Portugal are one win away from qualifying for Euro 2020 after crushing Lithuania 6-0 in the Algarve tonight. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo got the ball rolling, scoring the two goals in a one-sided first half. Little changed after the interval with Pizzi, Gonçalo Paciência and the brilliant Bernardo Silva adding further goals before Ronaldo completed his hat-trick to round off the scoring. 

Victory in Luxembourg on Sunday will guarantee the runners-up spot in Group B and a berth at next summer's European Championship. 

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  SupremoGino — Nothing to rave about Jon, I, and others have shared the same sentiments about the struggle Portugal has had in years past to grind out results. Come to think of it - the worst coach in the history of Portugal (Carlos Queiroz) has a lot to do with that, as well as Bento aka the stubborn mule who us......
  Paulo — I want to echo Jon's sentiments about dominating the game, I know it was only Lithuania, but I too have seen way to many 1-0 games where all we could do is cross into the box and hope to get a goal when the other team was parking the bus. In the first half, we barely let them out of there own half.......
  Jerrold Hewson — Bernardo and Pereira were superb, Ronaldo could have had 6. I was excited by the formation and name choices and it was a great game. I suspect however, that against a scoring team, Santos will revert back to a 2 DM arrangement. I think they shouldn't be afraid, and focus on scoring, we proved with......

Jorge Jesus says he is keen to ensure his players avoid any emotional collapse, after watching Flamengo share eight goals in a classic Rio de Janeiro derby with Vasco da Gama at the Maracanã Stadium.

Flamengo twice led and twice trailed on Wednesday evening, with Vasco ultimately snatching a point in the 4-4 draw with a 93rd-minute equaliser. Following a match with eleven bookings, scuffles between opposing players continued after the game leading to a remarkable attack on Flamengo striker Gabigol by a Vasco coaching staff member.

An injury-hit Portugal play Lithuania in their penultimate Euro 2020 Group B qualifier on Thursday evening. Victory in the Algarve, followed by another win away against Luxembourg on Sunday, will guarantee the reigning champions are part of the pan-European tournament next summer.

The Seleção’s preparations for the matches have been disrupted by a series of injuries, but coach Fernando Santos has no doubts: “I believe we will play two good games and we’ll win them. I’m absolutely convinced we will be at Euro 2020.” 

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  Oscar Duarte — I believe you meant to write Ruben Dias, or maybe even Ruben Semedo in the predicted XI instead of Ruben Neves twice, no? Anyhow, these games should be a piece of cake for a team of our caliber. I’d like to see Ricardo Pereira play more....

In Episode 25 of the Seleção podcast, host Danny Pinto and guest Nathan Motz, PortuGOAL’s Seleção correspondent, preview Portugal’s final two EURO 2020 qualifiers against Lithuania and Luxembourg.

Up for discussion among other matters is the rash of injuries (captain Cristiano Ronaldo is in doubt for the matches) that Portugal have suffered towards the end of their EURO 2020 qualifying campaign. 

As we round up the remaining stories from the weekend across the world involving Portuguese exports, the country’s foreign-based coaching contingent made most of the other major talking points. André Villas-Boas leads the positive news, having ensured Marseille go into the international break 2nd in Ligue 1 thanks to a 2-1 victory over Lyon in France.

Elsewhere, Jorge Jesus and Flamengo took a huge step towards the Brazilian title by coming from behind to beat Bahia, while Leonardo Jardim and Marco Silva were also victorious. Less good news in Italy, however, as Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo’s persistent knee injury saw his involvement against Milan cut short and Paulo Fonseca suffered defeat at Parma.

Narrow victories saw the familiar duo of Benfica and Porto pull clearer at the top end of Liga NOS during an eventful Week 11. Famalicão lost ground on the aforementioned pair after throwing away a 3 goal lead to draw with Moreirense.

Braga defeated Vitória Guimarães in the Minho derby, while promoted sides Paços Ferreira and Gil Vicente both gained vital victories.

This edition of the PortuGOAL Figure of the Week focuses on Sporting though, who have been through a tough time of late but found solace on Sunday night through a standout turn from Luciano Vietto, who struck twice to see off Lisbon neighbours Belenenses.

Benfica held onto top spot with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Santa Clara away from home in a week where all of the ‘Big Three’ members claimed wins.

Goals from Vinícius and Pizzi turned the game on its head in Azores to clinch all three points for the Eagles on Saturday night, securing more time in command of the Liga NOS table.

Sporting made handy progress of their own at home to Belenenses, sinking their city neighbours with a Luciano Vietto double in a 2-0 win, prior to F.C. Porto’s 1-0 victory in the Invicta Derby against Boavista.

Elsewhere, league sensations Famalicão conceded further ground in their ventures near the top, succumbing to a Moreirense comeback to draw 3-3, meanwhile Sporting de Braga were the big victors in the Minho Derby with a 2-0 away win over Vitória de Guimarães. Here’s how the Matchday 11 unfolded.

Sunday’s Ukrainian Clasico between Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kiev was overshadowed by racist chanting from the stands, as champions Shakhtar took another step towards defending their title with a 1-0 victory.

Play at the Oblasny Sporkomplex in Kharkiv was interrupted for several minutes late on in the contest after Shakhtar’s Brazilian forward Taison responded to chants from the opposition fans by kicking the ball towards the fenced section holding the Dynamo supporters. When play resumed following communication over the loud speaker, Taison was issued a red card for his reaction.

Rúben Neves was in fine form on Sunday afternoon with a goal and a decisive role in the second as Wolverhampton Wanderers beat local rivals Aston Villa in the West Midlands derby.

Neves opened the scoring with a typically well-placed shot from the edge of the area, before winning the ball ahead of what proved the winner by Raul Jimenez. The win saw Nuno Espírito Santo’s side move up to 8th in the table and extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches.

Olympiacos remain top of the standings in Greece this weekend after a 2-0 win over Atromitos ensured their two-point lead over PAOK continues into the international break. Seleção midfielder Daniel Podence was on the scoresheet for Pedro Martins’ side, who are unbeaten so far this season.

Defending champions PAOK also won, with Abel Ferreira’s men edging a 1-0 victory at OFI, while Nélson Oliveira scored again but was on the losing side as AEK Athens surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Panathinaikos in the Athens derby.

More Articles ...

  1. Europa League: Braga march on, Sporting go top, Vitória draw, Porto crash to defeat
  2. BRAZIL: "They tried to intimidate; they failed" Jorge Jesus explains post-match altercation with Botafogo defender after Flamengo snatch derby win [video]
  3. Gonçalo Paciência gets Portugal call-up
  4. Champions League roundup: Benfica down and out, Shakhtar thriller
  5. PortuGOAL Figure of the Week: Makaridze unbeatable again as Boavista's unbeaten run ends

      

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We knew we had to start well, try and score early and not give Lithuania the chance to counter-attack. I think we did that. Scoring early was important.”

Ricardo Pereira
(Portugal right-back explains the recipe for the thumping win in the Euro 2020 qualifier against Lithuania) 
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