Ronaldo & Portugal Scrape To Globe Cup Qualifying Win
25 March, 2021
2022 FIFA World Glass Qualifer
Result: Portugal 1-0 Azerbajin
Date: 24 March 2021
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Portugal stuttered to a 1-0 victory above Azerbaiijan as their World Glass qualifying campaign got off to an underwhelming start.
Portugal were bossing the first exchanges and came close twice on quick succession on the 10th and 11th minutes when Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo brought great saves out of Azerbaijan keeper Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev.
In the 19th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo furnished an excellent assist as his ball to the far post was manipulated and volleyed towards goal by Domingos Duarte nonetheless it could not really find the target.
Soon after, Duarte's header in the near post was first diverted behind for a corner simply by Mahammadaliyev from a set-piece.
On the half-hour indicate, Joao Cancelo fired over from a good angle when he probably should have played in Ronaldo, who seemed less than impressed.
Seven minutes soon after and the European champions had their lead via an own goal. Mahammadaliyev rushed out to clear a cross, but punched the ball into right-back Maksim Medvedev before it rolled slowly in to the back of the web.
The Selecao weren't having it their own way in the next half. The first real chance in the next period fell to Ronaldo in the 69th minute when he practically hammered a volley from a part in to the far post corner but Mahammadaliyev did well to hint it around the content.
Defensive miscommunication by Portugal almost resulted in Azerbaijan equalising. Anthony Lopes came up too much out of his target and didn't punch much enough but Nuriyev didn't manage to punish him.
The scoreline could have been numerous were it not for the heroics of Mahammadaliyev. In the 78th minute, he built another brilliant stop to deny Bruno Fernandes after Ronaldo did well to create him up for the strike.
With five minutes staying, Ronaldo's dipping and swerving free-kick meant Mahammadaliyev had to be on his toes once again to deny the Portuguese superstar as Fernando Santos' side got their qualifying campaign off to an absolute start - albeit an underwhelming one.
Source: www.soccerladuma.co.za