Portugal's Goncalo Ramos is embraced by teammate Pepe after scoring his side's 5th goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Portugal and Switzerland, at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)Portugal vs Switzerland (POR vs SUI) Highlights: With Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, the superstar striker’s replacement scored a hat trick to lead Portugal over Switzerland 6-1 and into the World Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday. Goncalo Ramos, a 21-year-old forward who only made his Portugal debut last month, made his first start for his country and demonstrated the kind of clinical finishing Ronaldo was once known for.
Ramos scored the opening goal in the 17th minute and added others in the 51st and 67th — by which time chants of “RONALDO! RONALDO!” were swirling around the 89,000-seat Lusail Stadium. Ronaldo entered as a substitute in the 72nd minute to loud cheers, though Portugal had the game wrapped up by then with defenders Pepe and Raphael Guerreiro also scoring. Rafael Leao added a late goal in stoppage time.
Manuel Akanji scored for Switzerland. Portugal advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time, after 1966 and 2006, and will play Morocco on Saturday. Portugal coach Fernando Santos now has to decide whether to stick with Ramos or restore Ronaldo, the top scorer in men’s international soccer and one of the game’s greatest ever players.
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo on the substitutes bench. (REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani)
And that's it. The referee has signalled the end of the match and the end of Swiss misery. Emphatic victory by Portugal as they will next go on to face a game Morocco in the quarterfinals.
4 mins of stoppage time added and Portugal have a goal kick. They are content on playing it in their half at the moment though. What a goall by Leao. He cuts back inside the right flank and places the ball into the Switzerland goal. Absolutely nothing the goalie could do about that.
POR 6-1 SUI
That's another half chance for Ronaldo as Ruben Neves passes the ball to Bruno Fernandes, who plays a lofted ball into the Swiss box. Ronaldo can't get there though.
Bruno's race is done and he is withdrawn, to be replaced by Leao.
POR 5-1 SUI
A lot of tired passes from the Switzerland team. Gives away a balland ronaldo is off to the races. One on one with the keeper and he puts it in the back of the net. But it's offside.
POR 5-1 SUI
Embolo gets the ball. It's been a while since he last got the ball to be honest. He sets up a bicycloe volley and it goes wide. Wasn't troubling the keeper.
POR 5-1 SUI
Free kick and who else to take but Cristiano Ronaldo. Long run up and he hits it straight at the wall. That was a stinger but we wait another day for CR7's free kick goal.
POR 5-1 SUI
Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo is called off the bench and that's a thunderous ovation!!! Ramos comes off. Otavio and Joao Felix are also off, to be replaced by Vitinha and Ricardo Horta
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And what do you know!!! Ramos has completed his hattrick. This kid is something special!!! This is the first hattrick of the World Cup as well. Silva passes it to him and he dinks it over the keeper.
POR 5-1 SUI
After that goal fest, things have calmed down a tad bit in the middle with Switzerland playing a few passes among themselves looking for an opening. A corner now. Played short and Shaqiri has ballooned it into orbit.
POR 4-1 SUI
It's goals galore at the moment as Switzerland get one back. A curling corner is flicked on off Ramos's head and Akanji is there in the near post to put it into the POR net.
POR 4-1 SUI
And that's number 4!!! Portugal are having a field day out there. It just looks too easy at the moment. Raphael Guerreiro is allowed to run into the Switzerland box and finishes it with ease.
POR 4-0 SUI
Bruno Fernandes allowed to progress, plays a pass to Dalot who cuts inside and plays a low cross only foir Ramos to just tap it inside the Switzerland net. That's number 3.
POR 3-0 SUI
Portugal with the initiative early as Carvalho runs deep inside the Swiss half and plays a through ball to bernardo Silva, only for a Switzerland defender to come acropss and blast the ball out of play.
POR 2-0 SUI
We are ready for the second half and no sign of Cristiano Ronaldo coming off the bench just yet. Portugal will kick us away. Fabian Schar is replaced by Eray Comert in a Swiss change