Portugal’s team registered victory even in the absence of star player Cristiano Ronaldo after relying on him in football match against the Republic of Ireland. Portugal’s football team badly washed Azerbaijan in the World Cup qualifier match in Baku. Ronaldo’s absence was never felt by Bernardo Silva, Andre Silva, and Diogo Jota during the match. These three players were the goalscorers for the team and played a key role in the victory as they helped Portugal register a 3-0 win over Azerbaijan.
In the 27th minute, Bernardo Silva took the lead with an assist from Bruno Fernandes for the first goal. Just four minutes later Andre Silva doubled the lead in the 31st minute. In the second half of the match, Diego Jota also scored a fine goal in the 75th minute to give the team a 3-0 lead. Azerbaijan’s players craved the goal until the end of the match as Portugal made it 3–0.
Fernandes attempted a goal from distance, but Mahammadaliyev saved the dipping effort before saving Bernando Silva’s fizzing left-footed strike. Jota finally found the back of the net after being denied from close range by Mahammadaliyev and blasting over, nodding home after Joao Cancelo’s delivery from the right.
Watch football highlights of Portugal win over Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifiers. With this victory, Portugal’s team has now come on top of Group A. In the other qualifiers, Australia beat Vietnam 1-0 while South Korea beat Lebanon 1-0 to register their first win.
Azerbaijan 0 – 3 Portugal
Goals: 0 – 1 Silva 27, 0 – 2 SIlva 31, 0 – 3 Jota 75
Bookings: Alasgarov, Ghorbani, Hagverdi; Palhinha, Mendes
Azerbaijan: Magomedaliyev, Salahli, Hagverdi, Badalov, Khalilzada, Qarayev, Makhmudov, Huseynov, Ozobic, Emreli, Alasgarov
Substitutions: Bayramov, Ghorbani, Mustafayev, Nuriev, Sadikhov
Portugal: Patricio, Cancelo, Dias, Pepe, Guerreiro, Moutinho, Palhinha, Fernandes, Jota, Silva, Silva
Substitutions: Mendes, Guedes, Mario, Neves, Otavio
