December 6, 2022, 4:52 PM
December 6, 2022, 4:52 PM
The Portuguese coach Fernando Santos decided to sit his star Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench and his replacement, the young Gonçalo Ramos, aged 21, led the Portuguese to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, with a hat-trick in the 6-1 win against Switzerland.
After this simple victory for Portugal, now wait in the quarterfinals Morocco, the great surprise of the World Cup, which after eliminating Belgium in the first phase, knocked out Spain in the round of 16 on penalties (3-0 in the shoot-out, 0-0 after extra time).
Gonçalo Ramos, Benfica attacker, with his three goals (17, 50, 67), He did not deny the daring and risky decision of coach Fernando Santos.
The other three goals were scored by the veteran defender Pepe (33), almost 40 years old, Raphael Guerreiro (55) and Rafael Leao (90+2).
Portugal repeated Yann Sommer’s approaches to the goal and in the 17th minute Ramos’ first goal arrived.
Bernardo Silva centered from the throw-in Joao Felix. The Atlético de Madrid player gave way to Gonçalo Ramos in the area, who almost without an angle, to the purest Cristiano Ronaldo, unleashed a powerful shot to open the scoring.
– Goal by veteran Pepe –
Ramos’ goal seemed a nod to the arrival of a new generation after the hoarding era of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese star had not welcomed his substitution in the 65th minute of the third and last match of the Portuguese in the first phase against South Korea (2-1 defeat) and Fernando Santos, who showed his discomfort afterwards, relegated him to the bench.
And in a night for the ‘usurpers’ of Cristiano Ronaldo, The second goal arrived, scored by the center-back Pepewho had inherited the captain’s armband from the Portuguese legend in this match.
Pepe headed into the net a corner taken by Bruno Fernandes, to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.
To round off the usurpation of land belonging to Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe became, at 39 years and 283 days, the second most veteran scoreror in World Cup history, beating his teammate.
Cristiano moved to third place in this historical classification, with 37 years and 295 days, after his goal against Ghana in this World Cup in the first phase.
In front of the two Portuguese, the legendary Cameroonian Roger Milla, with 42 years and 39 days.
Portugal, land of conquerors, was also in this game. The center of the field was his. And the sense of unmarking of the young Gonçalo Ramos He drove the Swiss defense crazy.
In the second half, unstoppable, Portugal went on the scoreboard with two new goals.
First Gonçalo Ramos (50) repeated, after finishing off a cross from the right by Diogo Dalot from close range, and then the winger Raphael Guerreiro made it 4-0, finishing off a counterattack on the left (55).
Switzerland was left with the consolation of scoring the goal of honorthrough Manuel Akanji (57), after a corner kick.
Gonçalo Ramos would culminate his stellar game with a new goal, after a counterattack, again with assistance from Joao Felix (67).
Without emotion in a game that Portugal dominated widely On the scoreboard, the public only had the incentive of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo, and they began to chant his name on several occasions.
And Fernando Santos listened to his wishes and the field was a clamor when he saw him warm up, to play the last quarter of an hour.
Once on the field, a free kick in favor of Portugal on the edge of the area, generated shouts of happiness from the public, looking forward to seeing Ronaldo shine.
But it was the exclusive day of Gonçalo Ramos. And Cristiano Ronaldo crashed the ball into the barrier.
The legendary Portuguese player also had a goal disallowed for offside, to the chagrin of his followers.
The role of closing the scoring account fell to Rafael Leao in the discount (90 + 2) with a high cross shot.
Portuguese festival that gives hope to Portugal to fight for his first world title.
