Portugal boss Fernando Santos disappointed as early goal causes 0-1 defeat to Switzerland
Switzerland’s Haris Seferovic (right) scores against Portugal in Geneva on Sunday. Pics/AFP
Switzerland took the lead after just 57 seconds against a Portugal side playing without Cristiano Ronaldo when Haris Seferovic scored from Silvan Widmer’s pass in their UEFA Nations League match on Sunday.
Portugal were unlucky not to get something from the game with Swiss ’keeper Jonas Omlin saving from Danilo and Bernardo Silva.
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Portugual coach Fernando Santos. Pics/AFP
“We can’t concede a goal after 30 seconds of the game. It’s our mistake,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos. “We lacked aggression. We would have preferred to stay top of the group, but I have always said that the decisive match will be the one against Spain.”
Victory was a welcome boost for the Swiss side, who went into the game having lost their previous three matches.
Spain beat Czech Republic
However, Spain stay top of League A Group 2 with eight points from four games with Portugal a point further back. Spain won their second successive match, beating Czech Republic 2-0 while rivals Portugal. Spain went in front in Malaga after 24 minutes when a perfectly-weighted pass by Marco Asensio released Carlos Soler to score.
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Pablo Sarabia added the second on 75 minutes as Spain got the better of a Czech side against whom they had drawn 2-2 in Prague last week. Despite the win, Spain were indebted to some fine saves by Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon. He thwarted an 18th-minute strike from Vaclav Cerny and, two minutes later, denied Jan Kuchta. “I hope to return in the next international window and go to the World Cup,” said Soler. “But now I only think of going on vacation. It’s been a very tough season, which started with the Tokyo Olympics. I have made many dreams come true, but I hope to make many more come true.”
Haaland scores brace
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland scored twice and set up the third as Norway beat neighbours Sweden 3-2 in Oslo in League B. “I’m speechless!” the 21-year-old striker told Norwegian television, before adding: “To win against Sweden in the last match of the season, it’s beautiful,” added Haaland, who completed his signing with Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund on Monday on a five-year deal after agreeing a release clause reported of around USD 63 million.
Football matches to have five substitutes
Football’s rules body on Monday said that five substitutes would be permanently introduced for all top games and that an automatic offside detector is closer to being introduced at this World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the substitute change, which was started after the Coronavirus pandemic, followed “strong support from the entire football community.” He also added that experts would decide on whether semi-automatic offside detection system would be used for the World Cup that starts November 21.
The system monitors as many as 29 data points on the limbs of players to create a skeletal, three-dimensional model that is reviewed pitchside by the referee. It has been tested at the FIFA Arab Cup last year in Doha and the Club World Cup in February.
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