Portugal vs North Macedonia LIVE: World Cup play-off final result, score and reaction
Relive all the action from Porto
Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Portugal sealed their place in their sixth consecutive World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over North Macedonia in Porto.
Fernandes ended the visitors’ resistance with a 32nd-minute opener after being played in by a neat bit of skill by Cristiano Ronaldo.
From that moment on there was little danger of the North Macedonians repeating the heroics that saw them dump Italy out of the tournament with a dramatic late winner in Palermo last week.
Fernandes sealed his side’s passage to Qatar in the 65th minute when he finished off a lightning counter-attack by stroking the ball past keeper Stole Dimitrievski. Relive all the action live below:
Portugal 0-0 North Macedonia, 10 minutes
Top defensive work from Nuno Mendes this time! The Portugal left-back matches up to Stefan Ristovski, overlapping from the right of the visiting defence, and holds his position well to both block and clear as the North Macedonian captain tries to cross.
Portugal 0-0 North Macedonia, 9 minutes
Better from North Macedonia. They look well organised, again, and are managing to shut down space well, crowding the Portuguese player on the ball as they try to make forward progress.
Poland 0-0 Sweden, 6 minutes
Poland and Sweden are yet to fully settle down into their fixture. It does appear to be rather damp, which is not necessarily helping.
Portugal 0-0 North Macedonia, 6 minutes
A first glimpse for Portugal! Nuno Mendes whips one into the corridor of uncertainty between the goalkeeper and a retreating defence and it skips invitingly across the six-yard area, but is out of reach of Cristiano Ronaldo, sniffing at the far post. Portugal can’t keep it in play on the right but that’s a first forward foray of real promise for the hosts.
Poland 0-0 Sweden, 4 minutes
Loud jeering from the Polish fans as Sweden play the ball around a slippery Chorzow surface - and it works, forcing an error on the left. That crowd could make a difference.
Portugal 0-0 North Macedonia, 4 minutes
North Macedonia have begun with good energy in Porto. Elif Elmas appears to be playing as the central attacking midfielder, and Joao Moutinho is having to keep a close eye on the Napoli man. It is a remarkably attacking Portugal midfield.
Poland 0-0 Sweden, 1 minute
By the way, this is Czesław Michniewicz first competitive game in charge of Poland after replacing Paulo Sousa in January. Can he guide them to the World Cup? He looks pretty relaxed on the home bench as he watches the early exchanges.
KICK OFF!
And a couple of minutes later than scheduled, Poland vs Sweden is off and running, too!
Portugal 0-0 North Maceodonia, 1 minute
North Macedonia start with what looks like a 4-2-3-1, but you’d suggest they may morph and mould that throughout the night. They start well, winning a throw in on the left high up after pressing Portugal, but can’t make anything of the chance.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments