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With Ronaldo on the bench, Portugal turned in a statement win epitomising their determination to go all the way for the first time
Published : 07 Dec 2022, 11:35 AM
In the last three World Cups, Portugal have been a disappointment. Despite fielding one of the greatest players of the generation, perhaps of all time, in Cristiano Ronaldo, they hadn't yet won a single knockout fixture in the finals since finishing fourth in 2006. Qatar may well be the ageing superstar’s last shot at claiming football's ultimate prize.
Their opponents, Switzerland, stepped into the match looking for their first quarterfinals berth since 1954, buoyed by promising performances in the Euros and the group stages. Little did they know that the Selecao were here to make a statement, to convince the world that they were ready to be title contenders.
The game started with Switzerland in a 3-5-2 formation with Xherdan Shaqiri as their left out-and-out forward, but with the license to use the central channels, and a centre-back pairing of Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez. Portugal fielded a 4-3-1-2 with Bruno Fernandes as the attacking pivot behind the pair of Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos, who was a surprise inclusion in the starting line up over Ronaldo.
Following the surprise loss to South Korea, Portugal needed to restore their defensive solidity. William Carvalho, who was subbed into the Korea game with nine minutes to go, was back to his best on Wednesday. His 92 percent pass accuracy, 3 passes into the final third, and 7 recoveries showed how integral he has been to the national team’s midfield since the triumph of the 2016 Euros. Diogo Dalot was excellent too, providing essential defensive cover (6 recoveries, 5 duels won, 2 blocks, 4 tackles won) on the right-wing, while scooping up an assist for the second goal.
Following Brazil’s samba on Tuesday, Portugal found their own rhythm. Coach Fernando Santos took a gamble - with Ronaldo out of the starting eleven, there was no target man. However, the lack of his overpowering presence also seemed to loosen up the team, allowing them to play as an ensemble, rather than a backing band. Their movement and passing was fluid, adding much-needed pace and incisiveness to their attack. They had less possession than Switzerland and made fewer passes, but their counter-attacks were direct and painful, as Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva overloaded the central channels. The simple tactic of pass-and-move opened up exorbitant amounts of space to exploit as their opponents were cut through like Swiss cheese. To top it off, their finishing was surgical, piling on six goals to outperform their total expected goals of 2.10.
Switzerland are no minnows, but they could not keep up with the dynamism, the vibrancy, or the sense of urgency of their opponents.
The jewels in the crown, however, were strikers Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos. Felix, who has had a quiet year at Atleti, showed off his class and creativity, assisting on two goals. But it was Ramos, who has never started a World Cup match before, who shone brightest. It took 17 minutes to prove his worth, firing in a shot that seemed nearly impossible (xG of 0.04) to open the scoring. Not only did he go on to complete his hat-trick, but also racked up an assist.
When Ronaldo was subbed on in the 74th minute, it turned up the volume of the crowd, but the fate of the game was sealed. Rafael Leao, who came in just before the death, rounded it off with a fantastic strike to complete the trouncing.
With this victory, Portugal showed the world that they were ready to challenge for the crown, and that Ronaldo is not the only weapon in their arsenal. Portugal will face a jubilant and dangerous Morocco in the quarterfinals on Saturday, 9 PM Bangladesh time. The whole world will be waiting impatiently to see what could either be Ronaldo’s last World Cup hurrah or Portugal’s fateful progress to the semi-final.
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