Ronaldo heads home his fourth goal of the 2018 World Cup

After a heroic hat trick to salvage Portugal's 3-3 draw vs. Spain, Ronaldo leads his nation against Morocco in the teams' second match of Group B play at the 2018 World Cup on Wednesday.

Both sides are looking up at Iran in the group table, something that Morocco is responsible for following Aziz Bouhaddouz's 95th-minute own goal in the opener. Morocco had its chances against Iran but couldn't convert, and another wasteful match against a side as talented as Portugal's could spell doom for Herve Renard's African side.

Ronaldo wasted little time in getting back on the board. Portugal earned a corner kick in the fourth minute, and off the short corner, Joao Moutinho served a ball into the center of the box, where Ronaldo powered a header home for his World Cup-leading fourth goal of the tournament.

Ronaldo nearly had his second in the ninth minute, taking a pass from Raphael Guerreiro, turning on his defender and pushing a right-footed shot just beyond the far post.

The goal gave Ronaldo 85 for his international career, snapping a tie with Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas for the second-most all time. Only Iranian Ali Daei (109) has more.

Despite the deficit, Morocco actually had the better of the run of play in the opening 20 minutes, creating plenty of dangerous opportunities–much like it did against Iran. The end product remained absent, though, with Portugal continuing to lead.

Morocco had a couple of penalty shouts go unheard prior to the half-hour mark. On one, Guerreiro and Nordin Amrabat–playing just days after being concussed–were yanking each other as both went down in the Portugal box, something that American referee Mark Geiger explained to Renard. A few moments later, Jose Fonte cleared through a Morocco forward while both went for a header in the Portugal box, but that, too, went uncalled.

Portugal nearly got its second as the first half came to an end, but Goncalo Guedes's chance from in close after a chipped pass from Ronaldo was parried away by Mounir Mohamedi before being cleared to safety.