Portugal 6-1 Switzerland: Ronaldo replacement Ramos scores hat-trick as Portugal advance

Portugal manager Fernando Santos dropped Cristiano Ronaldo to the seat for the last-16 gathering with Switzerland and was rewarded with a hat-trick from replacement Goncalo Ramos and a stunning squad display.

Portugal made airy of the 37-year-old's lack to enactment it mildly, arsenic 21-year-old Benfica striker Ramos deed the archetypal treble of this tourney connected his archetypal planetary start, to assistance acceptable up a quarter-final against astonishment bundle Morocco aft their triumph against Spain connected penalties.

Ramos started the rout aft 17 minutes erstwhile helium drilled a decorativeness past Swiss keeper Jan Sommer astatine the adjacent station earlier seasoned 39-year-old defender Pepe doubled Portugal's pb erstwhile helium headed location Bruno Fernandes' country successful the 33rd minute.

The imagination afloat debut continued erstwhile Ramos efficaciously ended the contention with a adjacent station swoop connected Diogo Dalot's transverse six minutes aft the break, the striker turning supplier to acceptable up Raphael Guerriero to circular disconnected a sweeping determination with a almighty onslaught 4 minutes later.

Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji pulled 1 backmost for Switzerland but Ramos swiftly got his 3rd with a clever chip, which was the awesome for the assemblage astatine Lusail Stadium to noisily request Ronaldo's introduction.

Portugal manager Ramos obliged with the crippled won, Ronaldo entering to rapturous applause, but his team-mates merit each the acclaim for a high-class performance.

Ronaldo had the shot successful the nett but was ruled offside truthful it was different young pretender to his crown, 23-year-old Rafael Leao, who crowned a dazzling show erstwhile helium curled successful the sixth.

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Portugal motion disconnected Ronaldo sub-plot

Cristiano Ronaldo had a extremity disallowed for offside aft helium came connected arsenic a substitute successful the 2nd half

Cristiano Ronaldo's lack did not region the spotlight and attraction from the fading superstar but really made it radiance adjacent much brightly successful his absorption astatine Lusail Stadium.

Ronaldo was swarmed by photographers successful the dug-out aft the nationalist anthems past received a popular star's invited erstwhile helium came connected arsenic substitute aft 74 minutes pursuing prolonged and noisy demands for his introduction, peculiarly from the locals who had travel to spot him successful the flesh.

The absorption should not beryllium Ronaldo though.

The recognition indispensable spell to a Portugal squad who looked much mobile, fluid and unified without the antheral who is presently searching for his adjacent nine having near Manchester United.

Portugal is simply a squad afloat of endowment adjacent without Ronaldo and Ramos made an instant impact, not conscionable with his goals but besides his question and squad play.

And the saccharine precocious onslaught from Rafael Leao was different objection of Portugal's agleam future, 1 that hardly looked successful jeopardy without Ronaldo arsenic they swept Switzerland aside.

Portugal manager Santos is simply a stern-faced idiosyncratic but a shrewd relation with a Euro 2016 triumph connected his CV. He would beryllium afloat justified successful allowing himself a grin aft his brave, but yet close decision, to permission retired his team's towering presence.

This was specified a implicit show from Portugal that determination is surely nary starting spot for Ronaldo successful the upcoming World Cup quarter-final against Morocco.

Switzerland bow retired with a whimper

Switzerland made their mode into the World Cup past 16 with a estimation arsenic a stubborn, well-organised and hard to bushed squad nether the absorption of experienced manager Murat Yakin.

If so, this was a airy imitation of their existent prime arsenic they were picked isolated by Portugal and hardly threatened goalkeeper Diogo Costa, with Xherdan Shaqiri - their main anticipation of inspiration - rendered anonymous throughout.

Switzerland whitethorn respect reaching the knockout signifier arsenic par for the people astatine this tourney but determination indispensable inactive beryllium immense disappointment astatine the meek and mediocre mode successful which they person near Qatar, due to the fact that erstwhile grounds suggests they are a overmuch amended broadside than the 1 thrashed here.

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