Ronaldo bags brace as Portugal thumps Bosnia and Herzegovina in Euro 2024 qualifiers

Zenica (Bosnia), Oct 17 (IANS) Portugal retained their status as one of only two teams in the European Qualifiers with a 100% record as they eased to a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in Group J of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.

Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty put them in front after just five minutes and he soon had his second, with Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo on target too.

Joao Felix added a fifth before the break. Portugal have won eight out of eight in the European Qualifiers, scoring 32 and conceding just twice.

Ronaldo's double in Zenica was the 23rd of his international career. He has hit ten hat-tricks, including two four-goal salvos. The remaining 49 of his 127 goals have come in single file.

On the other hand, Austria are through to a third successive EURO and became the seventh team to qualify for UEFA EURO 2024 as they claimed a narrow 1-0 win in Baku on Monday.

Marcel Sabitzer's penalty at the start of the second half proved the difference in a competitive fixture in Baku. The Bayern midfielder coolly slotted in moments after his introduction and, though the hosts matched their visitors for much of the evening and struck the woodwork late on, Ralf Rangnick's side held on.

Austria finished with ten men as Guido Burgstaller received a second yellow card in added time.

So far, Austria, France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Scotland and Turkiye have all booked their places at UEFA EURO 2024.