Fernandes takes Portugal to the 2022 World Cup

Score: Bruno Fernandes 32′ & 65′

Fernandes sublimated with 85 touches, 86% pass accuracy, including four decisive passes, seven recoveries, five shots and two goals. The 27-year-old midfielder’s brace helped Portugal get tickets to the World Cup for the sixth time in a row. The last time Portugal missed the World Cup was in 1998.

Compared to battle win Turkey A few days ago, coach Fernando Santos changed three positions, all in defence. Joao Cancelo and Pepe return to replace Diogo and Jose Fonte, while Nuno Mendes – 19-year-old right-back of PSG – kicks off Raphael Guerreiro.

True to stated of captain Ronaldo before the match, Portugal did not let North Macedonia create another surprise, like when lower Italy in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup play-off. In this match, the army of coach Blagoja Milevski continued to die and waited for the opportunity to counterattack, holding the ball 35% but failing to hit the target once. Their best chance was created by Stefan Ristovski’s inaccurate volley, from Stefan Ristovski’s cross on the right.

Continue to be kicked at Dragao’s home field, Portugal push up the squad and put great pressure on the away team’s goal. In the 14th minute, Ronaldo broke the offside trap and entered the penalty area, then finished diagonally to send the ball down the column. 10 minutes later, it was Diogo Jota’s turn to miss the opportunity when he headed to hit the ground to send the ball over the bar, from Fernandes’ corner.

Under great pressure from the host, the North Macedonic defense only stood firm until 32 minutes. Fernandes cut Stefan Ristovski’s cross, bringing the ball to Ronaldo’s position. The 37-year-old striker raised the ball for his teammates at Man Utd to finish with a diagonal touch to open the score.

Portugal almost doubled the lead at the end of the first half. Ronaldo tries to push the ball into the center after Pepe’s cross. Center-back Visar Musliu cleared the ball carelessly, but Jota shot the ball into the edge of the net in front of an empty goal.

In the second half, Portugal actively kicked slowly, reducing the rhythm with passes in the middle of the field. North Macedonia even had more possession at times than Portugal with 53%. But the return of Pepe and Cancelo helps the home defense to be solid. The most significant situation of North Macedonia was just Enis Barhdi’s shot from outside the box, which was very inaccurate 72 minutes.

Enthusiastic about raising the squad, North Macedonia fell into the Portuguese counter-attack trap. 65 minutes, Pepe tackled the ball to help the host counterattack quickly. Fernandes ran from his home field into the opponent’s penalty area, receiving a cross from the left wing of Jota then finished with one touch to hit the net of Stole Dimitrievski, setting the victory for Portugal.

Portugal 2-0 North Macedonia

The 2022 World Cup could be Ronaldo’s last major tournament at the national level. He has the opportunity to improve his performance after scoring in all four previous World Cups, in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, with a total of seven goals. The best achievement of the 37-year-old striker and his teammates is in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup. In 2010 and 2018, Portugal entered the 1/8 round, and in 2014 was eliminated in the group stage.

Squad:

Portugal: Costa, Pepe, Cancelo, Mendes, Moutinho (Vitinha 90), Pereira, Otavio (Carvalho 76), Fernandes (Luiz 87), Silva (Felix 87), Jota (Leao 76), Ronaldo.

North Macedonia: Dimitrievski, Ristovski, Musliu, Velkovski, Ademi, Alioski, Kostadinov (Askovski 75), Bardhi, Elmas (Nikolov 87), Trajkovski (Churlinov 59), Risktovski (Miovski 46).

Hong Duy