PORTUGAL are through to the World Cup quarter-final thanks to a brilliant hat-trick from Goncalo Ramos against Switzerland.
Ramos put his side ahead with a stunning effort in his first ever start for Portugal, having replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, who was benched for the game.
Veteran Pepe made it 2-0 with a thumping header soon after before Ramos bagged his second of the game after half-time.
Raphael Guerrero added a brilliant fourth moments later before Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji pulled one back for the Swiss.
Ramos then scored his hat-trick with a brilliant chip before Raphael Leao made it six.
- RESULT: Portugal 6-1 Switzerland
- Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Diogo Dalot, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Guerreiro; William Carvalho, Bernardo Silva, Otavio, Bruno Fernandes; Gonçalo Ramos, Joao Felix
- Switzerland XI: Sommer; Fernandes, Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Sow, Vargas; Embolo
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That’s all from the Lusail Stadium
Portugal stormed to an outstanding 6-1 win over Switzerland this evening to earn a spot in the quarter-finals.
Many questioned Fernando Santos for his decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench ahead of the game, but it actually proved to be a stroke of genius with Goncalo Ramos scoring three of the six goals.
Portugal were head and shoulders above their opponents performance-wise, and that result will give them the confidence and belief that they can go all the way.
Thank you for reading, and goodnight!
Portugal 6-1 Switzerland
Read SunSport’s match report here.
Credit: Reuters Quarter-final line-up
Portugal will battle Morocco on Saturday afternoon for a place in the semi-finals.
The other quarter-final games include:
- Croatia vs Brazil
- Netherlands vs Argentina
- England vs France
Portugal dominate
As reflected in the scoreline, Portugal completely dominated proceedings this evening.
Man of the moment
Goncalo Ramos is the first player to score a hat-trick on his first World Cup start since Miroslav Klose for Germany in 2002.
Credit: Reuters Full Time – Portugal 6-1 Switzerland
A deserved win for Portugal.
Full Time – Portugal 6-1 Switzerland
Portugal book their spot in the quarter-finals with an outstanding win over Switzerland.
90+3. Portugal 6-1 Switzerland
Leao plays a one-two with Guerreiro on the left before making a run to the edge of the box.
He receives the ball back, cuts inside and fires his shot over a flat-footed Sommer and into the top-right corner.
Credit: Getty 90+2. GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL PORTUGAL!!!!
WOW.
WHAT. A. FINISH.
Leao gets in on the action!
90+1. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Four minutes have been added on.
87. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Ronaldo is through on goal again, but he flicks his shot wide.
Meanwhile, Leao replaces Fernandes for the final minutes of the game.
84. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Ronaldo scores!
But, the goal will not stand as he was two-yards offside in the build-up.
Credit: Getty 82. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Another substitution for Portugal.
Neves is on to replace Silva.
80. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Shaqiri fires the ball towards Embolo on the edge of the box.
The striker flicks it up before attempting an audacious bicycle kick, but his effort is off-target.
76. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Portugal have a free kick in a threatening position.
Ronaldo steps up to take, but he fires his strike directly into the wall.
74. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Two more changes for Portugal.
Vitinha replaces Felix.
Horta replaces Otavio.
73. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Here he is…
Ronaldo is ON to replace hattrick hero Ramos.
The stadium erupts as he takes to the pitch!
Credit: Getty 68. Portugal 5-1 Switzerland
Otavio sets the ball to Felix in midfield, who then flicks a perfectly-weighted pass through to Ramos, who makes a run towards Sommer.
The striker then chips it over the Swiss goalkeeper with great composure to complete his hattrick!
Credit: Reuters 67. GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL PORTUGAL!!!!!
Ramos gets his hattrick!
66. Portugal 4-1 Switzerland
Another change for Switzerland.
Okafor is on to replace Vargas.
62. Portugal 4-1 Switzerland
In the midst of that 10 minutes of madness, Switzerland made a few more changes.
Sow has been replaced by Zakaria.
Freuler has been replaced by Seferovic.
58. GOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL SWITZERLAND!!!
Akanji gets on the scoresheet!
Most likely a consolation goal – unless this is the start of an unbelievable comeback. Surely not?!
56. Portugal 4-0 Switzerland
Otavio kicks of a fantastic Portugal move with a clever flick on the sideline.
The ball eventually finds Guerreiro on the edge of the box. He cuts inside and fires it into the roof of the net!
Credit: Reuters 55. GOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL PORTUGAL!!!!
That’s it.
Game over.
It’s FOUR thanks to Guerreiro!
54. Portugal 3-0 Switzerland
Fernandes swings a corner into the box.
Pepe gets his head on it once again, but Rodriguez makes the block in front of goal.
Portugal appeal for a handball, but the referee says no chance.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
