Portugal 3-1 Switzerland: Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick sends hosts to Nations League final
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a superb hat-trick to send hosts Portugal to the Nations League final after a 3-1 win over Switzerland in Porto.
A Ronaldo classic from a 25-yard free-kick had Portugal ahead (25), though Switzerland went close through striker Haris Seferovic either side of the opener.
But the Swiss were level in controversial fashion as they were initially denied a penalty, before Portugal went up the other end and instantly won a penalty of their own through Bernardo Silva. But, after a VAR check, the initial Swiss penalty appeal was given by VAR for a tug from Nelson Semedo on Steven Zuber, allowing Ricardo Rodriguez to tuck away the penalty (57).
Switzerland threatened to grab a winner, but it was Portuguese legend Ronaldo who won it, putting the hosts back ahead with a low, first-time finish (88), before cutting in to find the bottom corner (90).
Portugal will now play in Sunday’s final against the winners of England’s clash with the Netherlands, who play on Thursday night.
How Ronaldo ruled on big stage again
The Swiss were underdogs but impressed in the opening stages, going close as Xherdan Shaqiri forced a good save at close range by Rui Patricio, before the Liverpool midfielder’s dangerous cross evaded both Seferovic and the post by inches.
They were made to pay by Ronaldo on his Nations League debut, the forward stepping up to strike a trademark free-kick into the bottom right corner from 25 yards, with the wall and goalkeeper Yann Sommer expecting the effort to go left.
Switzerland reacted well, however, and could have been level just before the break as Seferovic dug out a shot from Kevin Mbabu’s centre, only for it to hit the top of the crossbar.
VAR then helped Switzerland equalise as Zuber went down from a slight nudge from Semedo; initially German referee Felix Brych waved away appeals, before Portugal attacked and won their own penalty from Fabian Schar’s cynical trip on Bernardo Silva.
Then came a few minutes of chaos as referee Brych went to the pitchside screen to check the initial Swiss appeal, giving the visitors the penalty to the dismay of the home crowd, as Rodriguez scored despite Patricio guessing the correct way and getting a touch.
Switzerland looked the more likely to win it until Ronaldo turned it on with two goals in three minutes. The first came from a finely-struck, first-time effort from 15 yards after nice work from Bernardo Silva on the right flank, before Granit Xhaka gave away possession in midfield, allowing Ronaldo to cut onto his right foot inside the box and find the far corner for his 53rd career hat-trick.
The Porto crowd sang Ronaldo’s name in adulation, proving that the 34-year-old can still make all of the difference on the biggest stage.
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„There’s no adjective to describe him. He’s a genius. You can be a genius in art, and in sculpture and he is a football genius.“
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