Monday, September 9, 2024

21 THE STAR SPORTS • Monday, September 9, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com LISBON, Portugal: C ristiano Ronaldo is showing just why Portugal is persisting with him at the age of 39. Make that a record-extending 132 international goals for the five- time world player of the year after Ronaldo came on as a halftime substitute and slotted home an 88th-minute winner for Portugal in their 2-1 victory over Scotland in the Nations League yesterday. Minutes earlier, Ronaldo had struck both posts within a matter of seconds. Indeed, he was an ever-present danger in Lisbon, demonstrating he is far from finished as a force in international soccer – especially against the likes of a struggling Scotland. Ronaldo failed to score in five games at the recent European Championship, but Portugal coach Robert Martinez has kept faith with the country’s greatest ever player and is reaping the rewards. On Thursday, Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal — spanning games for club and country — in a 2-1 win over Croatia. The quest for 1,000 began three days later and he didn’t disappoint, despite only playing one half. In stoppage time, a spectator got on the field and attempted to get a selfie with Ronaldo, but was stopped by security. That happened repeatedly at Euro 2024. Scotland went ahead through Scott McTominay in the seventh minute, before an equaliser from the edge of the area by Bruno Fernandes in the 54th. ENDURING MODRIC Luka Modric turns 39 today but, like Ronaldo, remains as integral as ever for his country. The Real Madrid midfielder again demonstrated his enduring quality by clipping home an exquisite free kick from the edge of the box in Croatia’s 1-0 win over Poland. It was Modric’s 27th goal in 180 appearances for his country, which left him tied with former Spain defender Sergio Ramos as the second highest-capped European players in men’s international soccer — only behind Ronaldo with 214. Robert Lewandowski, another veteran at age 36, hit the goal frame for Poland, which beat Scotland 3-2 in the first round of Nations League group games on Thursday. RUIZ SHINES Fabian Ruiz scored twice for Spain in their 4-1 win at Switzerland, with the recently crowned European champions emerging victorious despite playing the majority of the game with only 10 men. Centre back Robin Le Normand was shown a straight red card in the 20th minute for bringing down Breel Embolo as the last man, by which time Spain were leading 2-0 thanks to Joselu’s header from Lamine Yamal’s cross in the fourth minute, and Ruiz’s goal in the 13th after Nico Williams’ shot was saved. Zeki Amdouni pulled a goal back for the Swiss before halftime, but substitute Ferran Torres set up Ruiz for his second goal then scored himself to clinch Spain’s first win of their Nations League title defence. The team drew 0-0 at Serbia on Thursday. ERIKSSON TRIBUTE Swedish soccer fans paid tribute to one of the country’s most famous coaches — and then celebrated the further blossoming of the team’s new strike force. There was a minute’s silence before Sweden’s home match with Estonia in honour of Sven-Goran Eriksson, who died on August 26 after battling cancer. An image of Eriksson was shown on the big screens in the Strawberry Arena just outside Stockholm. Sweden won 3-0, with Viktor Gyokeres — with two goals — and Alexander Isak scoring. They also each scored in a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan on Thursday, with the Swedes showing improved form after missing out on qualification for both the World Cup in 2022 and this year’s Euros. – AP Sub Ronaldo scores late winner for Portugal BASSETERRE, St Kitts: B olstered by a superb lower order fightback, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons edged St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by two wickets in an exciting finish at Warner Park yesterday in the Caribbean Premier League T20 cricket competition. In pursuit of the Patriots’ total of 153 for eight in their allotted 20 overs, the Falcons reached 154 for eight with two balls remaining. The result in the bottom-of-the- table clash saw the Falcons move up to third place with four points from six games, while the Patriots remained rooted in sixth position on two points, having lost five consecutive games since winning their opening fixture. A Falcons victory didn’t seem to be on the cards, though, after Wanindu Hasaranga ran through the middle order to leave them tottering on 110 for seven in the 16th over. Hasaranga bowled opener Justin Greaves for 30, caught and bowled Jewel Andrew for three, trapped Shamar Springer lbw for a first ball duck and also dismissed Sam Billings for 18. However, a 30-run partnership in just three overs between Player-of- the-Match Imad Wasim, who cracked 17 not out, and Roshon Primus (15), rescued the Falcons and put them back on track. By the time Primus was caught at backward point off fast bowler Anrich Nortje to make it 140-8 in the 19th over, the momentum had already shifted. With 11 runs needed from the final over bowled by Dominic Drakes, new batsman Fabian Allen clobbered the second ball over deep square leg for six and then pulled the ensuing delivery between fine leg and deep midwicket for four to tie the scores. Allen then sealed the deal by chopping the next delivery to point for a single to give the Falcons their second successive victory in the competition. Earlier, after losing the toss and being sent in to bat, the home side found themselves in early trouble. Openers Evin Lewis (3), and captain Andre Fletcher (9), didn’t last long and they were soon joined by Kyle Mayers after his 16-ball cameo of 22, including two fours and two sixes came to an end as the Patriots fell to 36-3 after six overs. Those quick wickets stemmed the Patriots’ flow of runs and Wanindu Hasaranga made a fighting 23 before he was dismissed by Fabian Allen with the score 60-4. Rilee Rossouw (20) and top scorer Mikyle Louis then added 46 runs for the fifth wicket, but it took them eight overs to do so. When Rossouw was bowled by Allen, the Patriots were limping on 106-5 in the 17th over. In a spectacular display of power hitting, Louis, who scored 63 from 36 balls, inclusive of seven sixes and two fours, gave the home fans something to cheer about. He hit Mohammed Amir for two fours in the 18th over and then hit Allen for three massive sixes in the 19th over that cost 19 runs. Louis then finished off the innings by belting Wasim for two more sixes in the final over, before he was eventually caught and bowled by Wasim off the penultimate ball. Amir took 3-27, while Wasim ended with 2-24 and Allen 2-44. – CMC Falcons snatch last-over win in CPL thriller Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match against Scotland at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday. Portugal won 2-1. AP Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ Imad Wasim (second left) celebrating one of his three wickets against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park in St Kitts yesterday. CPL Photo