Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his “first step” towards FIFA World Cup with phenomenal performance for national team.
According to Reuters, Portugal's and Joao Felix both struck twice as the visitors brushed aside Armenia 5-0 on Saturday, giving Jose Martinez’s side a perfect start in their World Cup qualifiers.
The Nations League champions had little trouble neutralising Armenia’s limited attacking threat and, after their fourth goal, rotated key players and used their momentum to showcase a more creative style, sealing a perfect start in Group F.
It took 10 minutes before Portugal went ahead when Joao Cancelo reached the byline and lifted a precise cross onto the head of Felix who had little trouble breaking the deadlock.
Ronaldo doubled the lead after 21 minutes, underlining Portugal’s dominance as he brushed past his marker to meet a cross from close range for his 139th international goal.
The rout continued as Cancelo added a third for Portugal, finishing from Felix’s cut-back after 32 minutes.
A minute after the restart, Ronaldo produced a moment of brilliance, unleashing a thunderous volley from distance that rocketed into the net, with Armenia goalkeeper Henri Avagyan managing the faintest of touches but powerless to stop it.
With the fourth goal confirming Portugal’s dominance, the visitors began to play with greater freedom as they looked for inventive ways to carve out further chances.
Just past the hour, Felix combined fortune with finesse as he raced into the box to meet a rebound from a blocked shot that seemed to slip past him, only for the forward to flick the ball in with a clever back-heel to give Portugal their fifth.
In addition to surpassing Argentine rival Lionel Messi (36 goals in 72 games) on the all-time goal-scoring list in World Cup Qualifiers, Ronaldo’s second goal brought him to 140 goals for his country.