Football | Ronaldo, Portugal win but trail Swiss in World Cup qualifying

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice and missed a penalty in Portugal’s 4-1 win over Latvia in World Cup qualifying yesterday, but the European champion still trails group leader Switzerland.

Switzerland kept its 100 percent record with a fourth straight win but was often labored in beating the Faeroe Islands 2-0.

Goals in each half from recalled forward Eren Derdiyok and captain Stephan Lichtsteiner were enough on a rain-swept evening.

The Swiss stay three points ahead of Portugal, due to its victory when the teams played in September to open the qualifying program.

Ronaldo, who missed that game in Switzerland, has scored seven of Portugal’s 16 goals in three games since.

Against Latvia, Ronaldo opened the scoring with a 28th-minute spot kick, then saw his penalty in the 59th hit the left-
hand post and bounce away off the goalkeeper’s legs.

Latvia levelled through substitute Arturs Zjuzins in the 67th before Portugal substitute Ricardo Quaresma’s crosses let William Carvalho restore the lead with a header and Ronaldo make the win safe with a volley. Defender Bruno Alves added a fourth in stoppage time.

Earlier, third-placed Hungary beat Andorra 4-0.

Switzerland has seemed to ease off against the group outsiders since starting with impressive wins against its two closest rivals.

Still, the Swiss were seldom threatened and also struck the frame of the goal in each half against the Faeroe Islands, who lost 6-0 at home to Portugal last month.

Derdiyok showed high-class technique to open the scoring in the 27th minute, taking a long lofted ball from Valon Behrami with a controlling first touch. He then struck a low left-foot shot past goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen.

It was the 11th goal of Derdiyok’s 56-match international career which has only rarely fulfilled the 28-year-old forward’s early promise.

Admir Mehmedi’s shot struck a post in the 78th five minutes before Lichtsteiner sealed the three points. The veteran right-
back advanced deep into the penalty area to meet left-back Ricardo Rodriguez’s cross with a bouncing header.

In Budapest, Hungary captain Balazs Dzudzsak created first-
half goals for 37-year-old Zoltan Gera and Adam Lang. Adam Gyursco and Adam Szalai added late goals.

Hungary has seven points from four matches, and next travels to play Portugal in March. Then, Switzerland will be favored to beat Latvia at home.

Switzerland extended their perfect starts to join Germany as the only European teams with four straight wins on the road to Russia while Belgium beat Estonia 8-1. Belgium’s 21-goal tally is Europe’s best, and Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku were both on target in Brussels.

Two big names returned to the scoresheet for the Netherlands in a 3-1 win at Luxembourg. Arjen Robben was playing his first international game this year, and Memphis Depay scored twice.

Only group winners advance direct to the 2018 World Cup finals, and four runners-up will go to Russia through a playoff round. AP