When Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu saved the first-half penalty of Cristiano Ronaldo, denying the Manchester United striker a record 110th international goal for Portugal, media reports.

Ireland was looking forward to the victory in the qualifying match against Portugal. However, Ronaldo scored the late two goals to set the record and wash away the Irish dreams.

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“I’m so happy, not only for the record but for the special moments with two goals at the end,” Ronaldo said.

“It was so tough, but we have to appreciate what the team did, they and the fans believed until the end of the game.”

Ronaldo and his fellow players were having a difficult time after Ireland resolutely defended the strike while taking the lead. They restricted the opponents to shoot distance shots only.

In the 89th  minute, when Ronaldo availed the free-kick from the edge of the box, it was blocked by the 19-year-old Bazunu. Bur Ronaldo did not give up.

His movement was flawless, darting this way and that to get away from the defense and get on the end of replacement Goncalo Guedes’ cross to head in a headed equalizer.

Whit the goal scored, Ronaldo went past the Iranian Ali Daei’s total of 109 international goals. He repeated the feat at the 96th minute with yet another header to move his goals tally to 111.

He is going perfectly, but there was a barrier to his copybook.

He was booked to take off his shirt to celebrate the winning moments. This meant that he will miss the trip with the Portugal team to Azerbaijan.

This barrier could prove useful to Manchester United as he is expected to play the first match of the second spell of the Premier League against Newcastle United next Saturday.

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