LUSAIL – Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes said a goal awarded to him – the first of his two in a 2-0 win over Uruguay on Monday – might in fact have been scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, but what mattered was securing Portugal’s place in the World Cup’s next phase.
Fernandes was named scorer of Portugal’s opening goal in the 54th minute when his cross seemed to sail just past the head of Ronaldo and drop into the net with Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet confused by Ronaldo’s leap.
Portugal’s captain appeared to be claiming the goal with his celebrations and was then seen laughing when Fernandes was announced as the official scorer on the stadium’s loudspeakers.
“The feeling I had was that Cristiano touched the ball. I was passing the ball to him,” Fernandes said. “What matters is that we’re going through to the next round after playing a very tough opponent.”
However, Adidas said that the goal was rightly credited to Fernandes thanks to a sensor inside the ball.
It said in a statement: “Using the connected ball technology housed in adidas’s Al Rihla official match ball, we are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo...
“No external force on the ball could be measured as shown by the lack of ‘heartbeat’ in the measurements.” It added that “the 500Hz IMU sensor inside the ball allows for a high level of accuracy in the analysis”.
Portugal have won their opening two Group H games, beating Ghana 3-2 last week before Monday’s win over Uruguay.
With Ronaldo already substituted, Fernandes took over penalty-taking duties and scored his second goal in added time.
Coach Fernando Santos brushed aside suggestions from the media that, having already ensured qualification for the knockout phase, he might field a weakened Portugal side against South Korea on Friday to rest key players.
“First place isn’t guaranteed,” he said. “We will go for top spot, and not just because of Brazil.”
Brazil are likely to win Group G which would mean they would then play the runners-up in Group H, which is currently topped by Portugal.
During the match, a man carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a T-shirt with the words “Respect for Iranian Woman” and “Save Ukraine” invaded the pitch.
He was on the field for about 30 seconds during the second half of the game before being tackled and escorted off by security.
Uruguay coach Diego Alonso, whose side are bottom of Group H with a point following a 0-0 draw with South Korea in their opening match, have yet to score in Qatar.
The aim for their last game against Ghana is simple.
Said Alonso: “We are looking for victory, there is no doubt about it.” AFP, REUTERS
