BY Freeman Makopa
A thrilling hat trick by Christiano Ronaldo was an opportunity he fully grasped and enhanced his team to qualify for the World cup finals with a 4 -2 aggregate victory in their World cup play off against Sweden yesterday.
The battle started when Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice to offer his side 2-1 ahead in the second leg but the unsurpassed Ronaldo hit back with two stunning goals that included a massive hat trick to secure a 3-2 victory and drive his country to the next year’s tournament in Brazil.
Ronaldo was in cloud nine and expressed that his country looked forward for him to send them to next year’s world cup.
“I know Portugal needed me in these matches and I showed I am here, I just did my work as I have been doing lately” he bragged.
Asked to comment on the game Portugal`s coach Paola Bento said he hailed the contribution by his team’s captain and talisman
“When a player grabs a hat trick in a match of his scale, naturally he has a huge impact, Bento told a news conference”.
With a record of Portugal leading to a goal to nil in the first leg in Lisbon, the Swedes dominated the first half possession but created little chances before Ronaldo tored them apart in the second half maneuvering through the defense to score .
Ibrahimovic was the main figure in the first half when he gave his side hope at a 1-0 down from a corner but Ronaldo changed the hopes swedes to nightmare after scoring two goals in three minutes and thus ending the hopes of Sweden to reach the World cup.
Sweden missed a great chance of scoring When Sebastian Larson fired at the goal keeper from point blank range.
Ronaldo took the opportunity in the first 5 minutes of the second half when he got a through ball from Jao Moutinho to find a net beating Martin Olsson and firing past goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson.
He (Ronaldo) then settled the difference by scoring another goal 11 minutes from time to send his team to Brazil and there is high hopes by the Portuguese that Ronaldo will do the same in Brazil.
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