Lisbon (AFP)
Portugal, defending champion but hardworking in qualifying, got their ticket for the Euro-2020 football after its success 2 to 0 Sunday in Luxembourg thanks to a goal by Cristiano Ronaldo, his 99th in selection.
Second in group B behind Ukraine and forced to win to qualify, Portugal has done the job once again thanks to "CR7" 164 selections and 99 goals, a total that brings it a little closer to the world record held by the Iranian Ali Daei (109 goals).
But it was not until the 39th minute that the Portuguese opened the scoring with a nice shot from midfield Bruno Fernandes, after a perfect deep service from Bernardo Silva.
The teammates of Ronaldo struggled to develop their game during this first period, forced to cope with a lawn in poor condition and well-rounded Luxembourg players.
The men of Luc Holtz have offered great resistance and have even multiplied opportunities putting the Portuguese under pressure.
After the break, the Lusitanians returned more determined to widen the gap.
Like Cristiano Ronaldo little present until then, but finally emerged in the last minutes. After a strike in the 80th minute that came close to the left amount, the five-time Golden Ball found the fault in the 86th by resuming just in front of the line a ball badly repelled by the Luxembourg goalkeeper, after a first failed recovery of Diogo Jota .
Author of a hat-trick last Thursday against Lithuania, Ronaldo, who will turn 35 next February, will have to wait before crossing the symbolic mark of 100 international goals. The Portuguese striker had scored his 700th goal in all competitions on October 14 in Kiev against Ukraine.
But the essential is done for the Portuguese star and his own: the holder will be present next year to defend his continental crown.
© 2019 AFP