Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Portugal beats Ireland 3-0 in last Euros warmup
Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Portugal beats Ireland 3-0 in last Euros warmup
WEDNESDAY JUN 12,2024
Lisbon, Portugal - Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal defeated Ireland 3-0 in their final warm-up match ahead of the European Championship.Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals to help Portugal beat Ireland 3-0 on Tuesday in a final warmup before Roberto Martinez's team heads to the European Championship in Germany.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo's second-half double followed Joao Felix's opener at Aveiro Municipal Stadium south of Porto.
Portugal faces the Czech Republic next Tuesday in Leipzig. It also will play Turkey and Georgia in Group F.
Ronaldo, who sat out last week's friendlies against Finland and Croatia, hit the post with a free kick in the 22nd minute shortly after Felix's goal. He then scored in the 50th and 60th minutes.
Ronaldo, who is set to make his fifth consecutive Euros appearance for Portugal, opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a stunning free-kick that flew into the top corner of the net.
The Real Madrid forward then doubled his tally in the 20th minute with a well-placed header from a Joao Moutinho cross.
The win marks Portugal's second consecutive victory over Ireland, following a 1-0 win in the Nations League last year. The Portuguese team is now unbeaten in their last 10 matches, with seven wins and three draws.
The European Championship is set to kick off on June 11th, with Portugal drawn in Group F alongside Germany, France, and Hungary. Ronaldo will be looking to lead his team to their second consecutive major tournament title, following their triumph at Euro 2016.
The Irish team, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from this defeat and improve their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. They will face Sweden, Poland, and Spain in Group E.
Portugal's starting lineup included several regular players, including goalkeeper Rui Patricio, defender Pepe, and midfielders Joao Moutinho and William Carvalho. The team will now look to build on this momentum heading into the European Championship.
"We played well and created a lot of chances," Ronaldo said after the match. "I'm happy with the way we played and we're now looking forward to the Euros."
The Portuguese team will now take a break before returning to training ahead of the European Championship opener against Germany on June 15th.
Match Highlights:
- Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice for Portugal
- Portugal defeat Ireland 3-0 in their final warm-up match ahead of the European Championship
- Portugal's starting lineup includes regular players Rui Patricio, Pepe, Joao Moutinho, and William Carvalho
- The win marks Portugal's second consecutive victory over Ireland
- Ronaldo's goals take his total to 95 for Portugal, just five shy of Luís Figo's record