Cristiano
Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal qualified for next year's European
Championship with a 6-2 demolition of 10-man Bosnia-Herzegovina on
Tuesday.
After a 0-0 draw in Zenica last week, the pressure was on the Portuguese to deliver in Lisbon in the second leg of the playoff against a Bosnian team looking to qualify for its first major international tournament. |
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Ronaldo
put Portugal ahead in the eighth minute with a trademark dipping
free-kick from 25 meters out that Asmir Begovic couldn't reach, then
Nani made it 2-0 with a thundering strike from almost the same spot in
the 24th.
Zvjezdan Misimovic's 40th-minute penalty kept Bosnia in the game, but Ronaldo charged through the defense and beat the goalkeeper before slotting in the ball from a tight angle for his second in the 53rd. Senad Lulic was sent off for dissent a minute later, but teammate Emir Spahic scored against the run of play in the 66th. Helder Postiga, Miguel Veloso and Fabio Coentrao sealed it in the last 20 minutes as the Bosnian defense collapsed. Portugal mostly outclassed its opponent, showing the spirit and flair it lacked in recent games, and the home crowd shouted Ole at the slick ball play. Bosnia, unbeaten in its previous seven games, failed to deliver the gutsy style that brought it this far and had to wait until five minutes before the interval for its first shot at goal. The two countries also met in the playoffs for the 2010 World Cup, when Portugal edged Bosnia 1-0 in each leg. Portugal reached the final of Euro 2004 as the host nation and the semifinals of Euro 2000. It also finished fourth at the 2006 World Cup. But despite its top talent, it still hasn't won an international trophy. |