Portugal 5-0 Luxembourg: Ronaldo scores hat-trick as Selecao remain in pursuit of Group A lead

Ronaldo
took
just
eight
minutes
to
open
the
scoring
at
the
Estadio
Algarve
as
he
finished
from
the
penalty
spot
before
doubling
his
tally
soon
after
in
the
same
fashion.

Bruno
Fernandes
netted
a
third
inside
a
decisive
opening
20
minutes
before
the
Manchester
United
playmaker
assisted
Joao
Palhinha
for
the
fourth
in
the
second
half.

Ronaldo
then
secured
his
hat-trick
with
three
minutes
remaining
to
cap
the
hosts’ dominant
performance
and
ensure
they
remain
a
point
behind
Group
A
leaders
Serbia
–
who
have
played
a
game
more
–
ahead
of
the
next
international
break.

8′
13′

Cristiano
Ronaldo
has
now
scored
24
goals
in
his
last
16
World
Cup
qualifying
matches

pic.twitter.com/ot00daOXHV
UEFA
Nations
League
(@EURO2024)
October
12,
2021

Sebastien
Thill
and
Anthony
Moris
were
the
guilty
parties
for
the
early
penalties
with
fouls
on
Bernardo
Silva
and
Ronaldo,
the
latter
clinically
converting
both.

Things
went
from
bad
to
worse
for
the
visitors
as
Fernandes
made
it
3-0
despite
Moris
getting
a
hand
to
his
right-footed
drive
following
Silva’s
throughball
after
17
minutes.

Ronaldo
almost
claimed
his
hat-trick
on
the
stroke
of
half-time
but
was
denied
by
Moris,
who
also
saved
Silva’s
acrobatic
volley.

Danel
Sinani
brought
a
rare
save
from
Rui
Patricio,
with
both
Palhinha
and
Fernandes
missing
the
target
at
the
other
end
after
being
found
by
Nuno
Mendes’ searching
deliveries.

Ronaldo’s
overhead-kick
deserved
to
complete
his
treble,
but
Moris
tipped
over
before
Palhinha
headed
home
from
Fernandes’
resulting
corner.

Luxembourg
almost
grabbed
a
consolation
goal
through
Gerson
Rodrigues,
but
his
left-footed
strike
was
turned
away
by
Patricio
and
Ronaldo
completed
the
scoring
as
he
headed
in
from
Ruben
Neves’
deep
cross.

What
does
it
mean?
Portugal
keep
pressure
on
Serbia
at
Group
A
summit

Luxembourg,
who
have
claimed
six
points
so
far,
may
sit
third
in
the
group
but
it
is
a
two-horse
race
for
automatic
qualification
for
Qatar
2022.

Serbia’s
3-1
win
over
Azerbaijan
keeps
them
a
point
ahead
of
Portugal,
albeit
Fernando
Santos’
side
have
a
game
in
hand
with
two
matches
left
to
play.
The
two
top
teams
will
meet
on
the
final
matchday,
in
what
is
likely
to
act
as
a
winner-takes-all
decider.

Marvellous
Moutinho

As
Ronaldo
and
Fernandes
ran
riot
once
more,
Joao
Moutinho
quietly
went
about
his
business
as
he
delivered
a
midfield
masterclass.

The
35-year-old
recorded
a
game-high
three
key
passes
–
as
many
as
his
opponents
combined
–
and
completed
23
passes
in
the
opposition
half,
with
only
Joao
Cancelo
(25)
managing
more.

Sorry
Sebastien

Thill
endured
a
torrid
outing
before
his
half-time
removal
as
he
failed
to
combat
Portugal’s
excellent
midfield
trio
of
Palhinha,
Moutinho
and
Fernandes.

The
Luxembourg
midfielder
gave
away
the
first
penalty
against
Bernardo
Silva
and
won
none
of
the
four
duels
he
competed
for
in
a
timid
showing
from
the
Sheriff
man.

What’s
next?

Portugal
travel
to
the
Republic
of
Ireland
in
their
next
World
Cup
qualifying
match
on
November
11,
while
Luxembourg
visit
Azerbaijan
on
the
same
day.