DOHA – Goncalo Ramos justified the shock resolution to drop Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring a hat-trick on his full debut as Portugal demolished Switzerland 6-1 on Tuesday to energy into the World Cup quarter-finals.

The 21-year-old Ramos, who began as an alternative of Ronaldo, turned the youngest participant to strike 3 times in a World Cup knockout match since Pele in 1958.

Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao have been additionally on course for a rampant Portugal, who booked a showdown with Morocco on Saturday for a spot within the final 4 in Qatar.

“I think not even in my wildest dreams had I thought about being part of the starting XI for the knockout phase,” mentioned Ramos, who solely made his Portugal debut in a pre-tournament pleasant final month.

Switzerland, who had been hoping to reach a primary quarter-final since internet hosting the 1954 World Cup, exited within the final 16 for the third time in a row.

“Defeat is painful. We are sad about how we played, about the result. We wanted to make our country happy but we didn’t manage to achieve that,” mentioned Switzerland coach Murat Yakin.

Ronaldo, 37 and now and not using a membership after his departure from Manchester United, has hogged the headlines through the match whereas trying a shadow of his former self.

The solely man to rating at 5 World Cups, Ronaldo was omitted by coach Fernando Santos in opposition to the Swiss following his indignant response to being substituted within the final group recreation.

Santos later mentioned the choice to bench the Portugal star had been “strategic and nothing more”, unrelated to his substitution in opposition to South Korea.

“I said that it was closed and it was closed,” Santos mentioned.

It was a daring name to omit a participant with a file 118 worldwide targets in favour of giving a primary begin to Ramos, the Benfica striker who had performed simply 33 minutes throughout three earlier appearances.

INSTANT IMPACT

But it took simply 17 minutes for Ramos to reward Santos’ religion, and to obtain one thing Ronaldo has by no means achieved – rating in a World Cup knockout recreation.

Joao Felix clipped delicately into the ft of Ramos, who shortly swivelled previous Fabian Schaer and rifled into the roof of the web previous a surprised Yann Sommer.

Otavio, who returned to the Portugal midfield after harm of their opening match, shot straight at Sommer earlier than Ramos did likewise moments later.

Xherdan Shaqiri drew a fingertip cease from Diogo Costa with a dipping free-kick from distance, however Portugal quickly had their second.

Bruno Fernandes whipped in a nook and the 39-year-old Pepe towered above the Swiss defence to powerfully head dwelling.

Diogo Dalot hacked Remo Freuler’s header off the road after Diogo Costa failed to correctly cope with a cross, however the Swiss merely had no solutions in opposition to an irresistible Portugal.

Ramos turned in his second from shut vary six minutes into the second half from Dalot’s cross down the best.

He then turned supplier by enjoying in Guerreiro to lash in one other simply 4 minutes later as the Swiss defence was ruthlessly ripped aside.

It was additionally Ramos who inadvertently glanced a nook in direction of Manuel Akanji on the far submit as the Manchester City centre-back pulled one again for Switzerland.

Ramos accomplished his treble after extra excellent work from Felix, nonchalantly dinking over Sommer with one in every of his last touches earlier than making approach for Ronaldo.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s introduction elicited the most important roar of the evening. Ronaldo did have the ball behind the web nevertheless it was dominated out for a transparent offside.

Leao capped off a sensational Portugal efficiency with a terrific curling strike in stoppage time.

DOHA – A Brazil facet missing spark with out the injured Neymar wanted a late strike from Casemiro to edge out Switzerland 1-0 on Monday because the five-time winners secured their place within the World Cup last 16 with one recreation to spare.

The (*16*) had been annoyed by an stubborn Swiss facet at Doha’s Stadium 974 and it appeared as if they might have to accept a degree after a Vinicius Junior strike within the second half was disallowed for offside following a VAR examine.

But then, with seven minutes remaining, Bruno Guimaraes flicked the ball on to Casemiro simply contained in the field and the Manchester United midfielder’s volley flew into the online with the assistance of a slight however important deflection off Manuel Akanji.

Tite’s facet are simply the second workforce to qualify for the last 16 after France and the one facet other than the holders to have gained each group matches up to now in Qatar.

With six factors they are going to be tempted to relaxation gamers for his or her ultimate Group G recreation in opposition to Cameroon on Friday, when a draw will safe them prime spot.

Switzerland, in the meantime, failed to muster a shot on course however stay on target to qualify too, with the 3-3 draw between Serbia and Cameroon earlier that means a win in opposition to the Serbians will take Murat Yakin’s facet via and a draw can also suffice.

They have made a behavior of constructing at the least the primary knockout spherical at main tournaments, whereas Brazil are in Qatar to win a sixth World Cup and nothing much less will do.

The Selecao had been at all times going to miss Neymar, though coach Tite has mentioned he’s assured the Paris Saint-Germain celebrity will get well from his ankle damage to play a component once more on the finals.

After the category of Richarlison made the distinction of their opening win over Serbia, this was a reminder for the (*16*) of the energy in depth within the European recreation.

Four years in the past, earlier than being dumped out by Belgium within the quarter-finals, they had been additionally held by Switzerland within the group stage.

FRED IN FOR NEYMAR

Yakin’s facet subsequently had no purpose to concern Brazil, who launched Manchester United midfielder Fred into their line-up instead of Neymar.

As a outcome they had been arrange in a 4-3-3 formation, with Fred and Lucas Paqueta both facet of Casemiro, whereas Eder Militao – habitually a centre-back for Real Madrid – stood in for the injured Danilo at right-back.

There had been solely flashes of what Brazil may do in a irritating first half, with the loudest cheers from the lots of supporters in yellow and inexperienced within the stands coming when the massive display screen confirmed two-time World Cup-winning striker Ronaldo within the stands.

Vinicius had one of the best likelihood of the opening interval when he linked with a Raphinha cross on the again submit within the twenty seventh minute, however Yann Sommer tipped the Real Madrid winger’s effort behind.

Switzerland had been with out one in all their essential artistic sparks in Xherdan Shaqiri, who was lacking due to an obvious thigh downside and changed by Fabian Rieder.

That Tite was not happy with Brazil’s first-half exhibiting was clear when he hooked Paqueta at half-time and despatched on Rodrygo.

The 21-year-old was concerned when Brazil thought that they had taken the lead simply after the hour mark, serving to achieve possession in midfield earlier than Casemiro launched Vinicius to run via and beat Sommer.

But the celebrations had been reduce shot because the goal was disallowed by VAR for an offside in opposition to Richarlison.

Tite turned to his bench and despatched on extra recent attackers in Gabriel Jesus and Antony, however the goal lastly arrived from one of many least doubtless sources in Casemiro and Brazil noticed out a deserved victory.