Ronaldo hits late Portugal winner on 200th appearance

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a late winner on his 200th international appearance as Portugal beat Iceland 1-0 on Tuesday to maintain their perfect start to Euro 2024 qualifying.The 38-year-old striker steered in from close range in the 89th minute for his 123rd Portugal goal on a night he also extended his men’s international caps record in Reykjavik.Ronaldo received a bouquet of flowers and a certificate to commemorate the landmark occasion, the latest in a long list of records for the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star.Having scored twice in each of Portugal’s qualifiers in March, albeit against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, Ronaldo failed to find the net in last week’s 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. But he again silenced those who have doubted coach Roberto Martinez’s wisdom in calling him up, grabbing the winner after Iceland were reduced to 10 men with Willum Thor Willumsson sent off.Goncalo Inacio knocked the ball across for Ronaldo to turn home in the 89th minute, but the goal was initially ruled out for offside before the decision was overturned and the Portugal captain was mobbed by his teammates. Portugal remain two points clear of Slovakia at the top of Group J. Slovakia, who are Portugal’s next opponents in September, won 1-0 away to Liechtenstein to stay unbeaten.Meanwhile Norway’s Erling Haaland scored twice in the second half as they cruised to a 3-1 win over Cyprus yesterday to get their Group A campaign back on track after a shock 2-1 home defeat to Scotland in their previous game. The win lifts the Norwegians to third in the five-team group on four points from four matches, behind second-placed Georgia on goal difference while Scotland, who are hosting Georgia on Tuesday, top the group with nine points from three games.Norway broke the deadlock in the 12th minute as Alexander Sorloth’s cross from the right flew just over Haaland’s but dropped perfectly for Ola Solbakken to blast home his first international goal.Haaland converted a penalty in the 56th minute and followed that up with another powerful finish on the hour to take his season tally to 56 goals, the most of any player in the top five European leagues and two more than France’s Kylian Mbappe.Grigoris Kastanos scored a stoppage-time consolation for the visitors to reduce the deficit but it could not spoil the party as the Norwegians chalked up their first win in the group.England rampant as Mbappe lifts FranceBukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England demolished North Macedonia 7-0 in Euro 2024 qualifying on Monday, while Kylian Mbappe’s re-taken penalty gave France a narrow victory over Greece.Harry Kane swept England ahead at Old Trafford before Saka stole the show with two superb finishes either side of Marcus Rashford’s goal.Saka completed his treble early in the second half, Kalvin Phillips added another and Kane then struck again from the spot as England won their fourth straight match in Group C."It’s a feeling I can’t put into words. I can’t describe how I’m feeling right now. I’m so happy,” Saka told Channel 4."It’s been a really long season. It’s the end of the season now. I couldn’t have ended it in a better way.”England top the section on a maximum 12 points, six ahead of Ukraine, who are second after a 1-0 win over Malta in Trnava was secured by Viktor Tsygankov’s second-half penalty.European champions Italy are nine points adrift in third but have played just twice.France also kept up their 100 percent record in Group B with a 1-0 win over Greece in Paris, which propelled the World Cup runners-up six points clear of their opponents.Mbappe saw his initial spot-kick saved by Odysseas Vlachodimos, but the France striker made no mistake with his second attempt after encroachment by a Greek defender.Greece finished with 10 men as Kostantinos Mavropanos was sent off, having escaped red earlier when he caught Antoine Griezmann in the face with his studs and gave away the penalty."We did what we needed to win this match. I’m very pleased with what the players have done in this difficult period,” France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1. "There’s less experience than there was six months ago, but there’s quality.”