Portugal ahead Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after efficiently changing a penalty within the Sixty fifth minute of the Group H match towards Ghana. AP
Doha: Cristiano Ronaldo rewrote the historical past books once more on Thursday after changing into the primary man to attain at 5 World Cups with the opening aim in Portugal’s tight 3-2 win over Ghana.
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The 37-year-old set the file with a Sixty fifth-minute penalty on the 974 Stadium in Doha, serving to Fernando Santos’ group to a victory which moved them prime of Group H, two factors forward of Uruguay and South Korea.
Joao Felix and rising star Rafael Leao then made certain of the win after Andre Ayew’s leveller had briefly threatened to break Ronaldo’s social gathering.
Osman Bukari netted within the closing minute for Ghana however the event’s lowest-ranked aspect couldn’t pull off a shock and sit backside of the group.
Ronaldo overtakes Pele and Germans Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, who all scored in 4 World Cups, after being introduced down by Mohammed Salisu and taking the penalty himself.
However Ghana coach Otto Addo mentioned the choice was to award the penalty was “a particular reward from the referee” Ismail Elfath as he thought Ronaldo fouled Salisu.
Addo’s Portugal counterpart Fernando Santos then mentioned he wouldn’t “make any touch upon what my colleague mentioned”, earlier than insisting that had it not been a foul the VAR officers would have knowledgeable Elfath on the pitch.
“We must also give credit score to Ghana as a result of additionally they performed very properly,” Santos mentioned of his spirited opponents.
“Now it’s time for us to relaxation and after the remainder we can have a dialog to take inventory of the match.”
Manchester United introduced this week that Ronaldo will go away with instant impact after he criticised the membership and supervisor Erik ten Hag in a TV interview.
And Ronaldo later mentioned {that a} “chapter is closed” following his bitter departure from Previous Trafford, regardless of a removed from classic efficiency from the ageing icon.
All eyes on Ronaldo
All the eye pre-match was on Ronaldo and whether or not he may break the file and he had the proper likelihood to take action within the tenth minute.
Mohammed Kudus gave the ball away sloppily in midfield and Otavio slipped Ronaldo by, just for the as soon as scientific finisher to miscontrol the cross and clatter into Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi as he tried to get well and poke residence.
And shortly afterwards Ronaldo headed Raphael Guerreiro’s deep cross broad from shut vary, an opportunity that in his prime he would have been nearly assured to attain.
He did have the ball within the internet simply after the half-hour mark when it dropped to him within the space, however he was harshly judged by Elfath to have pushed Alexander Djiku earlier than turning and stroking residence a cultured end.
Ronaldo was actually Portugal’s solely actual aim risk early on towards what on paper is Group H’s weakest group, who have been backed by an enthusiastic set of supporters who placed on extra of a present within the stands than their workaday gamers initially did on the pitch.
Ajax midfielder Kudus had the gang briefly off their toes 10 minutes after the break when he burst ahead towards an uncovered Portugal defence and let off a robust shot which ultimately sailed comfortably broad of Diogo Costa’s left-hand submit.
Ronaldo then crashed in his record-breaking penalty however because the refrain of cheers and chants of his title began to die down a beforehand boring sport sparked into life, Ayew beautiful the gang by tapping in Kudus’ pull-back within the 73rd minute.
Nonetheless Felix and Leao made certain Portugal would take the factors with two beautiful finishes in as many minutes, each strikes arrange by Ronaldo’s former United teammate Bruno Fernandes.
Bukari then imitated Ronaldo along with his aim celebration after heading residence fully unmarked and deep in stoppage time Ghana had the prospect to grab an unlikely draw.
Costa dropped the ball at his toes fully unaware that Inaki Williams was prowling, however fortunately for Portugal after nicking the ball the Athletic Bilbao ahead slipped and Portugal held out for an enormous win on a historic day.
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