Football
2018 World Cup Qualifying - UEFA, Group Stage
POR 
4
FT
 LVA
1
PA Sport 7y

Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice but misses penalty as Portgual win

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace and missed a second-half penalty as Euro 2016 winners Portugal eased to victory in their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

The Real Madrid forward, who signed a new five-year contract at the Bernabeu last week, had given the hosts the lead in Faro after converting a first-half penalty.

But he missed his second spot-kick before Latvia struck back through Arturs Zjuzins, only for William Carvalho and Bruno Alves to score either side of a Ronaldo volley to secure a 4-1 win.

Portugal were quick out of the blocks and Joao Mario forced an early save out of Andris Vanins.

Ronaldo then had a long-range sighter before tucking away his first penalty of the night just before the half-hour mark after Gints Freimanis had fouled Nani inside the box.

He could not recreate the feat half an hour later having stepped up again following Gleb Kluskins' foul on Andre Gomes.

Instead, Ronaldo scuffed his effort onto the post, with the ball bouncing back off Vanins and away to safety.

Latvia threatened to make him pay for his miss as Zjuzins levelled, but it was short-lived as Carvalho's header had Portugal back in front a little over a minute later.

Ronaldo then atoned for his penalty miss by volleying in a third before hitting the crossbar with a late header to miss out on a hat-trick.

But there was still time for Bruno Alves to head home a last-minute fourth to wrap up the win for Fernando Santos' men.

^ Back to Top ^