BUDAPEST, June 15: Cristiano Ronaldo has devoted much of his career to rewriting the European football history books. Now in his fifth Euro finals — a record — he has his sights on a few more milestones.
Two late, record-breaking goals from Ronaldo set the seal on a 3-0 win for Portugal against Hungary in the opening game of their UEFA Euro 2020 Group F campaign.
Ronaldo set the record for most goals at the European Championship with two of them Tuesday in Portugal’s 3-0 victory over Hungary at a packed Puskas Arena.
Ronaldo scored his 10th goal at the tournament from the penalty spot in the 87th minute and then added a second in injury time.
He has now scored 11 goals over five continental tournaments. He entered the match even with Michel Platini at nine goals.
Portugal defender Raphael Guerreiro scored the opening goal three minutes before Ronaldo’s first with a shot that deflected off a defender and wrong-footed goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Ronaldo might have scored his historic tenth Euro final tournament goal just five minutes in, but Diogo Jota opted against squaring to his captain only for his shot to be saved by Péter Gulácsi.
Ronaldo had no such excuse just before the break, however, side-footing over after Bruno Fernandes had fizzed in a cross from the left which meandered its way through to the 36-year-old. International goal No105 would have to wait.
Though Gulácsi was required to keep out Pepe’s header and Bruno’s dipping long-range shot, Hungary grew into the game for much of the second half.
Indeed they thought they had won it when Szabolcs Schön squeezed in a shot ten minutes from time only for the offside flag to dampen the celebrations.
It was the first match of the tournament to be played in front of a full crowd amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 67,215-capacity Puskas Arena went wild with celebration when substitute Schon cut inside from the right and planted a low shot into the corner of the net.
But the goal was ruled out because Schon was offside when he ran onto the pass.
Then came the final act. Though Guerreiro’s deflected effort opened the floodgates six minutes from time, the evening belonged to only one man.
Ronaldo smashed in from the spot to overtake Platini as all-time Euro top scorer and then proceeded to open up a cushion in stylish fashion, rounding Gulácsi and stroking into the net after an intricate move inside the penalty area. Ronaldo is now only three behind former Iran striker Ali Daei’s men’s record of 109 international goals. (Agencies)
