Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring 30 minutes into the first half of after intercepting a pass by his most efficient buddy, North Macedonia captain Stefan Ristovski, working a big one-two with Cristiano Ronaldo before whipping his shot past the goalkeeper.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (left) congratulates Bruno Fernandes for scoring against North Macedonia. (Photo: Reuters)
Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes scored a medical double as they beat stubborn guests North Macedonia 2-0 to qualify for the World Cup finals in Qatar after a anxious European playoff tie on Tuesday (March 29). Roared on by 50,000 followers at a bought-out Dragao Stadium in Porto, Portugal dominated the game from the originate up nonetheless struggled to interrupt down the sturdy North Macedonian defence, managing finest three shots no longer off course no matter getting nearly 70% possession.
Fernandes opened the scoring 30 minutes into the first half of after intercepting a pass by his most efficient buddy, North Macedonia captain Stefan Ristovski, working a big one-two with Cristiano Ronaldo before whipping his shot past the goalkeeper. The 27-year-light attacking midfielder sealed Portugal`s defend within the 65th minute, placing home a volley from a Diogo Jota noxious.
Fernando Santos’s group then ran down the clock, celebrating at the final whistle with their cheerful followers who remained within the stands for higher than 15 minutes after the game, singing because the gamers carried out a victory lap holding a paunchy Portugal flag. “I don’t care about person accomplishments nonetheless this conceal will doubtless be one to undergo in suggestions because it helped my country to reach a World Cup,” Fernandes told newshounds.
Search files from Cristiano Ronaldo support Bruno Fernandes in scoring first goal against North Macedonia…
The support. The cease. @Cristiano x @B_Fernandes8
A goal made in Manchester. #Ronaldo #BRUNO #Portugalpic.twitter.com/nhpNaxGKEf— Haris Ahmed (@Iconic_Cr7) March 29, 2022
Portugal, who received the 2016 European Championship in France and the 2019 UEFA Nations League at home, qualified for a sixth straight World Cup finals and beget now no longer missed a necessary global competition within the final 20 years. “I in point of fact beget already received two competitions and I hope I will defend the third one in Qatar,” coach Santos told a files convention.
“There became once a spirit of mutual support and big strengthen from the final public. It became once a deserved and dazzling defend and qualification. I don`t undergo in suggestions any big goalscoring cases for his or her group.”
They were pushed into the playoffs after finishing second in Neighborhood A, having lost their final game at home to Serbia 2-1 final November. That had left them desiring to defend two consecutive elimination games to qualify, with final week’s defend over Turkey, where they survived plain drama, developing a decider against North Macedonia, who had panicked Italy in their opening match.
It became once a nervous event in Porto on Tuesday nonetheless Portugal dominated and averted any surprises from the underdogs, who did no longer beget a shot no longer off course.
List of European international locations qualified for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar…
1. Belgium
2. Croatia
3. Denmark
4. England
5. France
6. Germany
7. Netherlands
8. Poland
9. Portugal
10. Serbia
11. Spain
12. Switzerland
Wales will play Scotland or Ukraine to decide the final European qualifier and full the 13-group European lineup. The 2022 World Cup will doubtless be played from November 21 to December 18.
(with Reuters inputs)
