Portugal (National Football)

Defending champions Portugal booked their UEFA Euro 2020 ticket with a 2-0 win over Luxembourg on Sunday. Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo got the goals. 

Fernandes opened the scoring with a well-taken strike shorty before half-time, but Luxembourg improved after the break. Portugal were under real pressure until Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball to double the lead late.

Portugal started the day one point ahead of Serbia in Group B, knowing they only had to match the Serbs' result against Ukraine to secure one of the two qualification spots.

Portugal started on the front foot, but within 10 minutes of the opening whistle, received some bad news from the other Group B match:

Serbia have an early lead against Ukraine after a goal from Dusan Tadic 🇷🇸

If they win and Portugal drop points, Portugal will not qualify from the group 😬#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/dILsLJ6rKT

— GOAL (@goal) November 17, 2019

The first half-chance fell to the hosts, with David Turpel sending a header over the bar, while Vincent Thill proved a handful for the European champions, and his looping shot nearly caught out Rui Patricio.

Gerson Rodrigues perhaps should have done better with his header after 25 minutes, missing the target, and Ronaldo didn't have enough bend on a long-range effort to trouble the goalkeeper.

Pizzi whiffed on a shot after some great build-up play, and Portugal's pressure mounted as the first half went on. It led to a late goal for Fernandes, who took a great through ball from Bernardo Silva and put it past goalkeeper Anthony Moris.

ESPN FC's Alex Shaw thought it was an excellent goal:

Sporting's Bruno Fernandes has just scored an absolute beauty for Portugal.

— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) November 17, 2019

Over in Belgrade, Roman Yaremchuk had tied things up for Ukraine, so Portugal appeared to be cruising to a second-placed finish and Euro 2020 ticket entering half-time.

Jose Fonte could have all but secured the win early in the second half, sending a header wide, and the away fans fell quiet when news of Aleksandar Mitrovic's goal for Serbia filtered through. Luxembourg were proving surprisingly strong opponents, and a single goal would have been enough to put Portugal in serious trouble.

The hosts started working their way into dangerous areas, and Portugal had little response. Joao Moutinho was brought on to stabilise the midfield battle, but Thill continued his strong play and claimed a penalty after 68 minutes.

Fernandes wanted a spot-kick in a similar situation, but the referee opted to place the ball outside the box. Ronaldo curled the resulting free-kick agonisingly close to the target.

The much-needed second goal finally came after 86 minutes, when Ronaldo fired home a rebound to secure all three points and a Euro 2020 spot. It was his 99th international goal:

👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿
👉🏿👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👉🏽👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👉🏽👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾99 international goals👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👉🏽👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👉🏽👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👈🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👉🏾👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽👈🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👆🏾👈🏿
👉🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👈🏿

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 17, 2019

Ukraine equalised again in Belgrade, meaning Portugal could start their celebrations early. The final minutes played out without major incidents, although Ronaldo tried desperately to score his 100th goal for Portugal, firing a late chance wide. 

Portugal left-back Mario Rui believes Cristiano Ronaldo's "hunger" for goals is what makes him the best player in the world. 

Rui was speaking after yet another Ronaldo masterclass on the international stage, where the 34-year-old notched a hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Lithuania in Thursday's UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying contest.

After some recent questions about his performances at club level, it was an emphatic return to form for Ronaldo. Speaking about his team-mate, Rui said his ambition to achieve and score more separates him from the rest of the field, per A Bola (h/t Sacha Pisani of Goal).

"He is the best in the world, never tired of winning, wanting more, and it is this hunger that makes him what he is," said the Napoli man. "We are happy to have him on the team and I hope he will continue to give us joy as he has done so far."

Here are the highlights from the match, where Portugal took another step towards securing their position at the showpiece next summer:

Per B/R Football, netting hat-tricks on the international stage has become almost routine for the Juventus forward:

Cristiano Ronaldo scores his ninth international hat-trick. Unreal. 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/XUI98CEuWE

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 14, 2019

Cristiano responds in style 💪 pic.twitter.com/kvvGNaWfCa

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 14, 2019

Despite the handsome win, Portugal have still not rubber-stamped their place at next summer's showpiece after Serbia beat Luxembourg on the same night. However, if Portugal can win in Luxembourg on Sunday, their spot will be secured.

With Ronaldo in this type of mood, there shouldn't be any hiccups for the European champions.

Prior to the game, manager Fernando Santos was asked about the condition of Ronaldo and was left miffed by the constant questions about the forward in his pre-match press conference. Afterwards, the Portugal boss said there was never any concerns about the player's fitness.

"A lot of people were asking about Cristiano—what I said was that he was able to play, that Cristiano was fine," noted Santos. "It [his performance] didn't surprise me. In fact, I am never surprised by Cristiano, I assure you. So, scoring a hat-trick was perfectly normal."

The goals took Ronaldo on to an incredible tally of 98 for Portugal. That means he's not only tantalisingly close to a century, but Ali Daei's record international tally of 109:

All-time top international scorers:

🇮🇷 Ali Daei (109)
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo (97)
🇭🇺 Ferenc Puskas (84)

Twelve from the record 👀 pic.twitter.com/M9WOI3UcZR

— Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) November 14, 2019

Per football writer Colin Millar, since turning 30 the forward has taken his productivity to new heights:

Cristiano Ronaldo now up to 46 goals in 45 Portugal caps since 30th birthday. 98 international goals. 55 career hat-tricks.

— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) November 14, 2019

The opposition may have been modest for Portugal and Ronaldo on Thursday, yet you sense the forward felt as though he had something to prove after his issues at Juventus. He has been substituted by manager Maurizio Sarri in the previous two Bianconeri matches.

All eyes will be on Ronaldo on Sunday to see if he can net his 100th goal of a stunning international career. Next summer, a lot of responsibility will fall on his shoulders again if Portugal are to retain their European title.

Portugal manager Fernando Santos has said Cristiano Ronaldo is fit for his team's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying showdown with Lithuania on Thursday.

Doubts have been raised over the fitness of Ronaldo as of late, as he has been substituted in Juventus' last two games. In the clash with AC Milan on Sunday, the 34-year-old was taken off before the hour-mark and headed straight down the tunnel.

Speaking on the eve of the qualifier, Santos dismissed any notion that Ronaldo was injured and commented on the buzz that constantly follows the Bianconeri star, per Richard Martin of Reuters (h/t the MailOnline).

"If he wasn't fit, we wouldn't have called him up," he said. "Everyone likes to talk and speculate about Cristiano Ronaldo because he is the best player in the world. If it was any other player, there would be no such fuss. He is fit, and he's going to play."

Santos continued to be asked about his key man during the media briefing and said, "This conference is not about Cristiano Ronaldo, it's about Portugal and the game with Lithuania."

Ronaldo didn't cut a happy figure when he was taken off in the showdown with AC Milan; Juventus eventually won 1-0, with substitute Paulo Dybala on target:

Cristiano Ronaldo was subbed off last night for the second game in a row while the score was still level 😮

& His replacement Paulo Dybala scored the winner ⚽

So far in 10 Serie A games this season:

👉 57 shots (24 on target)
👉 5 goals
👉 1 assist pic.twitter.com/X3obep4Sg2

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) November 11, 2019

Afterward, Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri hinted the player isn't completely fit, saying he should be praised for playing when not in top condition.

"We must thank Ronaldo because he made a sacrifice to be there at all tonight in a difficult situation," Sarri told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Goal). "He did everything possible to play, but I saw he was not well and thought it best to take him off. It’s only natural a player is going to be irritated to leave the pitch, especially when he worked so hard to be there."

According to Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), after being substituted, Ronaldo is said to have left the stadium before the final whistle.

Per Portuguese football writer Tom Kundert, Ronaldo played an active part in the team's preparations for the game:

Portugal's squad trained yesterday ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifier against Lithuania in the Algarve on Thursday. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo did the full session and seemed to be fully fit. https://t.co/Cz4rQExqSU

— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) November 13, 2019

The sharpshooter will be desperate to get on the pitch on Thursday as he closes in on a century of goals for Portugal.

Ronaldo has 95 in total and bolstered his tally when the two teams previously met by netting four times:

Portugal haven't been at their best in their qualifying group, with Ukraine already confirmed as Group B winners after they were 2-1 winners over the Selecao in the previous international break.

It's not anticipated Portugal will have any problem achieving a second-place finish and thus booking their place at the competition finals next summer. Two wins from their last two matches—they face Luxembourg on Sunday—should be attainable for the European champions, especially if Ronaldo is on the field. Serbia are lurking a point behind in third place and will look to capitalise on any slip, though.   

Portugal are expected to take another step towards qualification for the UEFA 2020 European Championship on Thursday, when they host Lithuania.

With two games left to play in Group B, the Selecao know that back-to-back wins will be enough for them to finish in second place. Ukraine have comfortably been the strongest side in the pool and already earned top spot, with six wins from their seven games.

Portugal go into this encounter ahead of Serbia, who also have two games to play. The latter need the European champions to suffer a big upset on Thursday or in Sunday's meeting with Luxembourg to confirm their own progression.

      

Date: Thursday, November 14

Time: 7:45 p.m. (GMT), 2:45 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: Sky Sports Premier League (UK)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), ESPN+ (U.S.)

    

Odds

Portugal win (1/50)

Draw (16/1)

Lithuania win (50/1)

Odds provided by Caesars.

    

Preview

As is so often the case, the focus will be on star man and captain Cristiano Ronaldo heading into the game on Thursday.

The 34-year-old hasn't had the best of times at club level lately and has been substituted in his last two games for Juventus. According to Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), after being taken off in Sunday's clash with AC Milan, the Juventus star left the stadium before the end of the game.

Per Premier Sports, the forward wasn't pleased to be taken off by manager Maurizio Sarri:

Cristiano Ronaldo was subbed off last night for the second game in a row while the score was still level 😮

& His replacement Paulo Dybala scored the winner ⚽

So far in 10 Serie A games this season:

👉 57 shots (24 on target)
👉 5 goals
👉 1 assist pic.twitter.com/X3obep4Sg2

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) November 11, 2019

After his disappointing performance, former Juventus and Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello was critical of Ronaldo's dribbling ability:

Fabio Capello went in on Cristiano Ronaldo yesterday 👀 pic.twitter.com/IYZ9uxq8Cp

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 11, 2019

Speaking after the game, Sarri said Ronaldo is "not in the best condition" at the moment, although he still appears set to feature in the upcoming matches for Portugal.

In the last international break, Ronaldo scored his 700th career goal in the 2-1 loss to Ukraine and made it an incredible 95 strikes for his country. Given the calibre of opposition the Selecao are playing in the coming days, you wouldn't bet against him bringing up his century during the current break.

After all, when Portugal played in Lithuania, he was able to notch four goals:

Per sports statistician Mohandas Menon, Ronaldo still has ground to make up on the all-time record goalscorer in international football:

Most goal scorers in international football...
1. Ali Daei (Iran) - 109
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 95*
3. Ferenc Puskas (Hungary) - 84
4. Kunishige Kamamoto (Japan) - 80
5. Godfrey Chitalu (Zambia) - 79
* active

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) October 16, 2019

While they will still surely qualify, given the quality in the squad, overall it's been a disappointing campaign for Portugal to this point.

Santos is blessed with some of the best attacking players in the game, although he's not been able to get Portugal's many creative stars in the team and functioning simultaneously.

Per Portuguese football writer Tom Kundert, the squad is stacked full of options in the final third, although has been hit with a couple of defensive injuries in the buildup to this important set of matches:

Fernando Santos has picked a very top-heavy Portugal squad with victories needed against Lithuania and Luxembourg. Here's the list for Seleção's final two Euro 2020 qualifiers https://t.co/c8RECWD2NF pic.twitter.com/mCq18wparf

— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) November 8, 2019

Fernando Santos has picked a very top-heavy Portugal squad with victories needed against Lithuania and Luxembourg. Here's the list for Seleção's final two Euro 2020 qualifiers https://t.co/c8RECWD2NF pic.twitter.com/mCq18wparf

— Tom Kundert (@PortuGoal1) November 8, 2019

Lithuania have been the weakest team in Group B, with just one point in the entire campaign. It means they will be happy to avoid a hiding when they travel to Portugal on Thursday.

After a frustrating spell with his club in recent weeks, you sense Ronaldo may be ready to take some anger out on the minnows in this fixture and the scoreline may look lopsided by the end of the match as a result.

Prediction: Portugal 5-0 Lithuania

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 700th career goal on Monday but could not prevent Portugal slipping to a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine in UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying:  

#CR700

Cristiano Ronaldo scores the 700th goal of his incredible career 🐐 https://t.co/SSL15s8EFw

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 14, 2019

The win means Ukraine move eight points clear at the top of Group B and secure qualification to Euro 2020, while reigning European champions Portugal still have work to do to reach the finals.

Roman Yaremchuk fired the hosts into the lead after just six minutes. Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio could only parry a header from Serhiy Kryvtsov, allowing Yaremchuk to pounce on the loose ball and prod home.

Ukraine doubled their lead through Andriy Yarmolenko on 27 minutes. Vitaliy Mykolenko surged down the left and sent in an early ball for the West Ham United man to sweep home.

Portugal pulled one back from the penalty spot on 72 minutes after Taras Stepanenko blocked a shot with his arm and was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Ronaldo smashed home the spot-kick to hit the latest landmark in his glittering career but could not inspire a comeback as Portugal stay second in Group B.

Ukraine were the dominant side in the first half and were good value for their two-goal lead at half-time.

Portugal failed to deal with an early corner, allowing Krivtsov to direct a firm header goalwards. Patricio managed to block the shot but only as far as Yaremchuk who made no mistake from close range.

The hosts then carved Portugal open for their second goal. Mykolenko did well down the left and was given time to pick out Yarmalenko to slot a neat finish past Patricio, as shown by Sky Sports Football (UK only):

Yarmolenko ⚽️🇺🇦

The @WestHam man fires Ukraine 2-0 ahead against Portugal

Watch the #Euro2020 qualifier live on Sky Sports PL now pic.twitter.com/2th8A8Gmrq

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 14, 2019

Ronaldo looked Portugal's most likely goalscorer in the first half but had few sights of goal. The Juventus forward's best effort was a shot that was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.

Portugal's captain twice tested Pyatov early in the second half. He fired a free-kick straight at the goalkeeper on 50 minutes and forced the 35-year-old into a diving save with a stinging shot just before the hour.

Manager Fernando Santos sent on Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix for Bruno Fernandes for the final 30 minutes as he sought a way back into the tie.

Portugal were offered a lifeline on 72 minutes when they were awarded a penalty. Stepanenko was adjudged to have blocked Bruma's shot with his arm and picked up his second yellow card to leave the hosts with 10 men.

Ronaldo smashed home the penalty for his 700th goal as a professional footballer:

700 - Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his 700th career goal for club and country:

Sporting CP - 5
Manchester United - 118
Real Madrid - 450
Juventus - 32
Portugal - 95

Legendary. pic.twitter.com/kH6pHYR7qK

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 14, 2019

Portugal pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages and came close with two efforts in stoppage time that caused chaos in the Ukraine penalty area.

Ronaldo forced Pyatov into yet another save with a powerful header. The ball then fell to Pep at the far post but his effort was blocked on the goalline.

Danilo then hit the crossbar with a terrific shot from range that beat Pyatov and dropped into the penalty area before being scrambled away as Ukraine held on to clinch top spot in Group B.

     

What's Next?

Ukraine's next fixture is a friendly against Estonia on November 14. Portugal take on Lithuania on the same day in qualifying. The two nations then play their final Group B fixtures three days later. Ukraine are away at Serbia, while Portugal head to Luxembourg.

.

The two top teams in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group B will come face-to-face on Monday, with European champions Portugal traveling to Ukraine.

The hosts have a five-point lead at the top of the standings but have also played one more match than their opponents.

Caesars has handed Portugal odds of +100 (wager $100 to win $100), while Ukraine come in at +280. A draw carries odds of +250.

British viewers can tune in via Sky Sports, while viewers in the United States can follow along via Univision NOW. The match will kick off at 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET.

Both teams are coming off wins and are in great positions to qualify for the Euro 2020 finals as the two best teams in their group.

The UEFA Nations League winners and European champions beat Luxembourg 3-0 thanks to goals from Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo and Goncalo Guedes.

The Juventus star netted career goal No. 699 in that contest, moving him to within one of a special mark:

Cristiano Ronaldo has moved one strike away from his 700th career goal.

Here's more ➡ https://t.co/Rf724BZutC #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/mQwuawyNPr

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 12, 2019

He missed several late chances to bag No. 700 on home soil. The 34-year-old has scored in four of his last five matches across all competitions, so he seems likely to add to his tally in Ukraine.

The Group B leaders, meanwhile, took care of business against Lithuania, winning 2-0. Ruslan Malinovsky scored both the goals.

Ukraine have been a force to be reckoned with under manager Andriy Shevchenko, the legendary striker who made his name at AC Milan and also played for Chelsea. In their six Group B matches, they have won five times and conceded just a single goal. The only game they didn't win was their first match, a goalless draw away to Portugal.

Individually, Ukraine aren't nearly as talented as Portugal. Their top player is Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko, and most of the squad ply their trade domestically for Shakhtar Donetsk or Dynamo Kyiv.

The Portuguese feature several world-class talents, including Ronaldo, Silva and Bruno Fernandes. They can struggle to break down well-organised defences, however, and have already dropped points twice in this group, also failing to beat Serbia at home.

If the European champions play up to their talents, they should win, but any mistakes could prove costly against a well-organised Ukraine team that has tons of momentum.

           

Prediction: Ukraine 1-1 Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo's four-goal performance against Lithuania on Tuesday is "clear and irrevocable proof that he is the best player in the world," according to Portugal manager Fernando Santos. 

The Juventus star, though, played down his chances of winning a sixth Ballon d'Or this year, saying he doesn't "live thinking about individual prizes."

Ronaldo's eighth international hat-trick saw Portugal to a 5-1 win in their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier with Lithuania, and also moved him to within 16 of Iran's Ali Daei in the list of all-time international goalscorers:

—93 international goals
—8 hat-tricks for Portugal
—Goals in 40 different countries @Cristiano is ridiculous 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/tGbfhlOMFc

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 10, 2019

Vytautas Andriuskevicius scored for the hosts to make it 1-1 just before the half-hour mark at the LFF Stadium after Ronaldo's opener.

But following three more goals from Ronaldo, William Carvalho netted in stoppage time to complete the rout.

When Ronaldo was substituted with 11 minutes remaining, he was given a standing ovation.

For Santos, his performance was proof that he is the best player in the world, per Sacha Pisani of Goal:

"This is the clear and irrevocable proof that he is the best player in the world. There is no stadium in the world where Ronaldo is not applauded. He is the best in the world. 

"We went to Paris in my first game, and the hotel in France was just across the street. There were a thousand people at our door. I think it's strange when he doesn't score. They say it is ending. ... Nothing is ending. You have to be careful because it never ends."

Ronaldo, 34, scored 21 goals in his debut Serie A campaign last term as he helped Juve win an eighth consecutive Scudetto.

He also played a key role as Portugal won the inaugural UEFA Nations League back in June.

As a result, he has been nominated for FIFA's The Best Men's Player award this year:

🚨 #TheBest Men’s Player Finalists 🚨

🇵🇹 @Cristiano
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi
🇳🇱 @VirgilvDijk pic.twitter.com/wX8zPg7TEp

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) September 2, 2019

He will likely be among the finalists for the Ballon d'Or as well, which is awarded later this year, although he is behind Virgil van Dijk and Lionel Messi in the betting, per Oddschecker.

When asked after the Lithuania victory about the prospect of winning the prestigious award for a sixth time, Ronaldo said, per Pisani:

"As I always say, I don't live thinking about individual prize. I scored a goal against Serbia [on Saturday] and four here and I'm very happy. We have to dismiss this moment and what I want most is to continue like this."

Consecutive wins against Serbia and Lithuania mean Portugal finish the international break second in qualifying Group B, five points behind Ukraine with a game in hand.

Ronaldo will be back in action in Serie A when Juventus face Fiorentina on Saturday. 

Portugal bagged their second win of UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying on Tuesday, beating Lithuania 5-1 on the road thanks to four goals from Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Juventus star opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half, but the hosts hit back through Vytautas Andriuskevicius. Ronaldo would add three more goals in the second half to secure the win, and William Carvalho put the final score on the board.

Portugal had won just one of their first three qualifiers, falling well behind Ukraine in the Group B standings prior to Ronaldo's masterclass in finishing.

The hosts started the match well and perhaps should have taken the lead after just three minutes, but Vykintas Slivka couldn't keep his header on target.

Just two minutes later, Joao Felix aimed a cross into the box that was handled, and the ball went on the penalty spot. Ronaldo stepped up and added to his collection of international goals, with a new nation falling victim:

Cristiano Ronaldo scores against his 40th opponent in international football 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CNn96KVu76

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 10, 2019

He would try his luck again minutes later, blasting a shot well over the bar.

The European champions continued to prod, and Joao Cancelo nearly forced an own-goal with a sharp cross that was almost turned in by a defender. Ronaldo also stayed involved and just narrowly missed his target with a shot after 20 minutes.

Lithuania produced few chances, but shortly before the half-hour mark, they drew level through Andriuskevicius. A bit of pressure resulted in a corner, which the 28-year-old nodded home.

Portugal went back on the attack, and both Cancelo and Felix had good looks on goal, with goalkeeper Ernestas Setkus intervening on both occasions.

Felix and Ronaldo combined well and gave the Lithuanian defence all kinds of headaches, but the star man in the first half was Cancelo. Despite his best efforts, there would be no more major chances before the half-time break.

He picked out Felix early in the second half, but the youngster struggled with his aim, putting the ball wide from close range.

Rafa Silva replaced the disappointing Bruno Fernandes and found Felix just minutes later, but once again, the Atletico Madrid man couldn't find the target.

But just as Portugal started to get a little desperate, Ronaldo struck twice in quick succession. The first was a truly bizarre goal, with Setkus saving his shot, only to have the ball bounce off his own head and into the goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo shoots from 15 metres - a terrible shot - the keeper Setkus goes down to collect, the ball bobbles, jumps, hits him on the back and trundles in.

— footballportugal (@footballport) September 10, 2019

Minutes later, Ronaldo doubled the lead, steering home a superb cross from Bernardo Silva.

The second goal broke Lithuania's resolve completely, and Silva took over. He beautifully set up Ronaldo for his fourth of the night after 76 minutes. He became Portugal's first ever player to manage four goals in a competitive contest twice:

Only three players have scored 4+ goals in a competitive fixture for Portugal:

🇵🇹 Eusebio (1966)
🇵🇹 Nuno Gomes (2002)
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo (2016, 2019)

Ronaldo the only player to manage it twice. https://t.co/X0E9KA6oEP

— Squawka (@Squawka) September 10, 2019

Predictably, the match lost all momentum late on, and Ronaldo was given a deserved rest. There was still time for one more goal, however, with Carvalho finishing off a set-piece routine.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the mark as Portugal beat Serbia 4-2 on Saturday to clinch their first win during qualification for UEFA Euro 2020, climbing two places up to second in Group B.

William Carvalho was an unlikely provider of the breakthrough when he poked Portugal in front following a goalkeeping error. Goncalo Guedes doubled their advantage just before the hour mark, helping secure what could prove to be a pivotal qualifying win.

Nikola Milenkovic halved the defecit before Ronaldo struck to extend Portugal's lead to two again. Aleksandar Mitrovic again pegged the visitors back, but Serbia's revival attempt proved insufficient after Bernardo Silva netted Portugal's fourth at Red Star Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia.

Portugal have now played three matches in qualifying—two fewer than leaders Ukraine—and trail the eastern European nation by eight points.

Serbia coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic made the decision to start without Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic—whose preparations for the season were hit by an ankle injury—and opted to field Fulham's Mitrovic as a lone front man. 

It's a decision he perhaps came to regret as the home outfit looked short of firepower in the first half, finding the target with one of just two attempts at goal. On the bright side, they also allowed Portugal to hit the target with only one of their eight first-half attempts.

Filip Kostic unearthed some space down the left flank just before the half-hour mark and sent a warning shot to Portugal No. 1 Rui Patricio when his attempted cross almost whizzed in at the far post.

Ronaldo was found wanting at the other end seconds later when he missed a gaping opportunity to score the opener, missing the ball altogether as it pinged off his standing leg.

Serbia goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic was left red-faced when his failure to claim a cross left the hosts exposed in front of their own net, with Carvalho on hand to capitalise.

The Real Betis midfielder scored just twice in his first 56 appearances for Portugal, and he won't bag many goals simpler than Saturday's breakthrough (UK only):

GOAL!

Portugal have broken the deadlock and it's though William Carvalho, an unlikely source!

📺 Watch it live on Sky Sports Premier League or follow it here: https://t.co/jFLKl27y2S pic.twitter.com/6eiJtM8rAW

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 7, 2019

Kostic continuously saw success down Serbia's left flank and had opportunities to craft an equaliser before the break, missing the mark on several occasions.

Portugal had a grip on the momentum of the match following their opener, though, and Guedes showed fanciful footwork to dig out a second for the travelling team on the 58-minute mark.

Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes each had key touches in the buildup to the goal, but Valencia star Guedes had it all to do in shifting the ball onto his left before unleashing inside the far post.

The pace of the game dropped in the second half as Santos' side looked to take some sting out and secure a much-needed three points.

The ploy didn't pan out, though, as Serbia roared into the fixture with about 30 minutes remaining, spurred on after Milenkovic rose highest to get them on the board almost unmarked (UK only):

GOAL!

Serbia are back in it thanks to Nikola Milenkovic's thumping header!

📺 Watch it live on Sky Sports Premier League or follow it here: https://t.co/jFLKl27y2S pic.twitter.com/RSrwJioRfo

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 7, 2019

The prodigious Joao Felix came on as a replacement for goalscorer Guedes and provided some welcome energy on Portugal's left wing, helping take some attention off Ronaldo in the run-up to his goal.

The Juventus star beat the offside trap and was found in space by Silva, just about reaching the ball in time to poke in a third and restore some breathing space for the guests (UK only):

GOAL!

Portugal restore their two-goal lead and Ronaldo finally makes his mark on this contest!

📺 Watch it live on Sky Sports Premier League or follow it here: https://t.co/jFLKl27y2S pic.twitter.com/yborqFBA88

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 7, 2019

The eventual scoreline meant Ronaldo's wasn't a game-winner as such, though it underlined his ongoing importance to Portugal's scoring threat:

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored his 89th international goal for Portugal.

He has more than three times as many goals as the other members of the current Portugal squad combined. 😳 pic.twitter.com/EMwO5De4Rq

— Squawka (@Squawka) September 7, 2019

A manic end to the match saw both teams score in the last five minutes. Mitrovic blitzed an unstoppable effort past Patricio and into the roof of the net, but it was Silva who ended up having the final say (U.S. only):

Bernardo Silva fires into the bottom corner! pic.twitter.com/2v5EEM6OEi

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 7, 2019

Little can be said for either side's defence—particularly in the final 30 minutes or so—but Portugal won't care after collecting their first win of the qualification campaign.

Not only that, but the reigning kings of Europe will be delighted to see Ronaldo open his account, hoping his strike is the first of more to come in Group B.

     

What's Next?

Both teams will be back in action on Tuesday, when Portugal travel to face Lithuania and Serbia make the trip to Luxembourg.

Ruben Neves has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as football's "best ever" player following Portugal's 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League final. 

Per Joe Edwards of the Express and Star, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder said: "I can't see anyone better than him. Cristiano is the best. He showed that in the semi-finals and again (in the final). We are lucky to have him in our team."

Asked if Ronaldo is the greatest in history, he added: "Of course, yes. For me, he's the best ever, and I'm a really lucky guy to play with him."

The Mirror's John Cross was quick to praise the Juventus forward after Portugal lifted the inaugural Nations League trophy on Sunday:

Cristiano Ronaldo is just amazing. Incredible talent, even stronger winning mentality, has made Portugal European champions and now Nations League winners.

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) June 9, 2019

Their victory continued a remarkable record for Ronaldo in finals:

.@Cristiano loves a final! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/omOk7Lo7gR

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 10, 2019

The 34-year-old had a quiet game for Portugal against the Netherlands, and it's worth remembering he sat out the entire group stage of the Nations League, so he played no part in getting them to the finals.

He did bag a hat-trick against Switzerland in the semi-final, though:

His efforts took him to 88 goals for Portugal—only Iran's Ali Daei has more international goals in the men's game—and he has netted an astonishing 601 times over the course of his club career, too.

Though Ronaldo went off injured in the first half of the 2016 UEFA European Championship final, in which Portugal beat France 1-0 after extra time, the fact that he has now won two international trophies has added yet more fuel to the endless debate on whether he or Barcelona's Lionel Messi is better:

Ronaldo 2️⃣-0️⃣ Messi 🐐

Cartoon by @omomani 🎨 pic.twitter.com/X4XN4Qapwm

— GOAL (@goal) June 10, 2019

Messi's Argentina have fallen short in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and the Copa America final in 2015 and 2016.

The two players' respective trophy hauls—international or domestic—should not have too much significance in such a debate, though.

As important a role as the pair have in collecting silverware, there are other factors at play when it comes to a team's success or failure, so it's too simplistic to boil down to the size of their trophy cabinets.

Messi will hope to end his run of disappointment on the international stage when Argentina compete in the Copa America this month. As for Ronaldo, he'll hope to help Portugal defend their European title next year at Euro 2020.

Whether they do or not, it makes little difference to their remarkable abilities as footballers.