The Portugal team, even without Cristiano Ronaldo, took no notice of Sweden and thrashed their opponents 5-2, in a friendly at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, this Thursday. Rafael Leão, Matheus Nunes, Bruno Fernandes, Bruma and Gonçalo Ramos scored for the Portuguese. Gyokeres and Nilsson scored the Swedes’ goals of honor.
Portugal achieved its 11th consecutive victory. The team hasn’t known what it’s like to lose since December 2022, when they were eliminated by Morocco in the world Cup. Furthermore, the team scored 41 goals in the period and only conceded three. Sweden, in turn, lost again after two consecutive victories.
Roberto Martínez’s team returns to the field next Tuesday, for a friendly against Slovakia. Sweden faces Albania on Monday.
The Portugal team opened the scoring in the 23rd minute of the first half. Rafael Leão took advantage of a rebound from Bernardo Silva’s shot on the crossbar and hit the ball high to swing the net in favor of the visitors.
🔥 61′ AND THERE ARE 5 GOALS, FOR PORTUGAL! GONÇALO RAMOOOS 🔫#PORSWE | 5-1 | #SharingThePassion #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/WNcRlYEQ27
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) March 21, 2024
And Portugal had no difficulty in expanding the score. In the 32nd minute, Matheus Nunes received the ball from Bernardo Silva in the middle, took the ball to the penalty area and finished in the corner to score the Portuguese’s second goal.
Soon after, in the 44th minute, Portugal’s third goal came. Semedo made a good move on the right, reached the baseline and passed it to Bruno Fernandes to just push it into the back of the Swedish goal.
Portugal maintained the same pace as the initial stage in the second half. After a hesitation from Sweden’s defense, Bruno Fernandes stole the ball and came face to face with the goalkeeper. The midfielder rolled to Bruma, who played to score the Portuguese’s fourth, in the 11th minute.
Sweden responded immediately to the fourth goal conceded. A minute after Bruma found the net, Gyokeres took advantage of a good exchange of passes and push to find the back of Portugal’s net for the first time in the game.
Portugal responded in kind. Two minutes after Sweden’s goal, Semedo received a throw and played for Gonçalo Ramos to score the fifth Portuguese goal.
Sweden scored once again in the last play of the match, in the 45th minute. Nilsson took advantage of the cross and scored the Swedes’ second goal.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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