Ronaldo scores 99th goal as Portugal qualifies

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (left) celebrates with his teammate Diogo Jota

Cristiano Ronaldo took his career tally to 99 international goals yesterday as Portugal qualified for the 2020 European Championship with a 2-0 win against Luxembourg.

The Juventus star tapped in a shot by teammate Diogo Jota that was just inches from going over the goal-line in the 86th minute, leaving Ronaldo one strike from the 100-goal mark.

Bruno Fernandes got Portugal’s first goal against the flow of play in the 39th when he scored from a long pass by Bruno Silva.

Luxembourg had outplayed Portugal until that point, dealing with the poor field conditions better than the defending European champions.

Portugal advanced to Euro 2020 in second place in Group B. Ukraine had already gone through as the group winner.

On Friday, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick as Portugal cruised to a 6-0 win over Lithuania.

Pizzi Fernandes, Gonçalo Paciência and Bernardo Silva also scored for the defending European champions.

The rout against last-place Lithuania gave Portugal 14 points, five fewer than group leader Ukraine — which has already qualified — and one point more than third-place Serbia, which beat Luxembourg 3-2.

Ronaldo reached 98 career goals with Portugal after converting a penalty kick in the seventh minute, hitting the top corner with a curling shot from outside the area in the 22nd, and finding the net from close range in the 65th.

It was the ninth hat trick with Portugal for Ronaldo, and the 55th of his career for club and nation.

He has 11 goals in eitght qualifying matches.

Ronaldo missed a golden chance for his fourth goal when his shot from near the penalty spot sailed over the crossbar in the 68th. He also could have added another in the first half had the referee not reversed a penalty decision in Portugal’s favor after conferring with his assistants.

Pizzi scored in the 52nd, Paciência added to the lead in the 56th and Silva got on the board in the 63rd.

Ronaldo was substituted in the 83rd.

Portugal had won 5-1 at Lithuania in September. MDT/AP