A+
A–
Baku, October 8 AZERTAC
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four times, including two inside the opening four minutes as Portugal crushed Andorra 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Friday.
According to Daily Mail, the Real Madrid star thought he had been hauled down during a corner about 70 seconds into the match, but when no whistle came he got up just in time to fire a rebound into the corner of the net. Two minutes later Ronaldo was on target again with a simple header from a Ricardo Quaresma cross.
Portugal had plenty of more opportunities to score in the first half -- Andre Silva hit the bar with a header and keeper Josep Gomes denied Jose Fonte from close range -- before Joao Cancelo made it 3-0 with a shot from the tightest of angles.
Ronaldo began the second half just as he did the first, completing his hat trick two minutes after the restart with a powerful volley from the centre of the box.
After Andorra's Jordi Rubio then picked up two yellow cards in a 10-minute span, Ronaldo found his fourth goal, firing in a half-volley from six yards out.
Andorra's Marc Rebes was then sent off for a tackle on Ronaldo, and Andre Silva completed the rout against the nine men with a final goal in the 86th minute.
Kevin Gameiro scored twice as five-star France defeated Bulgaria 4-1 in Group A action at the Stade de France.
AZERTAG.AZ :Cristiano Ronaldo nets four goals as Portugal cruise; France, Belgium win
