Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Apr 03, 2026

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

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Film Festival Rescheduled to Summer as Regional Tensions Continue
Saudi Arabia Reports Forty Two Point Six Billion Dollars in Foreign Tourist Spending in 2025
Saudi Crown Prince and Russian President Hold Strategic Call on Escalating Regional Crisis
Saudi Arabia Advances Rail Network as Strategic Alternative to Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Ruanyun Edai Launches Saudi Arabia Hub With Forecast of Ten Percent Revenue Growth
Greek Defence Minister Visits Troops in Saudi Arabia Following Successful Missile Interception
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Strategy With Focus on African Critical Minerals
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment From Saudi Fund Ahead of Possible IPO
US Central Command Dismisses Iranian Claim of Mass Casualties Among American Personnel in Saudi Arabia
Co-Diagnostics to Establish Molecular Diagnostics Facility in Saudi Arabia Through Joint Venture
Trump Engages Saudi Crown Prince in Talks on Potential Iran Ceasefire
Saudi Arabia’s Sadara Suspends Operations as Supply Chain Disruptions Intensify
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Energy Shift by Trading Oil Revenues for Battery Investments
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Options for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Online Narratives Surge as Iran–US Tensions Spill Into Digital Arena Following Trump Remarks
Saudi Arabia Urges Trump to Seize Strategic Moment as UAE Weighs Ground Deployment
Saudi Arabia Redirects Nearly One Million Barrels of Oil Daily Away from Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia Carries Out Execution of Businessman Linked to 2011 Qatif Unrest
Ukraine–Saudi Defense Pact Signals Rising Demand for Battlefield Expertise
Saudi Arabia Balances Diplomacy and Defense Preparedness Amid Iran Conflict
Iran Conflict Reshapes Strategic Calculations in U.S.-Saudi Relations
Saudi Arabia Voices Caution as Trump’s Assertive War Strategy Reshapes Regional Dynamics
Saudi Arabia Updates Travel Advisory as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Saudi Arabia’s Sadara Suspends Petrochemical Production as Conflict Disrupts Operations
Iran Urges Saudi Arabia to Remove US Forces Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Gulf Allies Urge Trump to Sustain Campaign Until Iran Is Fully Defeated
Saudi Arabia Unveils Strategic Rail Freight Corridors Connecting Gulf Ports to Jordan
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drones and Ballistic Missiles in Major Defensive Operation
Houthi Escalation Opens New Front in Expanding Iran-Linked Conflict
Major Saudi Chemical Plant Halts Operations Amid Regional Conflict Disruptions
Strike on US Radar Aircraft in Saudi Arabia Signals Escalating Threat Capabilities
US Citizens in Saudi Arabia Advised to Shelter Indoors Amid Rising Regional Tensions
How Britain’s Prime Minister Controls U.S. Bomber Access in Escalating Iran Conflict
Saudi Arabia Urges Trump to Lead Strategic Reset in Middle East as UAE Weighs Ground Role
Reed Smith Expands Saudi Presence with Senior Corporate Appointments
Trump Announces Approval of F-35 Fighter Jet Sale to Saudi Arabia
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
Ukraine Secures Defense Agreements with Qatar and Saudi Arabia as UAE Talks Advance
Oil Prices Surge as Saudi Arabia Adjusts Supply Amid Escalating Iran Tensions
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attacks on Kurdistan Leaders and Reaffirms Backing for Iraq’s Stability
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Interests as Iran Conflict Raises Regional Stakes
Severe Thunderstorms Sweep Across UAE and Saudi Arabia Bringing Heavy Rainfall
Trump’s Strategic Alignment with Saudi Arabia Reflects Expanding Economic and Diplomatic Synergy
Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Attacks on Presidential Residences in Hawler
Saudi Stocks Edge Lower as Tadawul Index Closes Slightly Down
Houthis Enter Expanding Iran Conflict as US Deploys Additional Troops
Iran Seeks Assurances for Regional Allies as Saudi Arabia Presses for Firm Security Guarantees
Iranian Strike Reportedly Destroys $270 Million US E-3 Sentry Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
Iranian Strike on Saudi Base Leaves Ten American Personnel Injured
Ukraine Claims Russia Shared Satellite Intelligence with Iran Ahead of Saudi Base Strike
×