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..::Football IV::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
- Start date
Italy 2 Albania 0: De Rossi, Immobile on target in Buffon's milestone appearance
Italy secured a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Albania to keep pace at the top of UEFA's Group G as Gianluigi Buffon marked his 1,000th professional appearance with a clean sheet.
Daniele De Rossi's 12th-minute penalty and Ciro Immobile's 72nd-minute header proved decisive for Italy to remain tied with Spain at the group's summit.
It was not all plain sailing for Buffon early on as Albania threatened, but the opener, gifted to De Rossi from the spot, gave Giampiero Ventura's side a foundation to go on and win the game in Palermo.
Andrea Belotti and Immobile had offered a prolific partnership with six combined goals in Italy's last two qualifiers and, after a nine-minute delay caused by flares and smokebombs in the stands, the Lazio forward nodded the clinching strike.
Despite this vital victory, Spain's own 4-1 triumph over Israel leaves the Azzurri trailing in second place in the group with an inferior goal difference at the campaign's halfway stage.
In contrast to the consistency provided by Buffon's continued presence in the home goal, Albania were missing regular goalkeeper Etrit Berisha through suspension and were relying on a makeshift back-line to deal with Italy's in-form forwards.But the visitors made a rapid start and, with less than a minute on the clock, Sokol Cikalleshi pulled a shot agonisingly wide from Odise Roshi's smart pass.
After Roshi then drove an effort past the left-hand post from 25 yards, Migjen Basha gave Ventura's side a foothold in the game as he dragged Belotti to ground inside the area.
De Rossi's pinpoint penalty fired Italy in front, but they could not kick on from there and Buffon was forced to save at his near post from Roshi.
Although a scrappy opening 40 minutes gave way to an entertaining passage of play heading into the break, Belotti blasted a finish straight at Thomas Strakosha when well placed and Roshi then curled over the top at the other end.
Immobile appealed for a second spot-kick as Arlind Ajeti blocked his close-range strike with a hand, but referee Slavko Vincic was uninterested and the officials soon directed the players off the pitch due to a number of pyrotechnics being thrown from the away end.
When the teams returned - a handful of Albania players pleading with their supporters for calm - Strakosha gathered Antonio Candreva's drilled shot from distance and then blocked from the same man inside the six-yard box.
With Albania struggling, a second goal seemed inevitable and duly arrived as Immobile directed a header across the goalkeeper and into the bottom-right corner from Davide Zappacosta's superb centre to put the game to bed.
Italy secured a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Albania to keep pace at the top of UEFA's Group G as Gianluigi Buffon marked his 1,000th professional appearance with a clean sheet.
Daniele De Rossi's 12th-minute penalty and Ciro Immobile's 72nd-minute header proved decisive for Italy to remain tied with Spain at the group's summit.
It was not all plain sailing for Buffon early on as Albania threatened, but the opener, gifted to De Rossi from the spot, gave Giampiero Ventura's side a foundation to go on and win the game in Palermo.
Andrea Belotti and Immobile had offered a prolific partnership with six combined goals in Italy's last two qualifiers and, after a nine-minute delay caused by flares and smokebombs in the stands, the Lazio forward nodded the clinching strike.
Despite this vital victory, Spain's own 4-1 triumph over Israel leaves the Azzurri trailing in second place in the group with an inferior goal difference at the campaign's halfway stage.
In contrast to the consistency provided by Buffon's continued presence in the home goal, Albania were missing regular goalkeeper Etrit Berisha through suspension and were relying on a makeshift back-line to deal with Italy's in-form forwards.But the visitors made a rapid start and, with less than a minute on the clock, Sokol Cikalleshi pulled a shot agonisingly wide from Odise Roshi's smart pass.
After Roshi then drove an effort past the left-hand post from 25 yards, Migjen Basha gave Ventura's side a foothold in the game as he dragged Belotti to ground inside the area.
De Rossi's pinpoint penalty fired Italy in front, but they could not kick on from there and Buffon was forced to save at his near post from Roshi.
Although a scrappy opening 40 minutes gave way to an entertaining passage of play heading into the break, Belotti blasted a finish straight at Thomas Strakosha when well placed and Roshi then curled over the top at the other end.
Immobile appealed for a second spot-kick as Arlind Ajeti blocked his close-range strike with a hand, but referee Slavko Vincic was uninterested and the officials soon directed the players off the pitch due to a number of pyrotechnics being thrown from the away end.
When the teams returned - a handful of Albania players pleading with their supporters for calm - Strakosha gathered Antonio Candreva's drilled shot from distance and then blocked from the same man inside the six-yard box.
With Albania struggling, a second goal seemed inevitable and duly arrived as Immobile directed a header across the goalkeeper and into the bottom-right corner from Davide Zappacosta's superb centre to put the game to bed.
'Seamus is a major blow' – O'Neill saddened by Coleman injury
Martin O'Neill was left to lament a "major blow" after Seamus Coleman suffered a broken leg in the Republic of Ireland's 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Wales.
Coleman was on the receiving end of a wild lunge from Neil Taylor 21 minutes from the end of Friday's otherwise unremarkable clash in Dublin, as Ireland lost top spot in Group D to Serbia.
The Everton defender's sickening injury was all too apparent and O'Neill's first thoughts were for the 28-year-old, who was taken to hospital."It's a bad break. He's a fantastic player and character. It's a major blow for the lad, his club and us," the Ireland boss told Sky Sports.
"We had a few things to overcome this week. We have a really great spirit.
"Seamus is a major blow – at the end of it all the most important thing is Seamus' health."
Martin O'Neill was left to lament a "major blow" after Seamus Coleman suffered a broken leg in the Republic of Ireland's 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Wales.
Coleman was on the receiving end of a wild lunge from Neil Taylor 21 minutes from the end of Friday's otherwise unremarkable clash in Dublin, as Ireland lost top spot in Group D to Serbia.
The Everton defender's sickening injury was all too apparent and O'Neill's first thoughts were for the 28-year-old, who was taken to hospital."It's a bad break. He's a fantastic player and character. It's a major blow for the lad, his club and us," the Ireland boss told Sky Sports.
"We had a few things to overcome this week. We have a really great spirit.
"Seamus is a major blow – at the end of it all the most important thing is Seamus' health."
Séamus Coleman horrific leg break against Wales - World Cup Qualifiers 24/3/17
Mexico 2 Costa Rica 0: Hernandez draws level with Borgetti
Javier Hernandez equalled the record for most goals for Mexico as his nation claimed a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying on Friday.The Bayer Leverkusen forward struck in the first half at the Estadio Azteca to join Jared Borgetti on 46 international goals.
His effort was set up by a nice pass from Carlos Vela, whose corner was headed in by Nestor Araujo to double Mexico's lead late in the first half.
Mexico closed out victory relatively comfortably, although did lose Hernandez to injury during the second half.The win kept Juan Carlos Osorio's side unbeaten in the fifth round of qualifying as they moved top of the standings on seven points.Mexico are a point clear of Costa Rica, who had won their opening two games without conceding.
Without the injured Giovani dos Santos, Mexico started Hernandez, Vela and Oribe Peralta in a dangerous attack.Joel Campbell had to settle for a place on the bench for Costa Rica, while Real Madrid shot-stopper Keylor Navas was in goals.
The hosts made the ideal start with the opening goal in the seventh minute.Vela played a through ball into the path of Hernandez, who delicately chipped the onrushing Navas to draw level with Borgetti.
After Guillermo Ochoa had been drawn into a save down low, Mexico almost doubled their lead.Vela tried his luck with a powerful effort from 30 yards, but a diving Navas palmed it away.
They would go 2-0 up before the break, Araujo heading in a Vela corner at the back post.Mexico looked largely comfortable with their two-goal lead, but lost Hernandez with injury in the 66th minute.
Raul Jimenez, who replaced Hernandez, almost sealed the win with a strike from distance before squandering a golden opportunity from close range, but the hosts would have to settle for their 2-0 victory.
Javier Hernandez equalled the record for most goals for Mexico as his nation claimed a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying on Friday.The Bayer Leverkusen forward struck in the first half at the Estadio Azteca to join Jared Borgetti on 46 international goals.
His effort was set up by a nice pass from Carlos Vela, whose corner was headed in by Nestor Araujo to double Mexico's lead late in the first half.
Mexico closed out victory relatively comfortably, although did lose Hernandez to injury during the second half.The win kept Juan Carlos Osorio's side unbeaten in the fifth round of qualifying as they moved top of the standings on seven points.Mexico are a point clear of Costa Rica, who had won their opening two games without conceding.
Without the injured Giovani dos Santos, Mexico started Hernandez, Vela and Oribe Peralta in a dangerous attack.Joel Campbell had to settle for a place on the bench for Costa Rica, while Real Madrid shot-stopper Keylor Navas was in goals.
The hosts made the ideal start with the opening goal in the seventh minute.Vela played a through ball into the path of Hernandez, who delicately chipped the onrushing Navas to draw level with Borgetti.
After Guillermo Ochoa had been drawn into a save down low, Mexico almost doubled their lead.Vela tried his luck with a powerful effort from 30 yards, but a diving Navas palmed it away.
They would go 2-0 up before the break, Araujo heading in a Vela corner at the back post.Mexico looked largely comfortable with their two-goal lead, but lost Hernandez with injury in the 66th minute.
Raul Jimenez, who replaced Hernandez, almost sealed the win with a strike from distance before squandering a golden opportunity from close range, but the hosts would have to settle for their 2-0 victory.
FIFA World Cup Qualifying Fixtures 2017.03.25
FIFA World Cup Qualifying Fixtures 2017.03.25
Andorra Vs Faroe Islands
Bosnia Vs Gilbraltar
Cyprus Vs Estonia
Sweden Vs Belarus
Switzerland Vs Latvia
Belgium Vs Greece
Bulgaria Vs Netherlands
Luxemburg Vs France
Portugal Vs Hungary
Andorra Vs Faroe Islands
Bosnia Vs Gilbraltar
Cyprus Vs Estonia
Sweden Vs Belarus
Switzerland Vs Latvia
Belgium Vs Greece
Bulgaria Vs Netherlands
Luxemburg Vs France
Portugal Vs Hungary
Lukaku hints at Everton exit: The decision is made... I'm ambitious, not arrogant
Romelu Lukaku says there is nothing wrong with ambition after reportedly opting to reject a new contract at Everton.
The Belgium international's apparent move to refuse fresh terms earlier this month came despite his agent Mino Raiola having previously insisted an agreement was "99.9 per cent done".
Everton top scorer Lukaku has regularly spoken of his desire to play in the Champions League and win trophies, but he insists that should not be mistaken for arrogance.
"The decision has already been made so I can't talk about that," Lukaku, who still has two years left on his Everton contract, told reporters ahead of Belgium's World Cup qualifier against Greece."There is nothing wrong with ambition. You have to embrace it and where you are as a footballer.
"Sometimes people will mistake things that I say but it's just ambition that I have; I want to win titles and trophies and I don't think people should take that as arrogance - people should embrace it."This is what footballers need to achieve if they want to become the best, and I think young kids need to learn that too.
"I have made a long way until now but the road is still long and I know I have to improve and get better. I want to help Everton as much as I can, as well as the national team. I think a lot of stuff can be achieved."
Lukaku has scored 21 Premier League goals in 28 matches this season, putting him two clear of Harry Kane at the top of the scoring charts.Ahead of the Greece game, Belgium boss Roberto Martinez - formerly his manager at Everton - tipped Lukaku to become the world's best number nine.
Romelu Lukaku says there is nothing wrong with ambition after reportedly opting to reject a new contract at Everton.
The Belgium international's apparent move to refuse fresh terms earlier this month came despite his agent Mino Raiola having previously insisted an agreement was "99.9 per cent done".
Everton top scorer Lukaku has regularly spoken of his desire to play in the Champions League and win trophies, but he insists that should not be mistaken for arrogance.
"The decision has already been made so I can't talk about that," Lukaku, who still has two years left on his Everton contract, told reporters ahead of Belgium's World Cup qualifier against Greece."There is nothing wrong with ambition. You have to embrace it and where you are as a footballer.
"Sometimes people will mistake things that I say but it's just ambition that I have; I want to win titles and trophies and I don't think people should take that as arrogance - people should embrace it."This is what footballers need to achieve if they want to become the best, and I think young kids need to learn that too.
"I have made a long way until now but the road is still long and I know I have to improve and get better. I want to help Everton as much as I can, as well as the national team. I think a lot of stuff can be achieved."
Lukaku has scored 21 Premier League goals in 28 matches this season, putting him two clear of Harry Kane at the top of the scoring charts.Ahead of the Greece game, Belgium boss Roberto Martinez - formerly his manager at Everton - tipped Lukaku to become the world's best number nine.
Anthony Martial insists he is “really keen to stay” at Manchester United and embrace the support shown to him by a loyal fan base.
The French forward endured a tough opening to the 2016-17 campaign, with his early form under Jose Mourinho seeing questions asked of his value to the Red Devils cause.A first goal of the season did not arrive until October 2, in a 1-1 draw with Stoke City.
With there no guarantee of regular starts at Old Trafford around that time, Martial saw speculation sparked ahead of the January transfer window.Various loan moves were mooted, but the 21-year-old ultimately stayed put and has played his way back into favour.
Martial now claims to be happy in his current surroundings and has thanked for supporters for sticking by him during a testing period.He told Inside United: “For me, what’s really special here is the supporters. They’ve been really outstanding with me.
“I think that’s what goes a long way to making me feel at home and at ease, and makes me really keen to stay here at the club.”
Martial, who represented Lyon and Monaco before joining United, says fans in England offer a lot more encouragement than those in his homeland, with that helping to bring out the best in those on the field.
He added: “In France, even if you’re one of the best players around, they might begin to boo and jeer you if you go a couple of games without scoring.“But here it’s just the opposite, they’ll try to cheer you on so you might be able to score, and so then you grow in confidence.
“I think it’s just a different mentality. That’s why I like the fans here so much.”
Martial has made 29 appearances for United in all competitions this season, with his goal tally taken to seven.
The last of those did come back in February, though, so he will be eager to end a six-game barren run when domestic action resumes after the international break.
Man Utd target Lukaku should use former Liverpool striker as inspiration, says Cole
Romelu Lukaku has been told by ex-Manchester United striker Andy Cole to model his game on that of Barcelona’s Luis Suarez if he wants to become world class.The Everton frontman finds himself at the centre of transfer talk once more as his future continues to be called into question.
A prolific strike rate for the Toffees has helped to keep the Belgium international in the spotlight and on the radar of clubs such as United and his former employers at Chelsea.
Leading sides across Europe have also been credited with holding an interest, with recent goings on at Goodison Park offering hope to Lukaku’s long list of suitors.
The burly frontman has opted against committing to a new contract and instead reiterated his desire to play at the very highest level – with Champions League competition having been talked up in the past.Cole, a man who knows all about the art of goalscoring, is a big admirer of the 23-year-old and the qualities within his game.
He has, however, urged Lukaku to use former Liverpool frontman Suarez as an example of how to become the complete number nine."He’s young enough - he’s only 23," Cole told Football Focus."But he’s got a lot of work to do. When you talk about the best No 9s in the world, you look at Suarez.
"That is the level you’ve got to get to. "He’s still learning the game. He’s got goals, he’s got power, he’s got everything."If you can marry that all together than in a couple of years he could be just that [world class]."Lukaku has netted 22 times for Everton in all competitions this season, with 21 of those efforts enough to have him leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.
Romelu Lukaku has been told by ex-Manchester United striker Andy Cole to model his game on that of Barcelona’s Luis Suarez if he wants to become world class.The Everton frontman finds himself at the centre of transfer talk once more as his future continues to be called into question.
A prolific strike rate for the Toffees has helped to keep the Belgium international in the spotlight and on the radar of clubs such as United and his former employers at Chelsea.
Leading sides across Europe have also been credited with holding an interest, with recent goings on at Goodison Park offering hope to Lukaku’s long list of suitors.
The burly frontman has opted against committing to a new contract and instead reiterated his desire to play at the very highest level – with Champions League competition having been talked up in the past.Cole, a man who knows all about the art of goalscoring, is a big admirer of the 23-year-old and the qualities within his game.
He has, however, urged Lukaku to use former Liverpool frontman Suarez as an example of how to become the complete number nine."He’s young enough - he’s only 23," Cole told Football Focus."But he’s got a lot of work to do. When you talk about the best No 9s in the world, you look at Suarez.
"That is the level you’ve got to get to. "He’s still learning the game. He’s got goals, he’s got power, he’s got everything."If you can marry that all together than in a couple of years he could be just that [world class]."Lukaku has netted 22 times for Everton in all competitions this season, with 21 of those efforts enough to have him leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.
Man Utd boss Mourinho explains Croatia trip amid Perisic links
Jose Mourinho took advantage of the international break by escaping the rain of Manchester to watch Croatia versus Ukraine, but the Portuguese insists that he had no "hidden reason" for the visit.The Manchester United manager was in attendance as Croatia claimed victory in Zagreb, but he was adamant that he was not running the rule over potential recruits.
The likes of Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic have both been linked with moves to Old Trafford, with Goal reporting on Friday that the latter is likely to cost up to €40 million.
Barcelona midfielder Rakitic supplied the assist for Nikola Kalinic, who scored the only goal of the game, while Ukraine star Andriy Yarmolenko played the full 90 minutes. But Mourinho says that he was simply visiting friends and escaping the wintry climate of England.
"I have no hidden cause, I just came to enjoy my free days and visit some friends like Predrag Mijatovic and Davor Suker," the former Chelsea boss told HNTV. "I know everyone believes I came to watch some players, but in football today you don't have to travel around in order to see some players, I know all of them well."
Mourinho added: "I came as a person that wants to relax and enjoy the nice weather, unlike the rainy weather in Manchester..."The United boss will get back to business on April 1 when fifth-placed United take on West Brom in the Premier League
Jose Mourinho took advantage of the international break by escaping the rain of Manchester to watch Croatia versus Ukraine, but the Portuguese insists that he had no "hidden reason" for the visit.The Manchester United manager was in attendance as Croatia claimed victory in Zagreb, but he was adamant that he was not running the rule over potential recruits.
The likes of Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic have both been linked with moves to Old Trafford, with Goal reporting on Friday that the latter is likely to cost up to €40 million.
Barcelona midfielder Rakitic supplied the assist for Nikola Kalinic, who scored the only goal of the game, while Ukraine star Andriy Yarmolenko played the full 90 minutes. But Mourinho says that he was simply visiting friends and escaping the wintry climate of England.
"I have no hidden cause, I just came to enjoy my free days and visit some friends like Predrag Mijatovic and Davor Suker," the former Chelsea boss told HNTV. "I know everyone believes I came to watch some players, but in football today you don't have to travel around in order to see some players, I know all of them well."
Mourinho added: "I came as a person that wants to relax and enjoy the nice weather, unlike the rainy weather in Manchester..."The United boss will get back to business on April 1 when fifth-placed United take on West Brom in the Premier League
Benzema brands Man Utd target Mbappe a 'phenomenon' but warns against transfer
Karim Benzema admits Kylian Mbappe is a “phenomenon”, but feels he must be wary of moving too soon amid talk of interest from Manchester United.The Real Madrid striker knows what the 18-year-old Monaco forward is going through having generated similar interest in his younger years.
After bursting onto the scene at Lyon, Benzema was quickly targeted by Europe’s leading clubs.A big-money transfer took him to Spain, but he admits that he got “a slap in the face” upon arriving in the big time.
He has now urged Mbappe to ensure that any future call is the right one for him and his future, with speculation regarding record-breaking bids from United and interest from Madrid likely to intensify as his profile rises on the back of inspired performances for club and country.
Benzema told RMC: "I've been told he is a phenomenon, a very good player.
"Honestly, I still haven't seen him. He's a young player.
"Football is really hard, especially at big clubs. I arrived at Madrid at 21. I had already done a lot of things at Lyon, but when I got here I got a slap in the face."My first year was too difficult. You're far from your family, it's not the same.Those who are next to you are there to take your place. It's very difficult. "But from what people have said, he's a very good player, and I hope he'll have a great career, little by little.
"I think you mustn't leave too soon. Things go well, but the day when it goes less well, that's the problem. "He's 18, how do you handle it when it doesn't go as well, when people don't speak as well about you, when you're put under pressure?"Mbappe, who finds himself in the latest France senior squad, has netted 17 times in 29 appearances for Monaco this season.
Karim Benzema admits Kylian Mbappe is a “phenomenon”, but feels he must be wary of moving too soon amid talk of interest from Manchester United.The Real Madrid striker knows what the 18-year-old Monaco forward is going through having generated similar interest in his younger years.
After bursting onto the scene at Lyon, Benzema was quickly targeted by Europe’s leading clubs.A big-money transfer took him to Spain, but he admits that he got “a slap in the face” upon arriving in the big time.
He has now urged Mbappe to ensure that any future call is the right one for him and his future, with speculation regarding record-breaking bids from United and interest from Madrid likely to intensify as his profile rises on the back of inspired performances for club and country.
Benzema told RMC: "I've been told he is a phenomenon, a very good player.
"Honestly, I still haven't seen him. He's a young player.
"Football is really hard, especially at big clubs. I arrived at Madrid at 21. I had already done a lot of things at Lyon, but when I got here I got a slap in the face."My first year was too difficult. You're far from your family, it's not the same.Those who are next to you are there to take your place. It's very difficult. "But from what people have said, he's a very good player, and I hope he'll have a great career, little by little.
"I think you mustn't leave too soon. Things go well, but the day when it goes less well, that's the problem. "He's 18, how do you handle it when it doesn't go as well, when people don't speak as well about you, when you're put under pressure?"Mbappe, who finds himself in the latest France senior squad, has netted 17 times in 29 appearances for Monaco this season.
Portugal 3 Hungary 0: Ronaldo magic keeps up winning run
Cristiano Ronaldo reached 70 international goals as Portugal enjoyed a commanding 3-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday.The captain netted with two superb strikes after Andre Silva had put the home side ahead in the World Cup qualifying clash at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
These teams played out a thrilling draw when they last met in the group stage of Euro 2016, but Hungary offered scant resistance against a Portugal side who responded to some early jitters with an imperious display.
Silva swept home following a flowing team move - with Ronaldo at the heart of it - to put Fernando Santos' side ahead, and his delightful touch set up the Real Madrid star to smash home a second before half-time.
Ronaldo made it 15 goals in 14 appearances for Portugal with a fine free-kick after the break to safeguard the points, as the European champions made it four wins in a row in Group B.
They are back to within three points of leaders Switzerland, who beat Albania 1-0 earlier on Saturday, while Hungary sit five points behind in third place with five matches left.
Two early Ronaldo efforts from long range did little to trouble Peter Gulacsi in the Hungary goal, but the home side's captain should have made it 1-0 in the 21st minute when he headed Ricardo Quaresma's mishit effort wide from only six yards out.Portugal were controlling possession without making many inroads, but, with 32 minutes gone, Santos' side clicked at last.
A fine passing move involving William Carvalho and Ronaldo allowed Raphael Guerreiro to race into space to the left of the area, and his low cross was tapped into the net at the far post by Silva.
Four minutes later, they had their second. Pepe's long ball was flicked exquisitely back into Ronaldo's path by Silva, and the Real Madrid man smashed a low left-foot shot beyond Gulacsi from 20 yards out.
Hungary showed more endeavour after the break but tame crosses towards Rui Patricio were the sum total of their attacking efforts - a far cry from the ruthless counter-attacking they produced in the 3-3 stalemate between these sides at Euro 2016.
Portugal's lead consequently looked under little threat, and Ronaldo made certain of the victory in emphatic style with 25 minutes to play, blasting a free-kick from a tight angle to the left of the penalty area across goal and into the bottom corner of the net.
Hungary captain Balazs Dzsudzsak responded with his side's first effort on target in the 67th minute, albeit one from nearly 40 yards out that barely caused Patricio to break sweat, but Bernd Storck's side looked firmly resigned to their second defeat of the group.
Their chances of reaching Russia 2018 now look to be slipping away, while Portugal can prepare for Tuesday's friendly with Sweden knowing that their own place in the finals is still firmly in their own hands.
Cristiano Ronaldo reached 70 international goals as Portugal enjoyed a commanding 3-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday.The captain netted with two superb strikes after Andre Silva had put the home side ahead in the World Cup qualifying clash at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
These teams played out a thrilling draw when they last met in the group stage of Euro 2016, but Hungary offered scant resistance against a Portugal side who responded to some early jitters with an imperious display.
Silva swept home following a flowing team move - with Ronaldo at the heart of it - to put Fernando Santos' side ahead, and his delightful touch set up the Real Madrid star to smash home a second before half-time.
Ronaldo made it 15 goals in 14 appearances for Portugal with a fine free-kick after the break to safeguard the points, as the European champions made it four wins in a row in Group B.
They are back to within three points of leaders Switzerland, who beat Albania 1-0 earlier on Saturday, while Hungary sit five points behind in third place with five matches left.
Two early Ronaldo efforts from long range did little to trouble Peter Gulacsi in the Hungary goal, but the home side's captain should have made it 1-0 in the 21st minute when he headed Ricardo Quaresma's mishit effort wide from only six yards out.Portugal were controlling possession without making many inroads, but, with 32 minutes gone, Santos' side clicked at last.
A fine passing move involving William Carvalho and Ronaldo allowed Raphael Guerreiro to race into space to the left of the area, and his low cross was tapped into the net at the far post by Silva.
Four minutes later, they had their second. Pepe's long ball was flicked exquisitely back into Ronaldo's path by Silva, and the Real Madrid man smashed a low left-foot shot beyond Gulacsi from 20 yards out.
Hungary showed more endeavour after the break but tame crosses towards Rui Patricio were the sum total of their attacking efforts - a far cry from the ruthless counter-attacking they produced in the 3-3 stalemate between these sides at Euro 2016.
Portugal's lead consequently looked under little threat, and Ronaldo made certain of the victory in emphatic style with 25 minutes to play, blasting a free-kick from a tight angle to the left of the penalty area across goal and into the bottom corner of the net.
Hungary captain Balazs Dzsudzsak responded with his side's first effort on target in the 67th minute, albeit one from nearly 40 yards out that barely caused Patricio to break sweat, but Bernd Storck's side looked firmly resigned to their second defeat of the group.
Their chances of reaching Russia 2018 now look to be slipping away, while Portugal can prepare for Tuesday's friendly with Sweden knowing that their own place in the finals is still firmly in their own hands.
Bulgaria 2 Netherlands 0: Delev brace leaves De Ligt and Oranje feeling blue
Netherlands' hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup were dealt a severe blow by a 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria as Matthijs de Ligt endured a debut to forget in Sofia.
At just 17 years of age, the highly-rated Ajax central defender was the youngest player to turn out for Oranje since 1931, but it was a painful introduction to international football for a man who had made just 14 senior appearances prior to Saturday's meeting, which marked the halfway point on the road to Russia.
In the build-up to this Group A clash, under-fire Netherlands coach Danny Blind conceded that De Ligt had only been called upon due to injuries to regular choices Virgil van Dijk, Jeffrey Bruma and Stefan de Vrij.And De Ligt was culpable for Bulgaria's fifth-minute opener, his failure to deal with a long ball capitalised on by Spas Delev for his first Bulgaria goal.
Delev doubled his and Bulgaria's tally with a fine finish before the midway point of the first half, at the end of which De Ligt was replaced by Wesley Hoedt.
Despite an improved post-interval performance, Netherlands could not conjure a way back into the contest and after their failure to qualify for Euro 2016, their hopes of reaching Russia next year seem slim with Blind's side now fourth in the group, three points adrift of second-placed Sweden and six behind leaders France.
It was a torrid outing for the visitors and De Ligt, whose nerves were evident within 15 seconds as he conceded a free-kick from which Ivelin Popov brought a save out of Jeroen Zoet.
But the respite was brief and the youngster was at fault for the opener, losing the flight of Simeon Slavchev's hopeful punt forward and allowing Delev to nip in, prod the ball past Zoet and tap home.
Netherlands struggled to gain a foothold in the game and things went from bad to worse in the 20th minute as Delev picked up Georgi Kostadinov's cushioned header, stepped away from De Ligt and arrowed a low strike into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards.
It took until the penultimate minute of the half for Netherlands to carve out a clear goalscoring opportunity and when it arrived Bas Dost stabbed wastefully wide from close range after Davy Klaassen had done brilliantly to keep the ball in play.Quincy Promes tested Nikolay Mihaylov from distance just prior to the hour, the goalkeeper producing a much better save to deny Klaassen shortly afterwards.
But those glimpses of a potential fightback failed to materialise into anything concrete as Netherlands slipped below their hosts in the table and closer towards another absence from a major international tournament come June next year.
Netherlands' hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup were dealt a severe blow by a 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria as Matthijs de Ligt endured a debut to forget in Sofia.
At just 17 years of age, the highly-rated Ajax central defender was the youngest player to turn out for Oranje since 1931, but it was a painful introduction to international football for a man who had made just 14 senior appearances prior to Saturday's meeting, which marked the halfway point on the road to Russia.
In the build-up to this Group A clash, under-fire Netherlands coach Danny Blind conceded that De Ligt had only been called upon due to injuries to regular choices Virgil van Dijk, Jeffrey Bruma and Stefan de Vrij.And De Ligt was culpable for Bulgaria's fifth-minute opener, his failure to deal with a long ball capitalised on by Spas Delev for his first Bulgaria goal.
Delev doubled his and Bulgaria's tally with a fine finish before the midway point of the first half, at the end of which De Ligt was replaced by Wesley Hoedt.
Despite an improved post-interval performance, Netherlands could not conjure a way back into the contest and after their failure to qualify for Euro 2016, their hopes of reaching Russia next year seem slim with Blind's side now fourth in the group, three points adrift of second-placed Sweden and six behind leaders France.
It was a torrid outing for the visitors and De Ligt, whose nerves were evident within 15 seconds as he conceded a free-kick from which Ivelin Popov brought a save out of Jeroen Zoet.
But the respite was brief and the youngster was at fault for the opener, losing the flight of Simeon Slavchev's hopeful punt forward and allowing Delev to nip in, prod the ball past Zoet and tap home.
Netherlands struggled to gain a foothold in the game and things went from bad to worse in the 20th minute as Delev picked up Georgi Kostadinov's cushioned header, stepped away from De Ligt and arrowed a low strike into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards.
It took until the penultimate minute of the half for Netherlands to carve out a clear goalscoring opportunity and when it arrived Bas Dost stabbed wastefully wide from close range after Davy Klaassen had done brilliantly to keep the ball in play.Quincy Promes tested Nikolay Mihaylov from distance just prior to the hour, the goalkeeper producing a much better save to deny Klaassen shortly afterwards.
But those glimpses of a potential fightback failed to materialise into anything concrete as Netherlands slipped below their hosts in the table and closer towards another absence from a major international tournament come June next year.
Luxembourg 1 France 3: Deschamps' men unconvincing in victory
France recorded an unconvincing 3-1 World Cup qualifying winover a tenacious Luxembourg, who gave their illustrious opponents a scare after drawing level at Stade Josy Barthel.
Didier Deschamps fielded an array of attacking talent as France laboured to restore their outright lead in Group A after Sweden's 4-0 thrashing of Belarus earlier on Saturday.
But it was not until the 28th minute that Olivier Giroud ended Luxembourg's stubborn resistance with a close-range finish after the hosts had lost goalkeeper Anthony Moris to injury.
Luc Holtz's side remained undaunted, though, and remarkably drew level after Blaise Matuidi gave away a penalty and Aurelien Joachim scored from the spot.It did not take long for normal service to be resumed, with Antoine Griezmann also netting from 12 yards after Daniel Da Mota's foul on Djibril Sidibe.
The Euro 2016 runners-up still could not find their rhythm in the second half, with Luxembourg sporadically threatening, while the likes of Griezmann, Dimitri Payet and Ousmane Dembele struggled to make a telling impact.
It was Giroud's header that finally settled matters 13 minutes from time and Deschamps had the luxury of giving Monaco star Kylian Mbappe his international debut in the closing stages.
Hugo Lloris was surprisingly called into action before his opposite number, making a comfortable near-post save from Stefano Bensi's strike at the end of a promising run into the box.
Luxembourg did well to stifle any early threat from the visitors, but Chris Philipps resorted to foul means to halt Dembele and Griezmann swung the resulting free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.
The highly sought-after Atletico Madrid forward then fluffed his lines when in position to lob Moris, who appeared to injure his knee in the incident, which ultimately brought an end to his outing after 21 minutes.
Replacement Ralph Schon was picking the ball out of his net within seven minutes of coming on, Sidibe stretching to cut a cross back for Giroud to apply a simple finish.
Holtz's men enjoyed a moment to savour in the 34th minute when Joachim calmly sent Lloris the wrong way from the spot after Matuidi's clumsy challenge on Christopher Martins.
But Luxembourg were brought back down to earth within three minutes, Da Mota's mis-timed slide tackle bringing down Sidibe for a spot-kick, which Griezmann converted.
France made an uninspiring start to the second half and suffered the blow of losing Sidibe to an injury just past the hour mark, with Lyon veteran Christophe Jallet on in his place.
Schon had to be alert to deny Griezmann soon after as France tried to increase their advantage in the final quarter of a lacklustre showing against a side with one point to their name.It was credit to Luxembourg that the game entered the closing stages still in the balance, as a home crowd sensed the possibility of a shock.
But Giroud's header from debutant Benjamin Mendy's left-wing delivery put paid to those hopes and Mbappe almost announced himself on the international stage in style, but saw his shot tipped over.
France recorded an unconvincing 3-1 World Cup qualifying winover a tenacious Luxembourg, who gave their illustrious opponents a scare after drawing level at Stade Josy Barthel.
Didier Deschamps fielded an array of attacking talent as France laboured to restore their outright lead in Group A after Sweden's 4-0 thrashing of Belarus earlier on Saturday.
But it was not until the 28th minute that Olivier Giroud ended Luxembourg's stubborn resistance with a close-range finish after the hosts had lost goalkeeper Anthony Moris to injury.
Luc Holtz's side remained undaunted, though, and remarkably drew level after Blaise Matuidi gave away a penalty and Aurelien Joachim scored from the spot.It did not take long for normal service to be resumed, with Antoine Griezmann also netting from 12 yards after Daniel Da Mota's foul on Djibril Sidibe.
The Euro 2016 runners-up still could not find their rhythm in the second half, with Luxembourg sporadically threatening, while the likes of Griezmann, Dimitri Payet and Ousmane Dembele struggled to make a telling impact.
It was Giroud's header that finally settled matters 13 minutes from time and Deschamps had the luxury of giving Monaco star Kylian Mbappe his international debut in the closing stages.
Hugo Lloris was surprisingly called into action before his opposite number, making a comfortable near-post save from Stefano Bensi's strike at the end of a promising run into the box.
Luxembourg did well to stifle any early threat from the visitors, but Chris Philipps resorted to foul means to halt Dembele and Griezmann swung the resulting free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.
The highly sought-after Atletico Madrid forward then fluffed his lines when in position to lob Moris, who appeared to injure his knee in the incident, which ultimately brought an end to his outing after 21 minutes.
Replacement Ralph Schon was picking the ball out of his net within seven minutes of coming on, Sidibe stretching to cut a cross back for Giroud to apply a simple finish.
Holtz's men enjoyed a moment to savour in the 34th minute when Joachim calmly sent Lloris the wrong way from the spot after Matuidi's clumsy challenge on Christopher Martins.
But Luxembourg were brought back down to earth within three minutes, Da Mota's mis-timed slide tackle bringing down Sidibe for a spot-kick, which Griezmann converted.
France made an uninspiring start to the second half and suffered the blow of losing Sidibe to an injury just past the hour mark, with Lyon veteran Christophe Jallet on in his place.
Schon had to be alert to deny Griezmann soon after as France tried to increase their advantage in the final quarter of a lacklustre showing against a side with one point to their name.It was credit to Luxembourg that the game entered the closing stages still in the balance, as a home crowd sensed the possibility of a shock.
But Giroud's header from debutant Benjamin Mendy's left-wing delivery put paid to those hopes and Mbappe almost announced himself on the international stage in style, but saw his shot tipped over.
Rooney's England career not over, insists Southgate
England boss Gareth Southgate has made it clear that Wayne Rooney's international career is far from over.
The Manchester United forward was left out of the squad for the friendly defeat to Germany and Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Lithuania due to a knee injury and a lack of first-team football.
Rooney's future at Old Trafford remains the subject of intense speculation but the 31-year-old is reportedly eager to fight to regain his spot in Southgate's plans, as well as the captain's armband.And Southgate has himself rejected the notion that England's record goalscorer should consider his time on the international stage to be at an end.
"He's absolutely in my thinking," said the former Middlesbrough manager. "I didn't understand why we were talking about tributes when he still has every chance of being in this team. There's no reason why he's finished with us."
Rooney's prospects of returning to the England set-up were placed in further doubt on Monday when he did not attend a meeting to which players in the squad and those hoping to force their way back in were invited.
Southgate, however, saw nothing wrong with Rooney's absence given that injured Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Danny Rose also did not attend."We had nine players and Harry Kane and Danny Rose and others had to have treatment and Wayne the same," said Southgate. "It was no problem. The more important thing for me was those guys felt they'd been invited."England face Lithuania at Wembley looking for a win that would keep them top of Group F.
England boss Gareth Southgate has made it clear that Wayne Rooney's international career is far from over.
The Manchester United forward was left out of the squad for the friendly defeat to Germany and Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Lithuania due to a knee injury and a lack of first-team football.
Rooney's future at Old Trafford remains the subject of intense speculation but the 31-year-old is reportedly eager to fight to regain his spot in Southgate's plans, as well as the captain's armband.And Southgate has himself rejected the notion that England's record goalscorer should consider his time on the international stage to be at an end.
"He's absolutely in my thinking," said the former Middlesbrough manager. "I didn't understand why we were talking about tributes when he still has every chance of being in this team. There's no reason why he's finished with us."
Rooney's prospects of returning to the England set-up were placed in further doubt on Monday when he did not attend a meeting to which players in the squad and those hoping to force their way back in were invited.
Southgate, however, saw nothing wrong with Rooney's absence given that injured Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Danny Rose also did not attend."We had nine players and Harry Kane and Danny Rose and others had to have treatment and Wayne the same," said Southgate. "It was no problem. The more important thing for me was those guys felt they'd been invited."England face Lithuania at Wembley looking for a win that would keep them top of Group F.
Low: Germany aiming to qualify with perfect record
Germany coach Joachim Low has challenged his team to continue their perfect record in qualifying matches for World Cup 2018 and to reach the finals without dropping a single point.
Die Mannschaft are currently top of Group C with a maximum 12 points, having scored 16 goals without reply in their opening four qualifiers.Low is in confident mood ahead of Germany's game against third-placed Azerbaijan at Baku National Stadium, following his side's strong performance in a 1-0 friendly win over England in Dortmund.
Low said: "Our objective is clear. We want to secure qualification for the World Cup without dropping any points."Every player is fit. The only doubt is Mesut Ozil. We'll wait until after our last training session to decide on him."
Lukas Podolski, playing his final game for Germany, scored the winner against England and Low said he will look to Wolfsburg striker Mario Gomez to bolster his attack against Azerbaijan.Gomez has scored three goals in his last three games in the Bundesliga, but he has not netted for Germany since their 3-0 victory over Slovakia at Euro 2016."Mario Gomez will start," said Low. "He causes defenders problems and has been scoring goals for Wolfsburg."
Germany coach Joachim Low has challenged his team to continue their perfect record in qualifying matches for World Cup 2018 and to reach the finals without dropping a single point.
Die Mannschaft are currently top of Group C with a maximum 12 points, having scored 16 goals without reply in their opening four qualifiers.Low is in confident mood ahead of Germany's game against third-placed Azerbaijan at Baku National Stadium, following his side's strong performance in a 1-0 friendly win over England in Dortmund.
Low said: "Our objective is clear. We want to secure qualification for the World Cup without dropping any points."Every player is fit. The only doubt is Mesut Ozil. We'll wait until after our last training session to decide on him."
Lukas Podolski, playing his final game for Germany, scored the winner against England and Low said he will look to Wolfsburg striker Mario Gomez to bolster his attack against Azerbaijan.Gomez has scored three goals in his last three games in the Bundesliga, but he has not netted for Germany since their 3-0 victory over Slovakia at Euro 2016."Mario Gomez will start," said Low. "He causes defenders problems and has been scoring goals for Wolfsburg."
FIFA World Cup Qualifying Fixtures 2017.03.26
FIFA World Cup Qualifying Fixtures 2017.03.26
Armenia Vs Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan Vs Germany
England Vs Lithuania
Sam Marino Vs Czech Republic
Malta Vs Slovakia
Montenegro Vs Poland
Nothern Ireland Vs Norway
Romania Vs Denmark
Scotland Vs Slovenia
Armenia Vs Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan Vs Germany
England Vs Lithuania
Sam Marino Vs Czech Republic
Malta Vs Slovakia
Montenegro Vs Poland
Nothern Ireland Vs Norway
Romania Vs Denmark
Scotland Vs Slovenia
'I want to stay at Torino' - Arsenal and Chelsea target Belotti not planning summer transfer
Andrea Belotti has stressed that he wants to remain at Torino as speculation continues to link him with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.The Gunners were reported to have seen a £56 million approach for the Italy international knocked back in January.They remain keen on doing a deal, but Premier League rivals from across London have also joined the hunt.
Belotti’s 27-goal return for club and country this season has helped to make him hot property, with his exploits in Serie A seeing him lead the race for the Capocannoniere.He is also a leading contender for the Golden Shoe award, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Interest in his services is likely to build for as long as he remains in such prolific form, with the summer transfer window expected to spark a scramble for his signature.
Belotti, though, is in no rush to leave Turin and has taken the opportunity to point out that he is not looking for a move.The 23-year-old frontman told Tuttosport: “Of course I am staying. I want to remain at Torino. In fact, I will stay at Torino next season.
“Let the Granata fans know! I am definitely staying.”Having failed to find the target for Italy in their 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday, Belotti has now gone three games without a goal.That is his longest run without finding the target this season, so his sights will be set on ending that sequence when the Azzurri face the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
Andrea Belotti has stressed that he wants to remain at Torino as speculation continues to link him with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.The Gunners were reported to have seen a £56 million approach for the Italy international knocked back in January.They remain keen on doing a deal, but Premier League rivals from across London have also joined the hunt.
Belotti’s 27-goal return for club and country this season has helped to make him hot property, with his exploits in Serie A seeing him lead the race for the Capocannoniere.He is also a leading contender for the Golden Shoe award, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Interest in his services is likely to build for as long as he remains in such prolific form, with the summer transfer window expected to spark a scramble for his signature.
Belotti, though, is in no rush to leave Turin and has taken the opportunity to point out that he is not looking for a move.The 23-year-old frontman told Tuttosport: “Of course I am staying. I want to remain at Torino. In fact, I will stay at Torino next season.
“Let the Granata fans know! I am definitely staying.”Having failed to find the target for Italy in their 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday, Belotti has now gone three games without a goal.That is his longest run without finding the target this season, so his sights will be set on ending that sequence when the Azzurri face the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
