Cristiano Ronaldo grew to become the primary man to attain at 5 World Cups on Thursday when he scored the opening purpose from the penalty spot in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana.
The 37-year-old set the document when he smashed house his spot-kick within the sixty fifth minute on the 974 Stadium in Doha to ship Fernando Santos’ workforce to a victory which moved them high of Group H, two factors forward of Uruguay and South Korea.
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Joao Felix and rising star Rafael Leao made certain of the win after Andre Ayew’s leveller had briefly threatened to damage Ronaldo’s social gathering.
Osman Bukari netted within the remaining minute for Ghana however the event’s lowest-ranked facet couldn’t pull off a shock and sit backside of the group.
Ronaldo overtakes Pele and Germans Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, who all scored in 4 World Cups, after being introduced down by Mohammed Salisu and taking the penalty himself.
Ronaldo made World Cup historical past. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)Source: AFP
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All the eye pre-match was on Ronaldo and whether or not he may break the document and he had the proper likelihood to take action within the tenth minute.
Mohammed Kudus gave the ball away sloppily in midfield and Otavio slipped Ronaldo by way of, just for the as soon as scientific finisher to miscontrol the move and clatter into Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi as he tried to poke house.
And shortly afterwards Ronaldo headed Raphael Guerreiro’s deep cross vast from shut vary, an opportunity that in his prime he would have been nearly assured to attain.
He did have the ball within the web simply after the half-hour mark when it dropped to him within the space, however he was harshly judged by referee Ismail Elfath to have pushed Alexander Djiku earlier than turning and stroking house a cultured end.
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Ronaldo was in truth Portugal’s solely actual purpose risk in opposition to what on paper is Group H’s weakest workforce, who have been backed by an enthusiastic set of supporters who placed on extra of a present within the stands than their workaday gamers initially did on the pitch.
Ajax midfielder Kudus had the group briefly off their ft 10 minutes after the break when he burst ahead in opposition to an uncovered Portugal defence and let off a robust shot which ultimately sailed comfortably vast of Diogo Costa’s left-hand publish.
Ronaldo then crashed in his record-breaking penalty however because the refrain of cheers and chants of his title began to die down a beforehand boring recreation sparked into life, Ayew beautiful the group by tapping in Kudus’ pull-back within the 73rd minute.
However Felix and Leao made certain Portugal would take the factors with two beautiful finishes in as many minutes, each strikes arrange by Ronaldo’s former United teammate Bruno Fernandes.
Bukari then imitated Ronaldo along with his purpose celebration after heading house utterly unmarked, however Portugal held out for an enormous win on a historic day.