A sensational hat-trick from Goncalo Ramos helped Portugal blow away Switzerland 6-1 in their round of 16 match at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, to set up a quarterfinal date with Morocco, who stunned Spain on penalties earlier in the day.
Starting with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, Portugal took their time to set the ball rolling. With Switzerland playing defensively, with three defenders and as many as five midfielders shielding them, the Portuguese found it difficult to find spaces in the first quarter.
It took a moment of brilliance in the 17th minute to break the deadlock, and it came from the man who replaced Ronaldo in the playing XI – Ramos. The 21-year-old got a pass from Joao Felix in the box from a throw-in. He took a touch with his right foot with his back to the goal, bringing the ball to his left, turning all the while, and blasted the ball into the top left corner past Swiss keeper Yann Sommer at his near post from an almost impossible angle.
The goal opened the floodgates, as Switzerland totally lost their shape and plot. There was a glimmer of hope, however, when, against the run of play, Xherdan Shaqiri tested goalkeeper Rui Costa from a powerful free-kick 30 yards out, in the 30th minute.
It was one-way traffic after that, as Portugal doubled their lead three minutes later. Pepe outjumped the Swiss defenders to head the ball into the net off a Bruno Fernandes corner. He is now the oldest player to score in the World Cup knockout stage at 39 years and 283 days.
Ramos almost got his second just before half-time, but was denied by a brilliant save from Sommer. He did not have to wait long. Six minutes after the restart, he made it 3-0 for Portugal, flicking a low cross from D. Dalot, between the legs of Sommer.
Four minutes later, it was Raphael Guerreiro’s turn to put his name on the scoresheet, as the left-back blasted a through ball from Ramos, into the top of the net.
Manuel Akanji managed to pull one back for Switzerland, tapping in from close range off a Shaqiri corner, but it was a little too late. Incidentally, it was their first goal in the knockout stage since 1954.
Ramos got his hat-trick in the 67th minute, off yet another assist from Joao Felix, dinking the ball over Sommer to make it 5-1.
Ronaldo came on in the 74th minute, but it was another substitute – Rafael Leao – who delivered the final blow to Switzerland. Having got the pass from Guerreiro, he cut inside from the left and curled the ball into the net past a hapless Sommer, to complete the rout.
Portugal will now take on Morocco in the quarterfinal on Dec 10.
