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Portugal national football team
World Cup | Qualifiers
Oct 15, 2013 at 6pm UK
 
Luxembourg national football team

3-0

Varela (30'), Nani (37'), Postiga (78')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Joachim (28')

Portugal see off Luxembourg

Portugal win 3-0 but Russia qualify for next summer's World Cup.

Portugal have seen off the challenge of Luxembourg with ease, but must go through a playoff in order to reach Brazil next summer.

In truth, the Iberians' quest for automatic qualification always seemed a long shot as it required a defeat for Russia away in Azerbaijan with a seven-goal swing.

Paulo Bento's side struggled to break through the Luxembourg rearguard early on but were helped by the sending-off of Aurelin Joachim for his high tackle on Andre Almedia just before the half-hour.

The visitors were punished a minute later when Joao Moutinho's through-ball found Silvestre Varela, who rounded keeper Jonathan Joubert and slotted home.

Portugal nabbed a second goal on 37 minutes when Moutinho's clever back heel reached Nani, who volleyed past a helpless Joubert.

Fabio Coentrao thought he had scored a third before the interval when Moutinho yet again cut the Luxembourg defence open and the left-back finished neatly only for the assistant referee to flag for offside.

It took until the 78th minute for Portugal to score again when Nani's corner was cleared only to Helder Postiga, whose thundering effort found the back of the net and rounded off the win.

The win was in vain as Russia secured a win to top Group F.

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Written by
Chris O'Keefe
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Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates scoring during the FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifying Group F match between Northern Ireland and Portugal at Windsor Park on September 6, 2013
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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