YEREVAN (Reuters) -Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix both struck twice as the visitors brushed aside Armenia 5-0 on Saturday, giving Jose Martinez’s side a perfect start in their World Cup qualifiers.
The Nations League champions had little trouble neutralising Armenia’s limited attacking threat and, after their fourth goal, rotated key players and used their momentum to showcase a more creative style, sealing a perfect start in Group F.
It took 10 minutes before Portugal went ahead when Joao Cancelo reached the byline and lifted a precise cross onto the head of Felix who had little trouble breaking the deadlock.
Ronaldo doubled the lead after 21 minutes, underlining Portugal’s dominance as he brushed past his marker to meet a cross from close range for his 139th international goal.
The rout continued as Cancelo added a third for Portugal, finishing from Felix’s cut-back after 32 minutes.
A minute after the restart, Ronaldo produced a moment of brilliance, unleashing a thunderous volley from distance that rocketed into the net, with Armenia goalkeeper Henri Avagyan managing the faintest of touches but powerless to stop it.
With the fourth goal confirming Portugal’s dominance, the visitors began to play with greater freedom as they looked for inventive ways to carve out further chances.
Just past the hour, Felix combined fortune with finesse as he raced into the box to meet a rebound from a blocked shot that seemed to slip past him, only for the forward to flick the ball in with a clever back-heel to give Portugal their fifth.
The visitors pressed for a sixth late on, but Avagyan produced two fine saves before the referee blew for full time almost the instant stoppage time began, ending the rout.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Ken Ferris)
