Nations League: Ronaldo leads away Switzerland, Haaland lowers Sweden | Nations League
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals as Portugal swept to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Switzerland in the Nations League, while new Manchester City signing Erling Haaland also scored two goals as Norway beat Sweden 2-1.
William Carvalho and João Cancelo were also on target when hosts Portugal squandered numerous opportunities to inflict more humiliation on the visitors, who suffered their biggest defeat since the loss to Germany in 2008.
Portugal have four points after their two opening group A2 matches and are ahead of the Czech Republic in second place on goal difference. Switzerland are at zero after back-to-back losses and are now unbeaten in their last four meetings since qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar.
Carvalho opened the scoring as he reacted most quickly to the loose ball when Ronaldo’s free kick was parried, before the latter was given a quick position to extend his record for international goals to 117. Ronaldo should have had a hat trick when he wasted two excellent opportunities before half-time. the first a barely credible miss from six yards, but it was left to Cancelo to make the fourth for Portugal in the second half.
Elsewhere in Group A2, a late goal from defender Iñigo Martínez saved a 2-2 draw for Spain against Czech Republic. Sparta Prague striker Jakub Pesek scored from close range in the fourth minute, putting in a pass from Jan Kuchta who came in behind Spain’s defense.
The visitors equalized at half time when Spain’s midfielder Gavi hit the Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik with a shot against the far post. However, the Czechs regained the lead in the 66th minute when forward Jan Kuchta lobbed goalkeeper Unai Simon from just outside the area after he was sent through alone on goal.
Spain scored in the 90th minute to break the hearts of the home fans when Martínez connected a post from Marco Asensio and his header just crossed the line.
In Group B4, Haaland scored one goal in each half to bring his international result to 18 in 19 matches. The guests took the lead when Morten Thorsby was awarded a soft penalty by referee Anthony Taylor for any harmless contact in the box by Emil Krafth.
Haaland, who made the winner against Serbia in his opening match, thumped a goal kick to the right of Robin Olsen in the 20th minute. Sweden’s only goal attempt during the initial 45 minutes came from a couple of free kicks from Emil Forsberg just before the break, but despite a series of decent attacks and solid goals early in the second half, they did not manage to create an equalizer.
Haaland made the home team’s keeper look foolish as he easily reduced the lead to make it 2 – 0 69 minutes into the match. Haaland missed a great chance to complete his hat trick three minutes later and was replaced by Joshua King shortly after.
Anthony Elanga scored a stoppage time goal for the Swedes who showed too little, too late because Norway held on to win.
At the same time, Ian Baraclough insisted that he could handle the criticism that will come his way Northern IrelandThe latest Nations League setback when he asked for patience with a young team that found its way. The same problems that were obvious in Thursday’s disappointing 1-0 home loss to Greece plagued Northern Ireland again in a poor goalless draw with a Cyprus side that undoubtedly should have won the competition in Larnaca when Baraclough’s men submitted yet another incoherent performance.
A draw extends Northern Ireland’s unbeaten run in this competition to 12 matches, and this was only their third point ever. During a week when Baraclough has already faced questions about pressure, parts of the 600-strong travel aid greeted the final signal with scorn at AEK Arena with some fans frustrated by the lack of progress.
“There are always people who question your position,” he said. “People do not happen when you win matches because you do not win them by large enough margins. It comes with territory. I have thick skin.”