Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest to play in a record sixth World Cup has begun in typical fashion with two goals as Portugal made a winning start to its qualifying campaign by routing Armenia 5-0.
The match on Saturday marked a poignant day for the Portuguese as it was their first international fixture since the death of their forward Diogo Jota in a car crash in July along with his brother Andre Silva.
The stadium fell quiet as both teams observed a moment of silence before kickoff.
Ronaldo’s goals extended his record as the highest scorer in men’s international football to 140 and underlined his enduring motivation to keep setting more benchmarks before his storied career comes to an end.
The 40-year-old football great has recently signed a new contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and led Portugal to victory at the UEFA Nations League in June.
The World Cup is the one major trophy that eludes him – leaving him behind his great rival Lionel Messi, 38, who lifted football’s biggest prize with Argentina in 2022.
Next year would likely be Ronaldo’s last chance to win it when the tournament is staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Like him, Messi would also be playing at a sixth World Cup, setting the pair apart from any other players with a host of names having appeared in five.
Ronaldo – a five-time Champions League winner, who also lifted the European Championship trophy with his country – struck in each half at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium as Portugal made a flying start in Group F.
Joao Felix also scored twice and hit the opening goal after just 10 minutes. Portugal cruised thereafter.
Joao Cancelo was the other scorer, slotting in his side’s third goal. He marked his first-half strike by pointing to the skies with both hands in remembrance of Jota’s trademark celebration.
“I previously mentioned that the preparation was good as was the players’ behaviour and the work they put in over the past few days,” Portugal manager Roberto Martinez said afterwards. “Now we need to recover well. The Hungary match [on Tuesday] will be another challenge.”
Martinez added his thoughts on Ronaldo’s goal in the 21st minute – the same number worn by Jota on his jersey for club and country. “The signal to score in the 21st minute is from our Diogo,” he said.
England beat Andorra to maintain winning record
England maintained its 100 percent record in qualifying with a 2-0 win against Andorra at Villa Park.
Thomas Tuchel’s team is top of Group K with four straight wins after an own goal from Christian Garcia and a Declan Rice header.
While Ronaldo further gilded his record, Harry Kane was left frustrated as England failed to convince again under Tuchel.
A 1-0 win against Andorra in June was described by one British newspaper as England’s “worst ever”. It was then followed by a 3-1 home loss against Senegal in a friendly before the end of the season.
Tuchel made 10 changes to his squad, and while there was an improvement, England still had to toil against the 174th-ranked Andorrans.
It took Garcia to open the scoring when inadvertently glancing Noni Madueke’s inswinging cross into his own net in the 25th minute.
England created more chances after the break, and Andorra goalkeeper Iker Alvarez made two fine saves from close range to deny Eberechi Eze and Elliott Anderson.
Rice headed in at the far post in the 67th from Reece James’s cross.
Kane, England’s all-time leading scorer, could not extend his record. His best chance came when failing to connect with James’s first-half cross with an open net to aim at.
Also in Group K, Serbia beat Latvia 1-0 to move up to second in the table. England play Serbia on Tuesday.
The post Ronaldo nets twice for Portugal in emotional World Cup qualifier in Armenia appeared first on Al Jazeera.
