Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Euro 2024 qualifiers: Cristiano Ronaldo won’t stop scoring; Kazakhstan bag huge upset

Euro 2024 qualifiers: Cristiano Ronaldo won’t stop scoring; Kazakhstan bag huge upset

Round-up: Portugal secure another big win and Denmark suffer shock defeat
Cristiano Ronaldo extended his goals and appearances records as Portugal enjoyed a 6-0 win over Luxembourg in Euro 2024 qualifying.

Ronaldo made a world-record 197th appearance - overhauling the previous record set by Kuwait striker Bader Al-Mutawa - in Thursday's win over Liechtenstein, scoring twice in the 4-0 success.

And the former Manchester United forward found the net twice more against Luxembourg on Sunday, taking his record international tally to 122.

Ronaldo opened the scoring after nine minutes and grabbed his second just after the half hour, with Chelsea's Joao Felix and Manchester City's Bernardo Silva having made it 3-0 to the visitors inside 18 minutes.

Second-half substitute Otavio made it 5-0 just two minutes after coming on and Rafael Leao completed the scoring in the 88th minute, having missed a penalty shortly beforehand.

Group J rivals Iceland enjoyed an even more comprehensive win in Liechtenstein, with Aron Gunnarsson scoring a hat-trick in a 7-0 thrashing, while Slovakia beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Bratislava.

Kazakhstan pulled off a shock victory over Denmark in Group H, with the home side scoring three times in the last 17 minutes in Astana.

Rasmus Hojland’s first-half brace had given the visitors a seemingly commanding lead, but Baktiyor Zaynutdinov converted a 73rd-minute penalty after Jonas Wind was penalised for handball and Askhat Tagybergen lashed in the equaliser from 25 yards.

Abat Aimbetov then headed home the winner three minutes later but was booked for taking off his shirt in celebration and then sent off in the sixth minute of added time for a second bookable offence.

Also in Group H, Slovenia beat San Marino 2-0 and Finland won 1-0 against Northern Ireland in Belfast.

Harry Kane extended his goalscoring record as England continued their winning start to qualifying with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine.

Gareth Southgate's side followed up their impressive win over Italy with a solid performance at Wembley, with Kane netting his 55th goal for his country eight minutes before half-time from Bukayo Saka's cross. Saka doubled the home side's lead just three minutes later, curling in a superb 20-yard effort for his eighth international goal.

Italy bounced back from their loss to England with a 2-0 win in Malta courtesy of first-half goals from Mateo Retegui and Matteo Pessina.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×