Portugal crushes Andorra, Belgium edges out Switzerland

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in 102nd goal for Portugal as he moved closer to Iranian ali Daei's record for most international goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring in Portugal's 7-0 win over Andorra.

Pedro Neto and Paulinho both scored on their Portugal debuts as the European champion unsurprisingly routed Andorra 7-0 in a friendly on Wednesday while Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target.

Neto, 20, rifled in the opening goal after eight minutes while Paulinho, making his debut at the age of 28, got in front of his marker to score the second just before the half hour.

Renato Sanches added the third in the 56th minute and Braga forward Paulinho headed in his second from Mario Rui's cross five minutes later.

Emili Garcia turned the ball into his own net before Ronaldo, who was rested for the first half, headed his 102nd international goal with five minutes left and Joao Felix completed the rout.

 

Ronaldo's goal left the 35-year-old only seven short of former Iran forward Ali Daei's alltime record of 109 international goals.

Batshuayi hits brace in Belgium win

Michy Batshuayi scored twice in the second half as top-ranked Belgium came from behind to beat Switzerland 2-1 in a friendly ahead of its crucial Nations League clash against England on Sunday.

Batshuayi took his tally to 13 goals in his last 13 international appearances with the double, which maintained Belgiums four-year unbeaten run at home.

Admir Mehmedi put the Swiss ahead early before Batshuayi equalised from a suspiciously offside position early in the second half as both countries fielded makeshift teams.

After 12 minutes, Belgian defender Sebastiaan Bornauws attempt at a clearing header served only to set up Mehmedi to hammer the ball home.

Four minutes into the second half, Belgium equalised after a Swiss pass was snapped up by Youri Tielemans, who quickly played it into Batshuayi who turned and finished with aplomb.

 

He had looked offside when the pass was played to him but with no VAR, the goal stood.

Belgium claimed the win when Dodi Lukebakio set up a chance from the left, which was played back into the centre by debutant Thomas Foket for Batshuayi, who was given space to thump the ball home from right in front of goal.

The match was a first for Belgium at Leuvens Den Dreef stadium, where they will host England on Sunday and Denmark next Wednesday. The match was moved from Brussels because of a curfew imposed as part of the COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium.