Cedric Soares has become the first Saints player to qualify for the knockout stages of this year's World Cup after surviving late VAR drama with Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty as Portugal blew the chance to finish top of Group B, with a dramatic climax seeing them draw 1-1 with minnows Iran.

They will now face Uruguay in the last 16.

The European champions were leading through Ricardo Quaresma's stunning goal but were dramatically pegged back in stoppage time by a controversial spot-kick - and they would have gone out of the tournament had Mehdi Taremi not missed a golden chance at the end.

Ronaldo should have ended doubts about the outcome, and taken his goal tally for the tournament to five, when Portugal were awarded a 51st-minute penalty in Saransk.

But the Real Madrid superstar suffered a rare blip as he saw his effort beaten away by Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand.

Things almost got worse for Ronaldo when he was the subject of a lengthy red card review by the video assistant referee, but his apparent swing of the arm was adjudged only worthy of a yellow.

But his night ended still in huge disappointment after Karim Ansarifard equalised from the spot in stoppage time.

Cedric was at the heart of the drama deep into added time with yet another VAR referral as he was harshly adjudged to have handled in the area.

With Jan Bednarek's Poland already out, all eyes now to turn to Dusan Tadic and Maya Yoshida to see if they can make the knockout stages in the coming days.