Ronaldo sets up Swiss showdown; France closes in
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored and helped Portugal win an eighth straight game in World Cup qualifying on Saturday — and still could fail to qualify.
While Portugal was laboring to beat Andorra 2-0, using its superstar as a substitute, Group B leader Switzerland’s 5-2 win over visiting Hungary ran its own win streak to nine. And the Swiss still could fail to advance.
It set up a showdown game in Lisbon tomorrow that Portugal must win while the Swiss need only a draw to top the group and avoid the playoffs next month.
“If you win nine out of nine and you can still have fear of not qualifying, it’s anyway a bit complicated,” Switzerland captain Stephan Lichtsteiner said.
France’s third-minute goal in Bulgaria was enough for a 1-0 win to retain the Group A lead by one point from Sweden, which earlier routed Luxembourg 8-0.
The third-place Netherlands need a miracle in its final game at home to Sweden tomorrow, despite winning 3-1 in Belarus.
Belgium already qualified from Group H last month, and won 4-3 in Bosnia-Herzegovina to dent the home team’s chance of claiming a playoffs place as one of the eight best runners-up in the nine European groups.
In Group A, France quickly got over the embarrassment of its 0-0 draw last month against Luxembourg, settling the game in Sofia in the third minute.
Blaise Matuidi scored from an Antoine Griezmann pass and Bulgaria failed to reply.
Earlier, Sweden put pressure on the French by routing Luxembourg. Marcus Berg got four goals in an 8-0 rout in Stockholm.
The margin of Sweden’s win effectively ended Dutch hopes of taking the runner-up spot.
Sweden goes to Amsterdam assured of at least a second-place finish on goal difference unless the Dutch win by 7 clear goals.
France will win the group if it beats Belarus at home.
In Group B, Portugal’s tally of 24 points is enough to lead five of the nine European qualifying groups, but not the one it is in.
With an eye on facing Switzerland, Portugal rested Ronaldo and other players for the trip to 144th-ranked Andorra.
After a drab first half, Ronaldo went on and scored in the 63rd, then helped create a second for Andre Silva.
Switzerland took advantage of weak Hungary defending to lead by 3-0 at halftime, set on its way by goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi’s slip to gift Granit Xhaka an 18th-minute opener.
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