Portugal coach Fernando Santos dropped Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench for the last 16 meeting with Switzerland and was rewarded with a hat-trick from substitute Goncalo Ramos and a superb team performance.
Santos took offense to Ronaldo’s gestures when he was substituted in the final group game against South Korea and it was the first time in 31 games dating back to 2008 that he had not started at a major tournament.
Portugal treated the 37-year-old’s absence lightly, as 21-year-old Benfica striker Ramos hit his first treble of the tournament on his first international start, helping set up a surprise quarter-final against Morocco. After the win against Spain on penalties.
Ramos opened the rout after 17 minutes when he slotted past Swiss keeper John Sommer at the near post and veteran 39-year-old defender Pepe doubled Portugal’s lead when he headed in Bruno Fernandes’s 33rd-minute header. scored on the corner.
The dream start continued when Ramos effectively ended the contest six minutes after the break with a near-post sweep from Diego Dalot’s cross, before the striker swept Rafael Guerrero four minutes later with a powerful strike. set up for
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji pulled one back for Switzerland but Ramos quickly grabbed his third with a clever chip, prompting the crowd at the Lucille Stadium to roar and demand Ronaldo’s introduction. was
With Portugal coach Ramos obliging to win the game, Ronaldo drew huge applause, but his team-mates deserve credit for a top-class performance.
Ronaldo had the ball in the net but it was ruled offside so it was another young play to crown him, 23-year-old Rafael Luo, who capped a spectacular performance when curling in the sixth.
Portugal shunned Ronaldo’s sub-project
Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence didn’t take away the focus and attention from the fading superstar but actually made him shine more in his direction at the Lucille Stadium.
After the national anthem, Ronaldo was escorted into the dugout by photographers and then received a pop star’s welcome when he came on as a substitute after 74 minutes after lengthy and noisy demands for his introduction, particularly from the local crowd. By the people who came to see him. Meat
The focus shouldn’t be on Ronaldo though.
Credit must go to a Portugal side that looked more dynamic, fluid and united without the man who is currently looking for his next club after leaving Manchester United.
Even without Ronaldo and Ramos, Portugal are a team full of talent, not only with their goals but also with their movement and team play.
And Rafael Leo’s sweet late strike was another demonstration of Portugal’s bright future, who looked hardly in danger without Ronaldo as they brushed aside Switzerland.
Portugal coach Santos is a stern-faced individual but a shrewd operator with a Euro 2016 triumph on his CV. He would be perfectly justified in allowing himself to smile after his brave, but ultimately correct, decision to leave his team’s formidable presence.
It was such a complete performance from Portugal that there is definitely no place for Ronaldo in the upcoming World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.
Switzerland nodded with a whisper.
Switzerland earned a reputation as a tough team to beat in the last 16 of the World Cup under the guidance of a stubborn, disciplined and experienced coach, Murat Yakin.
If so, it was a pale semblance of their true quality as they were picked apart by Portugal and barely threatened goalkeeper Diego Costa, with Xherdan Shaqiri – their main hope of inspiration – completely out of sorts. were anonymous.
Switzerland may consider reaching the knockout stages to be par for the course at this tournament, but there must still be plenty of disappointment at their humble and modest exit to Qatar, as previous evidence suggests they will be the losers here. There is a better side. .
