Thanks to a double from Bruno Fernandes against North Macedonia (2-0), Portugal from ” CR7 joins the list of qualified for the World Cup in Qatar on March 29. Robert Lewandowski will also be there, Poland having qualified against Sweden (2-0) in the play-off final.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal definitely cannot do without major tournaments: subscribers to major competitions in the 21st century, the 2016 European champions validated their ticket for the World Cup in Qatar (November 21-December 18) without trembling ousting the modest North Macedonians in Porto, who fell to Italy’s surprise in the semi-finals.
This is the 12th major international tournament in a row for the Seleçao (Euros and Worlds combined) and the tenth of ” CR7 “, who is about to live his fifth World Cup at the age of 37, a record only reached by four other players in the history of football.
At the Dragon stadium, the national team goals record holder (115) did not score, but he shone with his activity, delivering a timely assist for Bruno Fernandes, his Manchester United accomplice, who opens the mark in the 32nd. Fernandes doubles the lead in the 65th for stamp Portugal banknotewho will join pot 1 of the draw on Friday April 1 in Doha at 6 p.m., that of the favorites.
Not satisfied, Ronaldo continued to exert himself at the end of the match, in line with a match punctuated by generous gestures and burning attempts (14th, 40th, 59th, 79th). ” The one who will decide my future is me “Said the five-time Ballon d’Or on Monday, when asked about a possible international retirement which is not for now.
Conversely, no miracle for the courageous North Macedonia, which had achieved a memorable feat Thursday against the Italians (1-0). Too limited, the Macedonian team suffered and bent, but it will retain excellent memories of these dams, a new step taken after its first participation in the Euro won in 2021.
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Lewandowski ousts Sweden from Ibra »
In Qatar, there will also be the best Fifa player of the year 2021: Robert Lewandowski validated his ticket with Poland by opening the scoring against Sweden (2-0), despite the entry into play at the end of the match. Another footballing monument, Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Directly qualified for this play-off final in the European zone after the exclusion of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, the Poles took the lead thanks to a penalty obtained by Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Wearing an armband in the yellow and blue colors of Ukraine, Lewandowski set off and the Bayern Munich striker did not tremble (50th), scoring his 9th goal in 9 matches in this qualifying campaign. Then Piotr Zielinski doubled the bet (72nd), offering Poland a second consecutive participation in the great planetary gathering.
“Ibra”, out of his international retirement at 40 to dream of new heights with Sweden, will not have succeeded in delivering his country. Nothing went as planned for the center-forward of AC Milan, first deprived of the Euro in the summer of 2021 due to an injury and now ousted from the 2022 World Cup. Ibrahimovic thus joins a cohort of stars deprived of this great meeting, such as the Norwegian Erling Haaland, the Egyptian Mohamed Salah or the Italian European champions, all confined in front of their television set next November…
There will remain one last ticket to be awarded in the Europe zone: Ukraine, whose match has been postponed, will face Scotland. The winner of this confrontation will then challenge Gareth Bale’s Wales.
Twenty-seven of the 32 tickets for the next World Cup in Qatar (November 21-December 18, 2022) found takers after the play-offs on Tuesday March 29:
– Africa Zone: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia
– South America zone: Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay
– North and Central America zone: Canada
– Asia Zone: Qatar (host country), Iran, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia
– Europe zone: Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland
(With AFP)