Portugal 2-0 Uruguay (Fernandes 54′, 90+3′ P)
It was music to Manchester United fans’ ears.
The man who went from hero to zero in Manchester, Cristiano Ronaldo, wheeled away in celebration, claiming the goal that set Portugal on their way to victory over Uruguay and a spot in the last-16 of the World Cup with one group game to spare was his – only for the stadium announcer to break the hearts of the veteran’s Middle Eastern fanboys by declaring Bruno Fernandes as the rightful goalscorer.
Ronaldo was not celebrating the goal, he was celebrating his goal, laughing sarcastically as he heard Fernandes’ name. There was no touch on Fernandes’ supreme cross, however. The goal, and the night, belonged to a player back to his very best.
The Portugal camp have done all their can to insist they are all singing from the same hymn sheet, and the cold shoulder that Fernandes gave his decorated team-mate after that interview with Piers Morgan was a hilarious quip about Fernandes arriving in Qatar via boat. But we know what we all saw.
United were quick to congratulate Fernandes on social media – any excuse to take a shot at the now exiled renegade – with the fact that Ronaldo would have been even more seething that a late Fernandes penalty could not be his as he had been substituted, gave everyone in Manchester more reasons to smile.
It was just what arguably the player of the tournament so far deserved. Fernandes has been directly involved in eight goals in his last five appearances for Portugal, scoring five and assisting three.
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Such form has been replicated at United, too. It is no coincidence that United’s mini revival this season has coincided with their talisman finding his top level once again. Carrying his club and country, for Fernandes, is just where he wants to be.
The whole atmosphere was a strange one in the fittingly incongruous surrounds of Lusail – a city literally built from scratch, solely to maintain opulence façade that is Qatar for the World Cup.
Inside the colossal Lusail Stadium there were plenty of fans in the red of Portugal, but one rendition of “Cristiano Ronaldo” to the tune of Seven Nation Army told you they were not Portuguese.
The veteran jobhunter’s name being announced in the lineup nearly raised the roof. It seemed 80 per cent of those in attendance were there to see one man, and one man only.
Other than a trademark free-kick, trademark in that it was fired straight into the wall, Ronaldo could not break down a Uruguay side chasing a World Cup record sixth consecutive group stage clean sheet in the first half.
Another former United forward, Edinson Cavani, was handed a start for Uruguay, but he was equally as ineffective. In fact, the only first-half chance of real note was brought about by a mazy run from Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur but Diogo Costa made a smart save.
The issues with Qatar, which coaches and players have been keen to move on from, thankfully are still being raised by the braver souls, with one pitch invader early in the second half wearing a “Save Ukraine” t-shirt and waving what appeared to be a pride flag, before being wrestled to the floor.
Such a step seemed to spark what had been a pretty drab affair into life, with a Fernandes cross, perfectly placed onto the head of Ronaldo, missed, despite his claims, finding the bottom corner.
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Three glorious chances came – substitute Luis Suarez firing into the side netting, Maxi Gomez thundered an effort against the post and Giorgian de Arrascaeta should have done better when put through – and went for Uruguay who just cannot get going in Qatar.
Such profligacy proved costly as Jose Gimenez handled in the penalty area after Fernandes stuck the ball through his legs and with Ronaldo on the bench – you could see the steam coming out of his ears from the stands – Fernandes confidently stroked the ball home.
Fernandes drilled against the post as he went agonisingly close to the hat-trick he deserved, but the cherry remained in the fridge.
At the final whistle, Ronaldo was seen again claiming the ball brushed his forehead, being the team player that he is. For Fernandes and Portugal, it did not matter – they have another inspiration figure capable of inspiring them to bigger and better things.
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