June 06, (THEWILL) – Cristiano Ronaldo propelled Portugal to a 4-0 victory over Switzerland in the Nations League, emphasising his importance to the team in his return to the starting lineup.
The veteran forward and captain was benched for his country’s opening against Spain on Thursday, settling for a half-hour cameo in the 1-1 draw. But, he sent a resounding message to coach Fernando Santos, scoring twice after setting up the opener for the hosts at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
From then, Ronaldo unleashed his flair for scoring goals in quick succession, first doubling his team’s advantage with a silky drive from Diogo Jota’s cut-back in the 35th minute, then adding a second for himself with a tap-in four minutes later.
The captain came close to a hat-trick before the break, but his shot went wide, and even as the goals dried up after the break, he remained a potent marshal for Portugal’s solid hold on the game. A 68th minute Joao Cancelo goal made it four.
After losing to the Czech Republic last time out, Murat Yakin’s Switzerland have suffered their second Nations League defeat in as many games. They now face a difficult remaining schedule.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
