Portugal required an own goal from Maksim Medvedev to help them to an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan in their opening World Cup 2022 qualifying fixture in Turin.
Match Report
The reigning European and Nations League champions dominated possession against Group A's bottom seeds on Wednesday but struggled to create many clear-cut chances.
Azerbaijan skipper Medvedev put into his own net eight minutes before half-time following a mix-up with keeper Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev and that proved to be the only goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo fired a third successive blank for Portugal at Juventus' Allianz Stadium, where the game was being staged due to coronavirus travel restrictions, but Fernando Santos' men ultimately picked up the win.
Azerbaijan, the designated away side, had drawn their last four matches by the same 0-0 scoreline and kept Portugal's attacking talents quiet for large swathes of the first half.
Mahammadaliyev denied Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo in quick succession, while Domingos Duarte fired wide from five yards after bringing down a chipped pass from Ronaldo.
But Portugal's pressure told 37 minutes in when Mahammadaliyev raced off his line and punched a cross into Medvedev, the ball flying off the Azerbaijan skipper and trickling into the net.
Despite the introduction of Bruno Fernandes from the bench at half-time, the Selecao continued to toil in the final third against a side ranked 108th in the FIFA rankings.
Ronaldo was kept out by Mahammadaliyev on the volley and Bernardo Silva also tested the Azerbaijan keeper, but Portugal could not add a killer second goal.
That nearly proved costly 19 minutes from time as Anatolii Nuriev blazed over with plenty of the goal to aim for after stand-in keeper Anthony Lopes failed to deal with a ball into the box.
Line-ups
Portugal XI: Ronaldo, Moutinho, Anthony Lopes, Cancelo, Andre Silva, Neves, Ruben Dias, Bernardo, Duarte, Pedro Neto, Nuno Mendes
Subs: Fonte, Patricio, Luís Carlos, Sérgio Oliveira, Cedric, Rui Silva, Rafa Silva, Bruno Fernandes, João Palhinha, R.Sanches, Jota, Felix
Azerbaijan XI: M. Medvedev, B. Hüseynov, A. Salahlı, V. Mustafayev, A. Ghorbani, M. Emreli, A. Hüseynov, A. Krivotsyuk, Elvin Badalov, Emin Makhmudov, Shakhban Magomedaliyev
Subs: A. Yunanov, E. Balayev, T. Xəlilzadə, B. Mustafazadə, A. Isaev, İ. İbrahimli, A. Nuriev, Ramil Sheydaev, Mehdi Cannatov, tashgin sertan, Namiq Alasgarov
madarista
808
CR7 WILL BE BACK🔙 WITH A GREAT START😎 JUST WAIT AND SEE🔜 NEVER FORGET HIS RULES 💯😜
sehajbains_02
649
Cristiano was sensational tonight Created two chances for Bernardo, 1 for Felix , 1 for Bruno Fernandes, 1 for Duarte . Portugal won the game but Ajerbaijan's goalie won my heart If Messi would have done such things without scoring Headline would be 👉 Argentina got 3 points as Messi shines [Crylaugh][Crylaugh] Just @afy and @autty things
Vuabdmptuy
614
Cr7 didn't scored because cr7 decided to play like messi, dribble, play make, give key passes, and join the mildfeild. Messi has been playing like this all his career for both club and country and still won 6 golden shoe 👟 the highest in history by any player. If cr7 has been playing like messi he would end up being in the level of De bruyna and others. Cr7 will never be relevant without goals. Only messi has won on many occasions MOTM Without scoring goals because 95% of moves that leads to goals starts from messi. Cr7 fans always complaining that cr7 is not receiving passes from juve player and termed them as been selfish, can we say portugal 🇵🇹 players are also selfish? But portugal 🇵🇹 team always win, conveniently without mr. Cr7. They won Euro2016 and Nations league without cristiano scoring goal! For now,Bacelona and Argentina 🇦🇷 will not be able to do without Messi because messi carries them help them with goals, assist, play make, key passes, dribbles etc but Cr7 needs Juve and portugal 🇵🇹 player to pass the ball to him to score goals.
AntoJaison
487
Medvedev after seeing Ronaldo, Felix Fernandes couldn't score against their Goal Keeper
ZeeshanAwan
451
One minute Silence for those who thought Ronaldo will score against Azerbaijan 🤣🤣
Vidyut
329
if this was Argentina instead of Portugal the headline would be "messi shines and helps Argentina to a narrow win" but since it's Ronaldo they say he was kept quiet
Brightberry
311
Azerbaijan goalkeeper in the match 😂 😂
Fofanah001
291
Now we know the real goat 🐐 and and the Wish goat 🐐 😹
BlaxJr
192
He's waiting to prove his Greatness when playing against either Luxembourg or Feroe Island 🤣🤣🤣 But he's a GOat they say 🤭
Luckybing
32
Cristiano was sensational tonight Created two chances for Bernardo, 1 for Felix , 1 for Bruno Fernandes, 1 for Duarte . Portugal won the game but Ajerbaijan's goalie won my heart If Messi would have done such things without scoring Headline would be 👉 Argentina got 3 points as Messi shines [Crylaugh][Crylaugh] Just @afy and @autty things
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Why involve Messi in everything related to Cr7 cause these b!tch @ss fans know that Messi is the goat and cr7 is struggling both at his club and with his country
Plantaris
29
Cristiano was sensational tonight Created two chances for Bernardo, 1 for Felix , 1 for Bruno Fernandes, 1 for Duarte . Portugal won the game but Ajerbaijan's goalie won my heart If Messi would have done such things without scoring Headline would be 👉 Argentina got 3 points as Messi shines [Crylaugh][Crylaugh] Just @afy and @autty things
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if Messi hadn't scored. he wud ave probably have d most dribbles, most chances created, most key passes etc... That's d difference
Feybcist
23
Cristiano was sensational tonight Created two chances for Bernardo, 1 for Felix , 1 for Bruno Fernandes, 1 for Duarte . Portugal won the game but Ajerbaijan's goalie won my heart If Messi would have done such things without scoring Headline would be 👉 Argentina got 3 points as Messi shines [Crylaugh][Crylaugh] Just @afy and @autty things
[image]
because he is respected more, and they know who the best is...
ceaacdlt
17
Cristiano was sensational tonight Created two chances for Bernardo, 1 for Felix , 1 for Bruno Fernandes, 1 for Duarte . Portugal won the game but Ajerbaijan's goalie won my heart If Messi would have done such things without scoring Headline would be 👉 Argentina got 3 points as Messi shines [Crylaugh][Crylaugh] Just @afy and @autty things
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U talking about Azerbeijan here, with all duo respect.
hurrhahul
15
Cr7 didn't scored because cr7 decided to play like messi, dribble, play make, give key passes, and join the mildfeild. Messi has been playing like this all his career for both club and country and still won 6 golden shoe 👟 the highest in history by any player. If cr7 has been playing like messi he would end up being in the level of De bruyna and others. Cr7 will never be relevant without goals. Only messi has won on many occasions MOTM Without scoring goals because 95% of moves that leads to goals starts from messi. Cr7 fans always complaining that cr7 is not receiving passes from juve player and termed them as been selfish, can we say portugal 🇵🇹 players are also selfish? But portugal 🇵🇹 team always win, conveniently without mr. Cr7. They won Euro2016 and Nations league without cristiano scoring goal! For now,Bacelona and Argentina 🇦🇷 will not be able to do without Messi because messi carries them help them with goals, assist, play make, key passes, dribbles etc but Cr7 needs Juve and portugal 🇵🇹 player to pass the ball to him to score goals.
[image]
you my friend are the epitome of the "people are evolving backwards" theory
handsomeguy₹
14
CR7 WILL BE BACK🔙 WITH A GREAT START😎 JUST WAIT AND SEE🔜 NEVER FORGET HIS RULES 💯😜
[image]
what stupid rules fool.....stop these lame rules and all......the opponets he has got this time are countires i have never heard of......if he can't score even against them it's not diificult to guess where this guy would be on the scoring charts if he was in South America
Rikcdekpst
12
Why involve Messi in everything related to Cr7 cause these b!tch @ss fans know that Messi is the goat and cr7 is struggling both at his club and with his country
cuz this guy wants to get more likes
Crisps_08
11
Cr7 didn't scored because cr7 decided to play like messi, dribble, play make, give key passes, and join the mildfeild. Messi has been playing like this all his career for both club and country and still won 6 golden shoe 👟 the highest in history by any player. If cr7 has been playing like messi he would end up being in the level of De bruyna and others. Cr7 will never be relevant without goals. Only messi has won on many occasions MOTM Without scoring goals because 95% of moves that leads to goals starts from messi. Cr7 fans always complaining that cr7 is not receiving passes from juve player and termed them as been selfish, can we say portugal 🇵🇹 players are also selfish? But portugal 🇵🇹 team always win, conveniently without mr. Cr7. They won Euro2016 and Nations league without cristiano scoring goal! For now,Bacelona and Argentina 🇦🇷 will not be able to do without Messi because messi carries them help them with goals, assist, play make, key passes, dribbles etc but Cr7 needs Juve and portugal 🇵🇹 player to pass the ball to him to score goals.
[image]
you just wasted 1min of my precious time in reading your rubbish!
Charmingboy
8
CR7 WILL BE BACK🔙 WITH A GREAT START😎 JUST WAIT AND SEE🔜 NEVER FORGET HIS RULES 💯😜
[image]
Never forget there is Luxembourg in the group, obviously he will come back 😜