill causing Joachim Loew’s side problems right up until his second-half substitution.

Top goals

Ronaldo’s free-kick against Spain combined brilliant technique with ice-cold composure, but there have been plenty of other eye-catching strikes in Russia.

Nacho’s sensational half-volley in that game is likely to be included in goal of the tournament showreels alongside Aleksandar Kolarov’s free-kick for Serbia against Costa Rica and Philippe Coutinho’s curling effort for Brazil against Switzerland.

Hirving Lozano finished off a slick counter-attacking move in style in Mexico’s shock win over Germany, and Dries Mertens put his name in the frame with his looping volley in Belgium’s 3-0 win over Panama.