Ronaldo’s Replacement Scores a Hat Trick in Portugal’s Romp Over Switzerland
After their first goal, the Portuguese players sprinted to the corner flag to celebrate. In the middle of the merriment, as usual, stood Cristiano Ronaldo, though he was not the one who scored.
He was not even on the field for Portugal. Ronaldo, elite of the elite, began the knockout-stage match against Switzerland on the bench, banished there for insubordination, meager play or, perhaps, a combination of both.
In his place started Gonçalo Ramos, who on his first touch of consequence sent a left-footed wonder strike inside the near post. Portugal added another, on a thunderous header by Pepe in the 33rd minute, and Ronaldo ran over to congratulate him after that one, too.
Portugal leads by 2-0 with 45 minutes remaining, and though the possibility of a quarterfinal battle for Iberian Peninsula supremacy evaporated with Spain’s dismissal earlier today, a date with Morocco — a neighbor of sorts — on Saturday seems likely.
Ronaldo’s ineffectiveness has sagged from game to game, and he was rather frustrated to be replaced so early — in the 65th minute — of Portugal’s last group-stage match, against South Korea. So he watched from the bench, wearing the yellow pinnie of a substitute, as Ramos ripped the first goal and nearly scored a second, too, just before halftime.
Had that one gone in from Ramos, a 21-year-old striker who plays for Benfica, Portugal’s coach, Fernando Santos, might have been moved to take him out in advance of the quarterfinal — for some fresher legs, perhaps those of Ronaldo.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/12/06/sports/portugal-switzerland-world-cup-score