FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Portugal after the defeat against Serbia is 2nd the group of the world cup qualifiers. They will have to play the playoffs to qualify for the world cup. A draw would have been enough to get them through but the 2-1 defeat caused the tension around for all the Ronaldo fans.
Portugal had scored an early goal to give them a lead in the final match. In the 2nd minute of the match, Renato Sanches finished a brilliant goal. Bernardo Silva stole the ball from the defender and laid it off to Sanches, who then took it near the goal and fired the ball past the keeper to give themselves an early lead.
It looked from the start that Portugal would have the upper hand in the match but that couldn’t be possible. Just after the goal was scored, Serbia dominated the game with the ball and shots taken. Portugal had a few good chances through corners and free-kicks but couldn’t finish any of them to make it 2.
Serbia kept their hope alive as they equalized at the 33rd minute of the game. Dusan Tadic scored the goal for Serbia. He received the ball from Lukic at the edge of the box and struck an amazing shot. The mistake by the keeper caused Portugal a goal before halftime.
There was nothing for both sides except chances till the final few minutes of the match. At the last minute of the match. Aleksandar Mitrovic stepped up to score the goal. He headed an exquisite goal from the cross of Tadic behind the keeper.
Serbia Qualified for the Qatar world cup in 2022, while Portugal need to work hard to get their spot in the world cup. Ronaldo could miss his last world cup.
A 90th-minute header by half-time substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic lifted Serbia into the group’s top spot on 20 points, three more than second-placed Portugal, which only needed a draw to finish on top on goal difference and qualify.
Instead, Ronaldo & Co. will head into the March playoffs with the other group-stage runners-up to try to reach Qatar 2022.
Mitrovic beat home goalkeeper Rui Patricio with a downward header at the far post to spark wild celebrations on Serbia’s bench after visiting captain Dusan Tadic had canceled out an early Renato Sanches opener for Portugal.
Jubilant fans thronged central Belgrade, bringing traffic at the main Republic Square to a halt as they waved Serbian flags and hooted their car horns.
With Portugal’s talismanic captain Ronaldo stifled, they produced little upfront and midfielder Joao Palhinha conceded the home side were below par.
“We have to take responsibility because we had a poor game,” he told Portugal’s RTP television. “We just defended in the second half. Credit to Serbia, they played very well but we had the capacity to be on top.
“Everyone in the dressing room is disappointed but we have to look ahead to the playoffs now because we are more than good enough to be in the World Cup.
“You can’t win all the time. Difficulties are part of life and this feeling should give us more strength.”
