Chapter 68: Crazy Race

If you don't experience wind and rain, you can only have a rainbow!

This sentence is particularly suitable for the Portuguese team, many Portuguese media reporters have been following the national team for a long time, and soon found that the atmosphere in the team has changed!

Training is more active and there is more communication between the players on the training ground!

The most surprising thing is that the newcomer Jonk quickly gained everyone's recognition in the team and quickly gained a foothold.

It's a big difference from the other day, what makes the team change so much, who to interview and who doesn't say the answer, it's become a mystery in the minds of all Portuguese journalists.

However, it is always good, and on the eve of the match against the strongest opponent in the group, Russia, it is definitely good news to be able to let people see more of the good side of the Portuguese team.

Scolari's announcement of the starting 11 for the game before the game was also very surprising, and Jonk continued to start and Cristiano Ronaldo formed the forward line of the Portuguese team.

The deployment of personnel, which has never appeared before, has aroused the questions of all reporters.

Scolari's answer is simple, he has found a strike combination that really suits Portugal.

It's very perfunctory, there is nothing of value at all, everything can only be proved in the game, and the Russian team has become a litmus test for whether the change can really fit the Portuguese national team.

There weren't too many changes to the rest of the pitch, with Deco leading the midfield and Paolo Ferrero and Carvalho at the back.

The match was played at the Estadio d'Longs in Lisbon, and Jonk was back in a familiar place, this time wearing the national team jersey and playing for his country.

After two years, Jonker, who was not qualified to stand in the center of the court at all, is warming up in the middle of the court at the moment, preparing for the game that will start immediately.

Listening to the tsunami cheers of the fans, even he felt a little incredible, all of which had changed in the past two years.

Just two minutes into the game, Cristiano Ronaldo's left-footed volley from the left side of the box was saved, and Deco followed up with a left-footed shot that went wide of the right post. The attacking tempo of both teams after the opening kick-off was very fast. In the 7th minute, Deco's clever pass from midfield was empty, and Maniche quickly cut in and fired a powerful right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area, and the ball went over the crossbar. In the 13th minute, Ronaldo broke through and fell in the penalty area, and the referee signaled the game to continue.

Portugal took advantage of the home advantage and launched a strong attack against the Russians, but they were not too lucky in the opening stages, and many dangerous shots could not be converted into urgency.

After that, the two teams were locked in a stalemate for a while. In the 21st minute, Maniche fired a right-footed shot from 27 meters outside the penalty area, and the ball went over the crossbar. In the 26th minute, Ronaldo passed the ball into the penalty area with his left foot on the right side, and Jonk stabbed the goal with his right foot from close range. The linesman signalled Pauletta for offside, but the referee ruled the goal valid, his third goal of the qualifiers.

A player who has just made two appearances for the national team has conquered all the fans with his goals, and what he did at club level has also been carried over to the national team, goals!

Joan Ke finally made everyone remember his name with his goal - Joan Ke!

There were still concerns that Jonker's means of scoring goals were a bit too simplistic, and he shot from outside the penalty area, as if he was doing something in the box, but now?

The goal that opened the scoring for Portugal was the result of Jonker's stealing of the spot, and who can say anything!

Jonker's goal also further stimulated the rest of the Portugal squad, as journalists observed before the game, and there is now a lot of fighting spirit and a desire to win.

In the 37th minute, Russian player Smertin's right-footed volley from outside the box was punched by Ricardo. The Russians were under siege all the time, and it was a rare shot on goal in the first half!

In the 39th minute, Deco's left corner kick was driven to the front point, Costinha's heel was blocked, Jonk knocked on the door with his left foot, and Ronaldo's clever left-footed shot from the small penalty line pushed into the upper left corner of the goal.

2:0!

There was some kind of chemistry between the two, which made the Russians unguardable, and the goal looked so exciting, and the two young men in their 20s led the Portuguese team's offensive at the moment.

Of course, the veteran of the Portuguese team will not be willing to be lonely, before the end of the half, Deco on the edge of the penalty area with a right-footed curling ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, rewriting the score to 3:0!

At the end of the first half, Portugal had a three-goal lead over Russia at home.

At half-time, Russia made some changes to the lineup.

In the 52nd minute, Smertin received a yellow card for a foul on a flying tackle behind him. Russia tried to use their ferocious defence to gradually salvage the situation, but these brutal moves not only drew boos from the Portuguese fans at home, but also received them a yellow card!

In the 59th minute, the Portuguese team's offensive continued, and Ronaldo's right-footed shot from the top of the penalty area was saved in the lower right corner.

In the 66th minute, Jonk was replaced by Gomez, and the Portuguese fans in the stadium stood up and applauded their new familiar number 15.

Less than a minute after the substitution, Jonk just sat on the bench and witnessed the wonderful performance of his younger brother, launching a quick attack near the Portuguese midfield, Ronaldo ran wildly with the ball on the left side for 25 meters, and then volleyed with his right foot from 28 meters outside the box, and the ball went straight into the top right corner of the goal.

4:0! With a perfect goal, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, and Russia was completely submerged in Portugal's attack.

The game has completely lost its suspense, and the Portuguese fans in the stands have fallen into a frenzy again after the European Championship.

In the 72nd minute, Deco's right-footed free kick from 27 meters in front of the goal went high over the crossbar. In the 76th minute, after Ronaldo broke the ball in front, he shot with his left foot 20 meters outside the penalty area, and the ball was slightly out of bounds.

Portugal's attack continued, playing with passion, and it seemed that they were not going to let the Russians go yet.

In the 79th minute, Smertin instigated an attack, and Arshavin fired a right-footed shot from 24 meters outside the penalty area, and the ball went straight into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Russia finally scored a face-saving goal, but the goal brought them even more slaughter.

In the 82nd minute, Ronaldo split the ball on the right side, Deco buckled with his right foot, and Simão shot with his right foot into the upper right corner of the goal from 26 meters outside the penalty area.

5:1! It's not over yet, the Portuguese are still on the offensive and the Portuguese team has always maintained a high fighting spirit in the game today, showing no signs of letting up.

In the 84th minute, Ronaldo was replaced by Boa Mott. The same applause also sounded for Ronaldo, Jonker stood up and gave Ronaldo a hug.

The two of them sat together with great interest and watched the rest of the game!

In the 88th minute, Deco took a tactical corner kick from the right side, Simão split the ball with his right foot, Petty stopped the ball and shot with his right foot from 23 meters outside the penalty area, and the ball bounced off the ground and went straight into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Just before the break, Portugal had a direct free-kick from 23 yards to the right, and Petty fired a right-footed shot into the left side of the goal.

In the end, Portugal won 7-1 at home against Russia.

A crazy Portugal team that put on a crazy game for everyone.