New Delhi:
Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo scored his fifth international hat-trick to spearhead Portugal 5-1 drubbing of Faroe Islands in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday. Portugal's record scorer extended his already impressive goal scoring haul to 14 goals in seven games and his overall tally to 78 in 144 international appearances.
The win left the Portuguese in second place with 18 points from seven games in Group B. Leaders Switzerland are three points clear after beating Andorra 3-0 in a game interrupted by rain. Third-placed Hungary beat Latvia 3-1 to reach 10 points.
The group winners qualify for Russia while the eight best second-placed teams in the nine groups go into a playoff round, with the Swiss having guaranteed at least runners-up spot.
Ronaldo needed three minutes to open his account when he met Bernardo Silva's cross with an acrobatic volley at the far post."I've been looking to score a goal like that for a while," he said. "That sort of goal was missing from my career and now I've done it. It was a nice move."
Ronaldo doubled the lead in the 29th, sending Gunnar Nielsen the wrong way with a penalty after Joao Mario was tripped by Roaldur Jakobsen, and nearly completed a hat-trick when his low shot was turned away by the Faroes' goalkeeper.
Portugal then eased up and the Faroes, who had already forced an early save from Rui Patricio, pulled one back with the simplest of goals as a long throw-in was headed on at the near post and volleyed home by Rogvi Baldvinsson.
