Eyes closed. A deep breath. And Cristiano Ronaldo did what he does best. Score yet again. This time, from the penalty spot.
Out came his usual leap and swivel in the air, as the crowd roared his trademark SI-UUU as he did the pirouette, before getting mobbed by teammates.
This goal was part of footballing history – it made him the first male player to score in five World Cups. Portugal went on to beat Ghana 3-2. Andre Ayew equalised for Ghana in the 73rd minute, but Joao Felix regained the lead for Portugal in the 78th and Rafael Leao added a third. Osman Bukari reduced Ghana's deficit in the 89th.
Ronaldo scored one goal in six games in his first World Cup in 2006, one in four games in 2010, one in three in 2014 and four goals in four games, including a memorable hat-trick against Spain, in 2018.
He has a record 118 international goals.
The 37-year-old Ronaldo, who had his contract with Manchester United terminated earlier this week, he tumbled under a challenge by Ghana defender Mohammed Salisu to earn a penalty in the 63rd minute.
Though the goal catapulted him into the record books, the penalty call by referee Ismail Elfath has come under a lot of criticism. Ghana coach Otto Addo even called it the referee's “special gift” to Ronaldo.
“If somebody scores a goal, congratulations. But this was really a gift. Really a gift,” Addo said. “What more can I say? (It was) a special gift from the referee.”
When asked what he thought was the reason for Ghana's narrow defeat, Addo responded: “The referee.”
Addo felt Ghana defender Salisu didn't foul Ronaldo for the penalty, and he complained that the officials didn't use VAR to make sure.
“I think it was really the wrong decision,” Addo said.
“I don't know why VAR didn't come up. There's no explanation for me.”
Salisu's thigh appeared to make slight contact with Ronaldo's leg before the Portugal captain went sprawling to the ground. Some netizens claimed that the Portugal captain went down too easily, while others argued that Argentina were awarded a similar soft penalty in their shocking 1-2 loss to Saudi Arabia.
Why wasn't full VAR review taken?
The foul required only a quick check by the VAR - United States referee Armando Villarreal. Replays showed Ronaldo got to the ball first ahead of Salisu, before the body contact was made.
Was it a soft penalty? Yes. Was there an obvious error by the referee, Elfath? No, Villarreal did not think so. If the penalty was not given, would VAR had advised a spot-kick? Probably, not.
If Salisu had got to the ball first before Ronaldo, a full review would have been warranted, but it was not the case.
