Cristiano Ronaldo made more history by becoming the first player to make 17 appearances at European championship finals by captaining Portugal in today’s Euro 2016 Group F match against Hungary.
Advertisement
Instead, he turned playmaker to set up Nani for an equalizer just before halftime, 23 minutes after 37-year-old Zoltan Gera had given Hungary 1-0 lead.
After not scoring in his team’s opening two draws, the 31-year-old Ronaldo broke out at Stade de Lyon to increase his record haul with his 59th and 60th career goals for Portugal.
Iceland has drawn their first two group matches of Euro 2016 and is placed 2nd in the group with 2 points.
The result was enough to secure third place in Group E for Portugal – despite it failing to win any of its three group games. Messi scored one goal, a brilliant free kick, to break his country’s career scoring record and set up two others in Argentina’s 4-0 win over the USA team in their semifinal Tuesday.
But after a 2-0 defeat to Hungary and goalless stalemate against Portugal, a victory newcomers Iceland could still send Austria through to the last 16.
Their only goal so far was scored for them by Ireland’s Ciaran Clark in a 1-1 draw but they have singularly failed to exploit Ibrahimovic’s presence and they are now in danger of a second successive group stage exit.
The former Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon boss insists he does not care how Portugal win as long as they pick up three points.
The Cardiff midfielder admitted the prospect of meeting England in Nice, should Iceland finish second in Group F, would be a dream come true for the tournament’s smallest nation. “It doesn’t matter if we play better or ugly football”.
One went straight at the wall, and two more were easily saved by Gabor Kiraly.
And there’s a real belief that the side could extend its stay in France beyond the group stage.
“We have seen in this tournament it is not names and reputations, it is what teams do on the field”, Hodgson said.
Gunnarsson, who plays in the second tier of the English league, said a last-16 match against England would be a “dream for every Icelander”.
Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic can also become the first man to score in four Euros if Ronaldo fails to find the net in what could be his last global appearance.
“It’s up to us to break them down”.
Portugal began the first half with intent, pressing the Hungarian defence to force an early goal.
Advertisement
“Croatia are one of the sharks and we’ve been trying to avoid them”, said Santos.
