Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 139th and 140th international goals as Portugal defeated Armenia 5-0 in their first match since the death of Diogo Jota in a car accident in July.
Before the World Cup qualifier, a minute of silence was held in Jota’s honor. Banners paying tribute to the 49-cap Portugal international were displayed around Yerevan’s Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium.
João Félix opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and Ronaldo doubled the lead by converting a cross from Pedro Neto. João Cancelo made it 3-0 and celebrated by imitating Jota’s signature video game celebration.
Ronaldo, 40, extended Portugal’s lead to four shortly after halftime with a stunning long-range strike on a bouncing ball. His Al-Nassr teammate Félix added another to complete the scoring.
In another qualifier, Adam Idah came off the bench to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw for the Republic of Ireland against 10-man Hungary.
Idah’s header in stoppage time completed Ireland’s comeback from 2-0 down. Hungary had taken an early lead through goals from Barnabas Varga and Roland Sallai, who was later sent off for a late challenge on Dara O’Shea. Evan Ferguson pulled one back for Ireland early in the second half, and despite Hungary’s efforts to hold on, Idah’s late equalizer earned a point for Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side.
Serbia kept their hopes alive in Group K with a 1-0 win over Latvia in Riga. Dušan Vlahović scored the only goal in the 12th minute with a shot from outside the box. Serbia remain five points behind group leaders England, with the two teams set to meet in Belgrade on Tuesday.
In African World Cup qualifying, Nigeria kept their hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Rwanda. Substitute Tolu Arokodare, who recently joined Wolves from Genk, scored an acrobatic winner in the 50th minute. The victory moves Nigeria within six points of group leaders South Africa and five behind second-place Benin with three games remaining. Group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, while second-place teams enter intercontinental playoffs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful FAQs about the World Cup qualifying roundup featuring Ronaldo and Portugals tribute to Diogo Jota
General Beginner Questions
Q What is a World Cup qualifying roundup
A Its a summary of the key results goals and stories from the latest matches where national teams are trying to earn a spot in the FIFA World Cup
Q Who is Jota and why was Portugal honoring him
A Diogo Jota is a forward who plays for Liverpool and the Portuguese national team He was honored because he is currently injured and unable to play so the team paid tribute to his importance
Q What is a brace in soccer
A A brace means a player scored two goals in a single game
Q Who did Portugal play in this match
A Portugal played against Luxembourg in a UEFA qualification match
Q Did Portugal win their match
A Yes Portugal won the match The final score was 50
Advanced Detailed Questions
Q How did Portugal specifically honor Diogo Jota during the match
A The team warmed up in shirts with Jotas name and number on the back Captain Cristiano Ronaldo also held up a Jota jersey during the team photo before kickoff
Q What was the significance of Ronaldos two goals in this match
A These goals extended his record as the alltime top scorer in mens international football further cementing his legendary status
Q What does this win mean for Portugals chances of qualifying for the World Cup
A It puts them in a very strong position at the top of their qualification group bringing them much closer to officially securing their place in the tournament
Q Besides Ronaldo who else scored for Portugal
A Joo Palhinha Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leo were the other goal scorers in the 50 victory
Q How does the qualifying process work for European teams
A European teams are divided into groups The winner of each group qualifies directly for the World Cup The runnersup enter a playoff system for a second chance to qualify
