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STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a superb first-half free kick to become the second men’s player to score 100 international goals in Portugal’s 2-0 win over Sweden with 10 men in the Group match. 3 of the Nations League A on Tuesday.
The Portugal captain scored on a set piece effort just before halftime to join Ali Daei, who scored 109 goals for Iran, in a century of goals.
The 35-year-old was a constant threat to Sweden’s backline in the early exchanges, dangling from the shoulder of the last defender before diving forward to beat the offside trap, but Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen was on the line. height.
All of that changed when Gustav Svensson received his second yellow card and was sent packing after a reckless challenge to Joao Moutinho on the edge of his own box just before half time.
Ronaldo stepped forward and made a diving effort past Olsen’s desperate dive and just below the crossbar before smiling broadly as he celebrated with his teammates.
Sweden were struggling to contain the visitors and Ronaldo scored again in the 73rd minute with another effort, this time from open play, to fall just eight goals from Daei’s record for international goalscorers.
Portugal’s Joao Moutinho credited the Swedes for making it difficult for him early on, but everything changed with Svensson’s dismissal.
“Of course the red card did us good, we tried to circulate the ball to find spaces, and happily we scored two great goals from Ronaldo,” he said.
With two victories from two games, Portugal leads Group 3, ahead of France on goal difference, which beat Croatia 4-2, with the Swedes third and the Croats last.
France will face Portugal in a top-of-the-table clash in Paris on October 11, while Croatia host Sweden on the same date.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Edited by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
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