Luxembourg (AFP)

Three days after a frustrating draw in Serbia (2-2), Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal suffered but provided the essentials by winning (3-1) in Luxembourg on Tuesday in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. .

Three days after leaving the field by throwing his armband to the ground seconds before the end of the match in Belgrade after being denied a valid goal in added time, CR7 this time contributed to his team's victory.

The Portuguese captain (36), who remained in four games without scoring with the "Seleçao", scored his 103rd goal in 173 caps and thus came close to the national team goal record held by Iranian Ali Daei ( 109 goals).

However, Portugal, winner without brilliant Azerbaijan Wednesday 1-0), felt all the sorrows in the world to get rid of a tough Luxembourg team.

Led by the score after a goal from Gerson Rodrigues (30th), the Lusitanians turned the tide thanks to Diogo Jota (45th + 2), Ronaldo (50th) and Joao Palhinha (80th).

After this success, the Lusitanians took the lead in Group A with seven points in three games, benefiting from a better goal difference than Serbia (+3 against +2).

The start of the match is balanced between clumsy Portuguese and daring Luxembourgers, like a strike from Danel Sinani countered in-extremis by José Fonte (14th) or a center-shot from captain Laurent Jans (15th) .

- Jota still scorer -

The Seleçao finally woke up with a free kick from Ronaldo repelled by Anthony Moris (23rd), who then blocked a shot from Renato Sanches (28th) and deflected a powerful shot from Bernardo Silva (35th).

But in the meantime, Luxembourg, which has played its luck in each situation, opened the scoring by Rodrigues, with a pretty plunging header (1-0, 30th).

Sanches again tried his luck but Moris slammed the ball for a corner (42nd).

In additional time, the Luxembourg goalkeeper could not do anything on a header from Jota, already scorer on Saturday in Serbia (1-1, 45th + 2).

Returning from the locker room, Ronaldo gave his team the advantage of a point blank recovery on a center from Joao Jancelo (1-2, 50 ').

He thus avoided a fifth consecutive match without scoring with the selection, which would have been a first since 2012.

The Juventus Turin player then missed the double by improbably missing a double face to face with the Luxembourg goalkeeper (78th).

But fortunately for the Portuguese, Palhinha killed the suspense in the wake by scoring the third goal of the Seleçao (1-3, 80th).

A little more than three months before the Euro, where he will defend his title, Portugal still struggled to convince.

© 2021 AFP