Portuguese Record 9-0 Win Over Luxembourg Without Suspended Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't necessary for Portugal to record its biggest victory in a competitive match.
Without Ronaldo, who missed the European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg on Monday due to a suspension for receiving multiple yellow cards in Group J games, the score was 9-0.
In the Algarve, Goncalo Ramos, Goncalo Inacio, and Diogo Jota all scored twice in the absence of the five-time world player of the year and all-time leading scorer in men's international matches.
They were joined by goals from Ricardo Horta, Bruno Fernandes, and Joao Felix.
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Portugal coach Roberto Martinez praised the team for continuing to play as if the score was 0-0 despite being 4-0 or 5-0 in favor.
"When you get that, it shows you the values of the players and that respect toward the team is essential -- that was really good to see."
In a group that Portugal is now dominating with six straight victories, Ronaldo, 38, will have four more chances to add to his total of 123 goals in international competition. No other team had as many wins in qualifying as they do.
Martinez's group increased their lead over Luxembourg to eight points while maintaining a five-point lead over Slovakia. The top two finishers in each group automatically qualify.
As Ronaldo's replacement, Ramos scored two of the team's first three goals, a position he appears to enjoy.