Ronaldo brace leads Portugal to big win over Switzerland

SOCCER-UEFANATIONS-POR-SWI-REPORT
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo: Reuters/Pedro Nunes

Lisbon: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal swept to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Switzerland in their UEFA Nations League clash at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Sunday.

William Carvalho and Joao Cancelo were also on the scoresheet as the hosts wasted numerous opportunities to inflict more humiliation on the visitors, who suffered their biggest defeat since losing to Germany by the same scoreline in 2008.

Portugal have four points from their opening two Group A2 matches and are ahead of second-place Czech Republic on goal-difference. Switzerland are on zero after back-to-back losses and are now winless in their last four encounters since they qualified for the World Cup in Qatar.

Carvalho opened the scoring when he reacted quickest to the loose ball when Ronaldo's free-kick was parried, before the latter bagged a quickfire brace to extend his record tally of international goals to 117.

Ronaldo should have had a hat-trick when he wasted two excellent opportunities before halftime, the first a barely believable miss from six yards, but it was left to Cancelo to score the fourth for Portugal in the second half.

Portugal host Czech Republic in their next fixture on Thursday, while Switzerland entertain Spain in Geneva on the same evening.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.