Portugal vs North Macedonia LIVE: World Cup play-off final result, score and reaction
Relive all the action from Porto
Bruno Fernandes scored twice as Portugal sealed their place in their sixth consecutive World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over North Macedonia in Porto.
Fernandes ended the visitors’ resistance with a 32nd-minute opener after being played in by a neat bit of skill by Cristiano Ronaldo.
From that moment on there was little danger of the North Macedonians repeating the heroics that saw them dump Italy out of the tournament with a dramatic late winner in Palermo last week.
Fernandes sealed his side’s passage to Qatar in the 65th minute when he finished off a lightning counter-attack by stroking the ball past keeper Stole Dimitrievski. Relive all the action live below:
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 57 minutes
Back-to-back corners for Portugal, the second earned after a delightful pass from Joao Moutinho on the half-volley.
And then a third. Joao Cancelo’s long cross travels too far but is chested, conservatively, out of play by Stefan Ristovski, who hasn’t had the best night.
GOAL! POLAND 1-0 Sweden (Robert Lewandowski penalty, 49 minutes)
The Poland captain rolls it home! A charge towards the ball, a leaping stutter, a dart of the eyes and Robin Olsen guesses right..which is wrong! Lewandowski puts his penalty to the other side and is off in celebration almost before it has crossed the line with Olsen helpless.
Penalty to Poland! Poland 0-0 Sweden, 48 minutes
The ball had rolled across the area and the two midfielders had each burst towards it, and Krychowiak just managed to get his body ahead of Karlstrom, leaving referee Daniele Orsato no option.
It’s a spot kick. Robert Lewandowski, 12 yards out...
PENALTY TO POLAND! Poland 0-0 Sweden, 47 minutes
An immediate impact from Grzegorz Krychowiak! The midfielder goes down under contact from Jesper Karlstrom and a penalty is given to Poland. VAR will have a look, but I think this will stand...
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 51 minutes
Straight at the goalkeeper! Bernardo Silva can’t control Bruno Fernandes’ forward loft but the ball is soon back at the feet of the Manchester United midfielder, firing at goal, but Stole Dimitrievski is able to drop to his knees and grab the ball in front of him.
Poland 0-0 Sweden
The second half is about to begin in Poland, and the home side are making a substitution. The experienced Grzegorz Krychowiak takes the place of Jacek Goralski, who was booked in the first half and appeared to pick up a knock.
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 48 minutes
Portugal are stroking the ball about with a real pep early in the second half. Diogo Jota gets his feet in a muddle as he tries to befuddle a defender along the byline, but Nuno Mendes’ steps are of a better rhythm, working space for a cross...
Which is rather rank. High, wide, and not at all handsome.
Portugal 1-0 North Macedonia, 46 minutes
A half-time alteration for North Macedonia - Bojan Miovski was one of those making his way out of the tunnel and is on for Milan Ristovski up front.
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