Ronaldo's incredible hat-trick kills Ibrahimovic's World Cup dream Sweden 2 Portugal 3

Ronaldo's incredible hat-trick kills Ibrahimovic's World Cup dream Sweden 2 Portugal 3

Sometimes words cannot do a deed justice but in Stockholm Sweden coach Erik Hamren filled the vacuum with a simple gesture.
On seeing Cristiano Ronaldo tear out his heart with his hat-trick goal, Hamren turned away. puffed out his cheeks and slowly shook his head.
His team had been felled by brilliance, as simple as that, and he knew it. At times there is nothing a coach or his players can do.

Up in arms: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates giving Portugal the lead with a clinical strike

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring the opening goal

Heads down: Ibrahimovic and his team-mates look dejected after Ronaldo's third goal

MATCH FACTS

Sweden: Isaksson, Lustig, Nilsson, Antonsson, Martin Olsson, Larsson (Gerndt 90), Elm (Svensson 45), Kallstrom, Kacaniklic (Durmaz 82), Elmander, Ibrahimovic.
Subs not used: Wiland, Jonas Olsson, Granqvist, Wernbloom, Bengtsson, Johansson, Toivonen, Zengin, Nordfeldt.
Booked: Olsson, Antonsson, Kallstrom, Svensson
Goals: Ibrahimovic 68, 72
Portugal: Rui Patricio, Joao Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao (Antunes 52), Meireles (Carvalho 73), Veloso, Joao Moutinho, Nani, Almeida (Ricardo Costa 82), Ronaldo.
Subs not used: Eduardo, Eder, Bruma, Luis Neto, Ruben Micael, Varela, Josue, Postiga, Beto.
Booked: Nani
Goals: Ronaldo 50, 77, 79

Sweden, let us remember, had moments earlier threatened to achieve something special themselves. Trailing by one on the night — and two on aggregate —after Ronaldo’s 50th-minute goal, Hamren’s team somehow roused themselves to score twice through Zlatan Ibrahimovic — one a header and another a thundering free-kick — to bring this occasion to a most unlikely boiling point.
With the Friends Arena in a frenzy, Portuguese minds began to frazzle. Could they really throw a place in Brazil away?
Great players, though, don’t panic. They only see further opportunity to exhibit their genius and so it was here as Ronaldo broke away twice to complete a hat-trick that — simply because of the circumstances — deserves to stand alongside anything he has done previously in his gilded career.
Ibrahimovic will reflect on his own contribution and perhaps wonder what his international career may have brought him had he played with better players. But Ronaldo is in a different league to his rival. Next summer he will be on a different continent.

Having his say: Ibrahimovic sends home a free-kick piledriver to hand Sweden hope

Meeting of stars: Zlatan Ibrahimovic walks menacingly towards star of the show Ronaldo

Playing at home in front of a full house, Sweden desperately needed something to happen for them as they tried to chase down Portugal’s narrow first-leg lead.
The build-up had certainly gone well for the hosts. If the karaoke singer sent by a Stockholm radio station to wake up the Portugal team at their city centre hotel hadn’t managed to disrupt the visitors, then an injury to striker Helder Postiga in the warm up certainly did. Hugo Almeida took his place at short notice.
Once the game began, though, Portugal looked comfortable. Sweden briefly pressed and Martin Olsson drove an angled shot into the sidenetting. After that, though, Portugal began to monopolise possession and chances.

Pile-on: Ronaldo is mobbed after his brilliance secured Portugal a coveted spot in Brazil

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammates

As always, it was Ronaldo who carried the threat and Portugal really should have been ahead and halfway to Brazil by half-time. A Bruno Alves header was saved by Andreas Isaksson in the eighth minute while Ronaldo and then Nani were off target with shots from distance.
Late in the half, though, the Portuguese threat grew stronger and they really should have scored.
First Ronaldo forced a good save from Isaksson before the Portugal captain moved astutely on to a Joao Pereira cross from the right to side-foot a really good chance over the crossbar from 12 yards.
Moments later Almeida headed a Ronaldo cross wide at the far post when it looked easier to score. Sweden actually ended the half brightly  but soon after the break Ronaldo had scored.
What happened next almost defied belief as Ibrahimovic scored simply from a corner — why his marker Alves didn’t jump only he will know — and then drove in a free-kick low from 18 yards.
For five minutes the Friends Arena was in a state of meltdown, only for Ronaldo to put his foot firmly back on Swedish throats with two breakaway goals in the space of three minutes.

Centre of attention: Portugal and Manchester United winger Nani leaps for the ball, surrounded by Swedish

Share or comment on this article