Goals: Luxembourg – Portugal – Played on 03/26/ 2023
Portugal swept its host, Luxembourg, 6-0, this evening, Sunday, in the second round of the European qualifiers for Euro 2024.
Portugal’s six goals were scored by Cristiano Ronaldo (9-31), Joao Felix (15), Bernardo Silva (18), Ottavio (77), and Rafael Leao (88).
With that result, Portugal strengthened its lead in Group X, after raising its balance to 6 points, while Luxembourg’s balance was frozen at one point in fifth place.
The first attempt in the match came in favor of Luxembourg, with a ground shot by Rodriguez from the edge of the area, which passed next to the post.
Portugal opened the scoring in the ninth minute after Bruno sent a cross into the area, and Mendes followed it up with a header pass towards Ronaldo next to him, who hit a straight ball into the net.
Portugal added the second goal in the 15th minute, with Felix rising to a cross from Bernardo, hitting a powerful header into the goal.
Soon, Bernardo scored the third goal in the 18th minute, after Ballenia sent a longitudinal through ball into the area, which Silva followed with a distinctive header.
Ronaldo scored his second goal in the match and the fourth for Portugal in the 31st minute, after receiving a magic pass from Fernandez inside the area, to single out the Luxembourg goalkeeper and hit a ball.
Danilo scored the fifth goal for Portugal in the 35th minute before it was canceled for offside.
Felix hit a distinctive curved ball from the edge of the area in the second minute of stoppage time, just over the crossbar, to end the first half with Portugal advancing by four goals.
Luxembourg started the second half with a powerful shot from Thiel from inside the area, which Patricio blocked in the 47th minute.
Luxembourg almost narrowed the difference in the 51st minute, with Chanute rising to a cross from a corner kick, hitting a header that passed next to the post.
Roberto Martinez, Portugal’s coach, preferred to rest Ronaldo after securing the result of the match, to replace him in the 64th minute and replace him with Ramos.
The match calmed down in the following minutes until Portugal appeared again in the 77th minute by adding the fifth goal after Liao sent a cross from the left side, which Ottavio followed with a header from inside the area.
Portugal got a free kick on the border of the area in the 83rd minute, which Neves executed with a powerful direct ball that hit the crossbar.
Liao penetrated the left side of the area in the 85th minute, to be hampered by Yans and get a penalty kick, which he missed himself after he hit a powerful ball that was saved by the Luxembourg goalkeeper.
Portugal almost added the sixth goal in the 86th minute, after Diaz followed a ball into the area, hitting a straight ball that strangely hit Ramos’ foot.
Liao compensated for the wasted penalty kick by adding the sixth goal in the 88th minute, after kicking off on the left side, through which he penetrated into the area, manipulating Luxembourg’s defenders, before hitting a ball into the goal, to end the match with Portugal winning 6-0.
