A lucky
Spain struggled to break down an impressive and dogged Iran who came close to causing a major upset.
These are five things we learnt from this game.
1. No win against European opposition
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With the unlucky 1-0 loss to Spain, Iran are now winless against European opposition at the World Cup.
They have lost six of their seven fixtures against European oppositions. They will need to end that streak when they face Portugal next.
2. Still no goalless draw
The Wednesday night game in Kazan was heading to be the first goalless draw in the 2018 World Cup before Costa’s 54th-minute goal.
The goal now means that there has been no 0-0 draw in any of the 20 games of the 2018 World Cup so far.
This has never happened Since the World Cup in 1954 where there was no goalless draw in the 26-game tournament.
3. World Cup of tight wins
The 2018 World Cup have proven to be a very competitive one inferring from the number of 1-0 wins.
Spain’s 1-0 win over Iran was the ninth 1-0 victory at the 2018 World Cup, one more than the total recorded in the whole of the 2014 World Cup group stage.