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:
Here we go...
Both stadiums look packed to the rafters. Obviously, really. One game to go - who will qualify for the 2022 Fifa World Cup?
And in Chorzow...
Great massive flags are spread wide on the pitch behind the Swedish and Polish players, with what appears to be not insignificant rain wetting the hair as they prepare for the pre-match pageantry. You’d suggest things could be fairly tight.
Anthem time
The flags are waving at the Estadio do Dragao as the fans stand for the national anthems. The travelling supporters belt out “Denes nad Makedonija”.
Christian Eriksen scores on return to Parken Stadium
Just before we focus more fully on tonight’s proceedings, an uplifting story from Denmark’s win against Serbia:
Christian Eriksen marks emotional return to Parken Stadium with goal for Denmark
The 30-year-old had suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a Euro 2020 match last June.
Match Officials
Right, kick-off is creeping ever closer in Porto and Chorzow - but who is in charge of it all? Well, enjoying the delights of the Portuguese coast are an English officiating team led by referee Anthony Taylor and VAR Chris Kavanagh, while Italy’s Daniele Orsato and Massimiliano Irrati are at the Silesian Stadium to deal with matters arising during Poland-Ukraine. Plenty of experience for two significant fixtures.
When is the World Cup draw and who can still qualify?
When is World Cup group stage draw? Date, start time and who can still qualify?
Everything you need to know ahead of the group stage draw for the 2022 Qatar World Cup
Which European nations have already qualified?
There are three more Uefa places to be confirmed, with Wales awaiting the winner of Scotland vs Ukraine - that tie has been postponed until June for what should be obvious reasons.
Already through to the World Cup from Europe are:
Germany, Denmark, France, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands.
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