Ronaldo sets a record, also scores Leao-Corriere.it

DOHA On 17 June 2006 Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal against Iran in Frankfurt. With the 1-0 penalty scored against Ghana, CR7 becomes the first player in history to score for five consecutive editions of the World Cup. And he obviously becomes one as a free agent, having just divorced from Manchester United.

Ronaldo’s penalty paves the way for a painful Portuguese victory, made more significant by the great reaction to the immediate draw of the Ghanaians with Andrew Ayew. First Joao Felix with a delicious touch in front of the outgoing goalkeeper and then Leao, with the first ball touched, with a diagonal flat, fix the result at 3-1. Bukari shortened in the final, but after the 1-1 draw, coach Otto Addo removed the two best players on the pitch — Kudus and Ayew — significantly weakening his players.

Portugal, which also risks taking the 3-3 lead in the final, still gives the feeling of being a complete team, with truly remarkable potential for creativity: but as demonstrated by the two goals conceded, it is no wonder that engineer Fernando Santos , who has always been accused of playing Sparagnino football, preaches balance, dreaming of a team “smart as a snake and tender as a dove” as he said after winning the 2016 European Championship.

If the delicate ecosystem that has been created between the old king of the forest who doesn’t want to give up an inch (obviously Ronaldo) and the new rampant lions holds up, then Portugal can carve out a by no means marginal role in the tournament. Also because one of the leaders, not only technicians, of the team or Bruno Fernandes, proves to be decisive: the assists for the goals that mark the difference are from Ronaldo’s now ex-partner at United, tracked down at 17 by Novara, essentially misunderstood in Italy and now one of the most decisive players in European football.

However, Cristiano remains unique also for the public who follow his every grimace and every move, from emotion to the anthem, to the goal disallowed in the first half for a push (severe decision), from the penalty earned for a push that in turn seemed enough venial, up to the final scare when the defense risks the patatrac. The stadium celebrates with the famous Ronaldo exultation, imitated after the 3-2 goal also by Bukari, under the spectacular Ghana curve. Portugal are more vulnerable than they thought, but up front (when they change pace) they’re starting to get scary.