Cristiano Ronaldo was lucky not to be red carded during Portugal’s 1-0 World Cup play-off win over Sweden.
The second best player in the world scored the only goal of the game in the 81st minute but could have been ordered off earlier for a head butt on Celtic’s Mikael Lustig.
Seventy four minutes into the match, after being caught offside, Ronaldo smashed a shot against Swedish keeper Andreas Isaksson with Lustig jogging back to see how his team-mate was.
At that point Ronaldo decided to take the issue up with the former Manchester United winger motioning his head forward at Lustig. The Celtic player briefly lifted his hand to his forehead to highlight the contact as he walked up the park. Going on past experience, if the roles had been reversed, Ronaldo would have been rolling about the pitch clutching his face.
No action was taken by the referee against Ronaldo who had already been booked. A second yellow would have seen Portugal reduced to 10 men and without their pivotal player for the return leg on Tuesday.
Seven minutes later Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game to add to the tension for the return match with the Real Madrid man almost adding a second before the final whistle when he struck the woodwork.
“Ronaldo delivered for the team,” Portugal coach Paulo Bento said. “He scored the goal which gives us a chance when we go to Sweden.”
Elsewhere in the World Cup play-off’s Georgios Samaras looks as if he is bound for Brazil with Greece beating Romania 3-1 last night.
France have it all to do to reach the finals after losing 2-0 away to The Ukraine with a repeat of the failure to even qualify for the 1994 finals looming for the 1998 winners.
In the other European play-off Iceland drew 0-0 at home to Croatia despite having to play the last 40 minutes with just ten men.
At Wembley not even the heroics of Fraser Forster making his international debut could prevent England from losing 2-0 to Chile with Bsrcelona striker Alexis Sanchez scoring both goals for the South Americans.
Ronaldo’s a brilliant player, but he’s a hard guy to like. In fact, he’s always been a prick.
Find out more about him before you criticise him! I was the same until I found out he sold his golden boot to pay for a hospice for sick kids! He regularly donates his wages to good causes. Still agree sometimes his behaviour does make it hard to like him.
I still don’t like him, but fair play to him for doing the things you mentioned.
Harsh but fair ……
this c**t ronaldo has a cheek to criticise anyone for play acting. hes made a career out of falling over with no contact.
clearly he did push his head towards lustig, but there is virtually no contact. the attempt was still there. but lustig plays for a club in a diddy league in uefa/fifas eyes and ronaldo is in a big league so no action will be taken.
Faggaldo
Can’t stand the diving, cheating ladyboy.