Portuguese Football in English
Portugal’s qualification campaign for the European Championships 2024 started exactly as the Seleção would have hoped and, to be honest, exactly how it really should have started.
With Portugal now 8 to 1 on to emerge top of the group, wins over the group’s minnows will not get fans rushing to place their bets with the numerous bookmaker offers available, but as the saying goes, you can only beat the side in front of you.
Portugal women rounded off an experimental international break with a 1-1 draw against Wales in front of a record crowd.
Coach Francisco Neto fielded a completely different 11 to the one that lost 2-1 to Japan on Friday as he makes his final preparations ahead of female Seleção’s first ever FIFA World Cup appearance in the summer.
Portugal cruised to a 6-0 victory in Luxembourg to make it two convincing wins in the 2024 European Championship qualifiers.
The Seleção were 3-0 up after 18 minutes with all three goals the result of accurate balls into the box. Cristiano Ronaldo converted from close range before João Félix and Bernardo Silva steered headers past Anthony Moris.
Félix instigated the fourth goal in the 31st minute, Bruno Fernandes threading the ball through to Ronaldo who found the bottom corner.
Roberto Martínez’s side produced a late flourish which was instigated by the introduction of Rafael Leão.
The winger assisted Otávio before winning a penalty that he couldn’t get past Anthony Moris, but his persistence paid off as he scored Portugal’s sixth goal in the 88th minute.
Roberto Martínez got off to a winning start as Portugal manager, his new side comfortably beating Liechtenstein 4-0 at Estádio José Alvalade.
João Cancelo’s deflected strike put the Seleção ahead in the 8th minute, but they couldn’t add to their advantage in the first half despite enjoying 81% possession.
Bernardo Silva made it 2-0 in the 47th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo converting a penalty four minutes later after Cancelo had been brought down in the area.
Ronaldo scored his 120th international goal in the 63th minute, his free kick too hot for Benjamin Büchel to handle.
The match was notable for Gonçalo Inácio who made his senior debut, starting on the left side of a back three which is likely to be Martínez’s preferred formation moving forward.
New Seleção coach Roberto Martínez announced his first squad at the Cidade do Futebol this afternoon for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.
Former Porto centre-back Diogo Leite gets his debut call-up in an otherwise practically identical list to Portugal’s World Cup squad.
