Chelsea In Qatar – Portugal v Switzerland
Portugal 6 – 1 Switzerland
(Round of 16, Lusail Iconic Stadium, 06/12/2022)
No Chelsea players in the starting XI as Zakaria is on the bench for the Swiss.
Ronaldo is dropped in a bold move by manager Santos who makes 8 changes from the team beaten by South Korea, the Swiss make two changes.
A lively start by both teams with plenty of meaty challenges, is bought to life in the 17th minute following a throw in, Ronaldo’s replacement Ramos scores a cracking goal after receiving the ball from a throw-in, he takes a touch and slams the ball over Sommers head from an acute angle. Portugal are in control of the game.
A 29th minute free-kick brings a good save from Costa, and a Swiss corner which comes to nothing.
Pepe doubles the score with a good header, rising highest to head home from a corner in the 33rd minute 2-0.
37mins and a good cross is fumbled by goalie Costa, the header goal-wards by Frueler is headed away from danger by Dalot.
42 minutes and another good counter attack by the Portuguese brings a good save by Sommer from Ramos, Schar is booked for a bad tackle in the build up to that attack.
4 minutes of extra time and the whistle is blown.
Schar is replaced for the restart having picked up a yellow and a knock in the first half.
Ramos grabs his 2nd and Portugal’s third as he stabs home after a good cross by Dalot
Another quick break from Portugal and its 4-0, the Swiss are reeling as Ramos sets up Guerreiro.
Zakaria is bought on for Frueler as part of a double change for the Swiss.
Akanji reduces the deficit with an unmarked tap in following a corner, 4-1, Comert is then harshly booked for an innocuous foul.
Benfica striker Ramos has his hat-trick, as another good break sees Felix feed the ball to him and he beats Sommer, 5-1 to the Portuguese. 2 minutes later and Bruno Fernandes is just short of making it 6 after a great centre by Guerreiro.
72 minutes and a massive roar goes up from the stands as Ronaldo appears on the touchline to replace the 21 year old Ramos as Portugal make a triple change.
76 minutes and a Ronaldo free-kick is smashed straight into the wall.
84 minutes A massive roar goes up as Ronaldo breaks away and sticks the ball in the net, but he’s well off-side.
92 minutes and Leao then makes it 6-1 with a great curling strike from the edge of the box, Sommer has been a spectator to most of the goals as the ball has flown past him.
The referee brings the game to a halt ending the Swiss’s nightmare. The Portuguese have played very well and face Morocco in their next game, could they go all the way?
Zakaria was pretty anonymous after being bought on, but by then his team were already on their way to a hiding.
Portugal XI: Costa, Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro, Fernandes, Silva, Joao Felix, Carvalho, Otavio, Ramos.
Switzerland XI: Sommer, Fernandes, Akanji, Embolo, Freuler, Xhaka, Rodriguez, Sow, Vargas, Schar, Shaqiri.
Posted by the CSG’s World Cup Willie
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