Portugal ok: Ronaldo scores 124, Leao misses a penalty but then makes up for it

124 times Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the one who earns the cover of an evening that did not reserve suggestive clashes, thanks to the brace in the 0-6 trimmed against Luxembourg. Rafael Leao had a good impact during the match, who missed a penalty but then found the goal in the final. Francesco Calzona is also smiling, achieving his first success at the helm of the Slovakian national team, victorious against Bosnia. Hojlund’s show was not enough for Denmark who, above two goals both scored by the Atalantino, made a sensational comeback from Kazakhstan and lost. Iceland makes even seven to the unfortunate Liechtenstein, heavy success for Finland in Northern Ireland.

Luxembourg-Portugal 0-6

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Walk of health for Portugal, ahead after nine minutes: cross from Bruno Fernandes, bank from Mendes and Ronaldo supports an empty net. In the quarter of an hour Joao Felix doubles with a nice header on Bernardo Silva’s cross, in the 18th minute identical action developed on the opposite front and finalized by the Manchester City player. Poker arrives in the 31st minute and still has CR7’s signature with a left footed shot in front of the goalkeeper, found by Fernandes’s through ball. At the start of the second half there were some small signs of life from Luxembourg, which ended in Thill’s shot saved by Rui Patricio. The fifth goal came with Otavio, still with his head, following an assist from Leao (76′), while Ruben Neves’ free-kick stopped on the crossbar. The Milan player seeks personal joy in the 85th minute, when he scores and takes a penalty, but the shot is half-height, not very angled and the hesitation in the run-up doesn’t help: he saves Moris. He redeems himself in the 88th minute, slipping the goalkeeper in with a precise diagonal after having jumped over two defenders.

Slovakia-Bosnia 2-0

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Slovakia is never particularly in trouble, with Calzona who can celebrate after five games without a win. In the 13th minute it was Mak who unlocked the match, with a low shot from outside the area favored by a very passive attitude of the opponents’ defense and goalkeeper. The rather soft opposition was also punished by Haraslin in the 40th minute: the Slovakians won a series of tackles and the attacker shot from the edge at the far post. The deficit could increase in the 75th minute, but Suslov alone and with an empty net kicks out.

Northern Ireland 0-1 Finland

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Although the inertia of the game and possession are all in favor of the Northern Irish, it is Finland who win the three points thanks to the goal scored in the 28th minute by Kallman: Pukki fails to finish in the middle of the air and the ball goes inside striker from Krakow, who is not wrong. The match was rather blocked, the main opportunities originated from set pieces, as in the case of Magennis (55′) and Ivanov (76′). Northern Ireland’s final forcing is not enough.

Liechtenstein-Iceland 0-7

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Iceland needed three minutes to unblock it, with Olafsson’s deflected shot. In the 38th minute Haraldsson scores, who controls and turns around in the area finding the corner. Gunnarsson let loose in the second half, author of a hat-trick: he headed twice from a corner kick from the right (48′ and 68′), then from a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. In the final, glory also for Gudjohnsen, who scores into an empty net after Olafsson’s cue, and Ellertsson, good at anticipating Buchel’s exit on Thorsteinsson’s cross.

Slovenia-San Marino 2-0

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As expected, one way race. Yet Slovenia only manages to direct it in the second half, with two completely random goals. The first was scored by Sesko in the 56th minute: Zajc kicks, the ball hits Cevoli’s back and the attacker’s chest and ends up behind Benedettini. The doubling is scored by San Marino independently, with Di Maio who, without being disturbed by anyone, deflects with his head and beats his own goalkeeper.