Inspired by a double strike from Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal got off to an ideal winning start in the Euros after a 3-0 victory against Hungary. Ronaldo is now the all-time top scorer at the Euros. It was a physical game and Hungary sustained pressure on the European giants till Raphael Guerreiro broke the deadlock for the Portuguese with a deflected effort in the 84th minute. Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 87th minute and added one more to the tally in the final minutes.
Portugal's gifted forward line largely struggled till the late moments. Besides Ronaldo, the team has scoring threats in standout midfielder Bruno Fernandes, winger Bernardo Silva and forward Diogo Jota. Fernandes had a superb season at Manchester United, scoring 28 goals overall. Jota became the first player in 27 years to net seven goals in his first 10 Liverpool appearances before being injured. He helped under-pressure Liverpool qualify for the Champions League when he returned.
But, Ronaldo finally delivered the goods. He is now ahead of Michel Platini as the all-time top scorer at the Euros, on 11 goals. Ronaldo can even break Iran striker Ali Daei's record of 109 international goals.
Portugal was largely solid in defence, with 38-year-old veteran Pepe joining hands with Ruben Dias. Dias had a transformative effect on Premier League champions Manchester City's defensive fortunes this season.
"It was a very difficult game but we got three goals. It was vital to win and start the tournament with confidence and now we want to keep on winning," said Ronaldo.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos added: "If we'd scored earlier it would have been easier for us. We missed a few chances then had some anxious moments but found our composure again and finished the game well."
