Ronaldo scores as Portugal defeat Hungary in UEFA World Cup qualifier | Football News

Portugal earned a 3-2 victory at Hungary in their UEFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, with Joao Cancelo scoring a late winner, two minutes after the hosts had equalised, to put them in control at the top of Group F with two away wins from two.

The visitors came from behind to lead thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty, but almost let the three points slip when conceding late on before Cancelo’s goal rescued the win to add to their 5-0 success in Armenia on Saturday.

Hungary took the lead in the 21st minute when Barnabas Varga met Zsolt Nagy’s inch-perfect cross into the box with a header which went in off the upright, before Portugal drew level 15 minutes later through Bernardo Silva’s close-range effort.

Portugal went in front after Varga handballed a Ronaldo flick-on in the area, and the 40-year-old buried his spot kick into the bottom corner.

The goal took Ronaldo level with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz as the joint-top scorer in World Cup qualifiers on 39. He also extended his international record to 141 in 223 games.

Hungary, who drew 2-2 away to Ireland on Saturday, looked to have done the same in Budapest when Varga headed his second of the night six minutes from time, but the hosts were unable to hold on.

Two minutes later, Cancelo struck a first-time shot from outside the area after a Bernardo Silva pass to leave Portugal top of the group standings on six points.

“It’s never easy once you fall behind, and we showed a lot of character, just like against Germany and Spain [in the Nations League] in June when we were losing but managed to come back,” said Silva.

“Today, once again against a tough team, we managed to come back. Even when they scored after 80-something minutes, we still managed to score the winner.”

Armenia, who beat Ireland 2-1 earlier on Tuesday, are second with three points, with Hungary and Ireland on one point.

Norway register double-digit win against Moldova

Norway’s Erling Haaland scored five goals and substitute Thelo Aasgaard added four more as they hammered hapless Moldova 11-1 to take another huge step towards qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

With five games played, the Norwegians top Group I on 15 points, six ahead of second-placed Italy, who have a game in hand. Moldova’s worst defeat leaves them bottom of the group with no points.

The group winners qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup, while the runners-up go into a playoff.

Haaland’s beautifully cushioned pass teed up Felix Horn Myhre to break the scoring deadlock with a sixth-minute tap-in, and Martin Odegaard should have made it two a minute later, but he blazed the ball over from close range.

The Norwegians did not have to wait long for another goal as Haaland rattled home in the 11th minute, snapping up a loose ball in the box and sweeping it into the far corner.

Haaland slotted home his second to round off a Norwegian counterattack in the 36th minute and completed his hat-trick before halftime.

Moldova keeper Cristian Avram forced him to go wide, but Haaland recovered the ball and chipped it brilliantly in at the far post to make it 4-0.

Odegaard netted a fifth in first-half stoppage time, and seven minutes into the second half, Haaland struck again, scoring his fourth with a header as Norway ran riot in front of their home fans.

Substitute Aasgaard struck twice, either side of an own goal by Leo Ostigard, and he got his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 79th minute before Haaland added the 10th, his ninth goal in five World Cup qualifiers.

Aasgaard completed the rout with a flicked finish in second-half stoppage time to complete a rare double-digit margin of victory.

England dominate Serbia

England took a huge step towards automatic qualification for the World Cup, with captain Harry Kane paving the way for an impressive 5-0 victory away to main Group K rivals, Serbia.

Criticised for a laboured home win over Andorra at the weekend, England produced their best display under Thomas Tuchel to take full advantage of a timid Serbia display and maintain their 100 percent record in the group without conceding a goal.

Kane headed England’s opener from Declan Rice’s corner in the 33rd minute, and minutes later Noni Madueke scored his first senior international goal to double the lead.

Seven minutes after the break, it was Ezri Konsa’s turn to open his England account and put the visitors in cruise control with a close-range finish.

Serbia’s night went from bad to worse when Nikola Milenkovic was sent off in the 73rd minute for a foul on Kane, and from Rice’s resulting free kick, Marc Guehi arrived to make it 4-0.

Substitute Marcus Rashford rounded it off with a late penalty after a foul on Ollie Watkins as England moved to 15 points from five games and a seven-point lead over Albania.

Serbia’s first defeat in the group leaves them third on seven points, with a game in hand.

The group winners qualify for next year’s finals, with the runners-up going into the playoffs.