After brace from Bruno Fernandes, Portugal qualified for 2022 World Cup

Portugal qualified for the 2022 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over North Macedonia on Tuesday, thanks to a brace from Bruno Fernandes.

Portugal secured their berth in Qatar later this year as the Manchester United midfielder scored a goal in either half.

Portugal has qualified for the World Cup for the sixth time in a row as a consequence of this result. Cristiano Ronaldo’s last game for his country is likely to be this one, despite predictions that he will retire before the playoff.

“Goal accomplished,” Ronaldo said on Instagram after the match. “We made it to the World Cup in Qatar. We are where we deserve to be.”

Macedonia failed to repeat their shock victory over European champions Italy, although they delivered a respectable showing throughout the 90 minutes.

“This win will remain in a special place for me because we have achieved our aim,” Bruno Fernandes said in his postmatch interview. “That was the most important thing. I think Portugal played better.

“We’ve had better performances, but this is one of the highlights because it guarantees access to the World Cup.

“The important thing is to help the team. I’m not here to score, I’m here to help. If I can help with goals, I’m happy to do so. Any player likes to score. But the main aim is to help however I can. That’s what I did and what I have done in the past.”

After 22 minutes, Portugal took the lead when Bruno Fernandes intercepted a weak pass in midfield and swapped passes with Ronaldo before finishing well into the corner.

From that point on, Portugal took control of the game and extended their lead after 65 minutes when Bruno Fernandes scored from close range after a great counter attack.

Portugal dominated the game from the start, with 50,000 people cheering them on at the Dragao Stadium in Porto, but they failed to break down the tough North Macedonian defence, managing only three shots on target despite having nearly 70% possession.

Fernando Santos’ side then ran out the clock, celebrating with their ecstatic fans in the stands for more over 15 minutes after the game, singing as the players performed a victory lap while carrying a giant Portugal flag.

Portugal qualified for the World Cup finals for the sixth time in a row after winning the 2016 European Championship in France. They have not missed a major international competition in the last 20 years.

After finishing second in Group A and losing their final game at home to Serbia 2-1 in November, they were pushed into the playoffs.

They needed to win two knockout games in a row to qualify, with last week’s triumph over Turkey, in which they survived late drama, setting up a playoff versus Macedonia.

On a nerve-wracking night in Porto on Tuesday, Portugal dominated and avoided any surprises from the underdogs, who failed to score.

“My players showed a fantastic attitude,” Santos said. “There was a sense of collectiveness, we dominated, we created chances and we scored. The fans were fantastic. It’s a deserved win.

“We fully merit to be in the World Cup. My conscience is clear. I have already won two competitions [Euro 2016 and UEFA Nations League 2019] and I dream a lot of winning a third.”

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