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UEFA Nations League: Cristiano Ronaldo brace steers Portugal to 4-0 win over Switzerland
Lisbon: Portugal cruised to their first victory in UEFA Nations League Group A2 as Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a 4-0 home defeat of Switzerland on Sunday.
Ronaldo proved instrumental as the hosts swept their opponents aside with an impressive first-half display in Lisbon. The Portugal captain - who struck a hat-trick when these sides last met three years ago on June 5 - had not registered in five outings for his country coming into this match, his longest drought for the Selecao for ten years. It was a free-kick from the former Sporting CP man that led to Portugal's opener, with his low effort parried by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel into the path of William Carvalho, who tapped home.
Ronaldo then took his international tally to 117 goals with two strikes in the space of five minutes with half-time approaching, sweeping his team's second into the far corner after unselfishly being picked out by Diogo Jota.
Shortly after, that pair combined again, with Kobel unable to hold the Liverpool striker's shot and Ronaldo nabbing the rebound. The 37-year-old could have claimed another match ball in the 43rd minute but prodded Joao Cancelo's intelligent cross narrowly wide.
In the end, it was the Manchester City full-back who rounded off the scoring, tapping the ball past the onrushing Kobel and slotting into the empty net after good work from club-mate Bernardo Silva.
Fernando Santos, Portugal's coach was a happy man after the match as he said: "I am a coach who is satisfied when I win and when the team plays as we rehearsed. We could have scored one or two more in the first half. In the second half, the pace dropped; the players are not machines. Switzerland created some problems, but we always found the right solutions."
Portugal have lost only two of their last 11 international matches against Switzerland (W6 D3 L2).
Excluding their 3-0 awarded victory vs Ukraine, Switzerland's last win in the Nations League dates back to November 2018 against Belgium. (ANI)
