Portugal won 2-0 against Iceland
Although the Beautiful South remained unseen, a commanding Portugal secured their ‘Perfect 10’ by claiming a decisive 2-0 victory against Iceland during the Euro 2024 qualifying round, solidifying their entry to Germany next year after an impeccable streak of 10 wins in as many matches.
The hosts, eager to conclude the campaign triumphantly, dominated the first half with 78% possession and unleashed 15 shots, six of which were on target. However, it wasn’t until the 37th minute that they managed to break the deadlock. Despite multiple attempts by Joao Felix, Goncalo Inacio, and Cristiano Ronaldo missing close-range headers, Bruno Fernandes finally found the net, firing home from just inside the box.
The second half mirrored the earlier dominance, with Hakon Valdimarsson denying Ronaldo’s striking attempt superbly. A late substitute, Ricardo Horta, widened the lead to 2-0, seizing an opportunity after a rebound fell into his path. Valdimarsson continued to thwart Portugal’s attempts, denying Joao Cancelo and Raphael Guerreiro, with Iceland nearly scoring as Guerreiro inadvertently deflected Arnor Traustason’s shot onto the crossbar in injury time.
Heading into today’s fixtures, Cristiano Ronaldo seemed a strong contender for the Euro 2024 qualifying golden boot with ten goals in eight games. However, Romelu Lukaku’s four-goal haul in Belgium’s victory over Azerbaijan shifted the lead to 14 goals for Lukaku, leaving Ronaldo in pursuit. Despite seven shooting opportunities, Ronaldo missed several headed chances, failing to convert any.
Joao Felix showcased an exceptional performance for Portugal, orchestrating numerous attacking moves against Iceland. His agility and skill troubled the opposition consistently, creating opportunities with his elusive footwork. Despite his impactful display, he couldn’t find the net—an intriguing contrast to his struggles in the Premier League—but a commendable performance nonetheless.
PLAYER RATINGS
PORTUGAL: Ronaldo 6. Subs: Horta 7, Guerreiro 6, Costa 6; Mario 7, Dias 7, Inacio 6, Cancelo 7; Silva 7, Otavio 7, Fernandes 8, Palhinha 7, Felix 8; Vitinha 6, Bruma n/a, Joao Neves n/a
ICELAND: Sigurdsson 6, Johannesson 6, Willumsson 5; Thorsteinsson 5, Finnbogason 4, Gudmundsson 5, Valdimarsson 8; Hermannsson 6, Thorarinsson 6, Ingason 8, Palsson 6; Subs: Oskarsson 5, Gudjohnsen 6, Ellertsson 6, Traustason 6
KEY MOMENTS
37’ GOAL! PORTUGAL 1-0 ICELAND (Bruno Fernandes): Breaking the deadlock, Fernandes’ powerful low drive from the edge of the box finds the far bottom corner, leaving the ‘keeper helpless. 1-0 to Portugal!
52’ EXCELLENT SAVE DENIES RONALDO: A diving header by Ronaldo from Mario’s cross is brilliantly saved by Valdimarsson, keeping Iceland in contention.
66’ GOAL! PORTUGAL 2-0 ICELAND (Ricardo Horta): Horta swiftly capitalizes on a spilled ball, tapping into an empty net following Felix and Ronaldo’s attempts. 90+3’ OFF THE BAR! Iceland’s close call as Guerreiro’s header inadvertently hits the crossbar, denying Traustasson’s attempt from outside the area.
With a flawless record of ten wins from ten games, Portugal completes an unbeaten run in a European Championship qualifying campaign for the first time. Iceland’s tally of ten points signifies their worst performance in a European Championship qualifying group stage since their Euro 2012 attempts.
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