Portugal 9-1 Armenia - Hat-trick heroes help the Seleção secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Portugal beat Armenia 9-1 at Estádio do Dragão to finish top of Group F and confirm their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Renato Veiga gave the Seleção an early lead when Henri Avagyan failed to deal with Bruno Fernandes’ free kick, but the home crowd were shocked in the 18th minute when Armenia equalised, Grant-Leon Ranos’ cross converted by Eduard Spertsyan.

The visitors never looked like scoring again as the floodgates opened. Gonçalo Ramos punished a poor pass from Artur Serobyan and took the ball around Henri Avagyan. João Neves finished off a slick move in the 30th minute and executed a text book free kick 11 minutes later.

Rúben Dias was brought down in the box and Bruno Fernandes stepped up to convert the penalty on the stroke of half-time.

The Seleção stayed on the front foot in the second half, Fernandes playing a 1-2 with Ramos and finding the bottom corner. The seventh goal came in the 72nd minute, debutant Carlos Forbs brought down which saw Fernandes secure his hat-trick from the penalty spot.

Portugal made it 8-1 in the 81st minute after Rúben Neves hit the woodwork, Fernandes sending the ball back into the danger area where Veiga headed it to João Neves who became the second hat-trick hero of the afternoon.

Francisco Conceição missed a great chance but was given another chance in added time and didn’t waste it, scoring on his old stomping ground before the celebrations began.

Veiga scored early but Armenia fight back

Bruno Fernandes saw an early shot blocked but Portugal wouldn’t have to wait long to go ahead, the opening goal coming in the 7th minute. João Cancelo was brought down by Karen Muradyan, Fernandes’ free kick catching Henri Avagyan off guard, the goalkeeper pushing the ball off the post straight to Renato Veiga who headed it into an empty net.

The home crowd were shocked when Armenia equalised 11 minutes later. Artur Serobyan past Veiga and released Grant-Leon Ranos who charged down the right wing, shrugged off a challenge from Cancelo and swung a cross into the danger area where Eduard Spertsyan got in front of Semedo and steered the ball past Diogo Costa.

One-way traffic

Gonçalo Ramos got into the action at the other end, unable to fire Rafael Leão’s cross past Avagyan before heading Cancelo’s cross over the bar. He wouldn’t have to wait long for a third chance that came courtesy of a horrendous back pass from Serobyan, the striker intercepting and taking the ball around Avagyan and slotting it into an empty net.

Portugal made it 3-1 in the 30th minute when Nélson Semedo stole the ball, Fernandes providing an opportunity for João Neves who drilled it into the bottom corner. Bernardo Silva’s acrobatic effort was saved by Avagyan as the chances kept coming.

Fernandes’ shot slammed into Narek Aghasaryan’s elbow with a free kick awarded in a dangerous position, João Neves firing a text book kick over the wall and off the underside of the bar.

Sergey Muradyan got in the way of shots from Cancelo and Fernandes but there would be no stopping the Seleção who made it 5-1 on the stroke of half-time. It came from a corner, Karen Muradyan dragging Rúben Dias down in front of referee Irfan Peljto who showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot, Fernandes stepping up and sending Avagyan the wrong way.

Carnage continues

There was no respite for Armenia in the second half, Leão’s shot saved and Cancelo missing the target. The lead was extended six minutes after the restart when Erik Piloyan gave a cheap ball away to Fernandes who sized up the situation, played a 1-2 with Ramos and found the bottom corner.

Roberto Martínez used the opportunity to hand Carlos Forbs his senior debut, the winger coming on alongside Francisco Conceição with Bernardo Silva and Leão making way.

Ramos saw his shot blocked and Vitinha volleyed wide before the midfielder was replaced by João Félix. There was a brief lull in proceedings before Portugal scored their seventh goal in the 72nd minute.

Hat-trick heroes

Félix played the ball through to Forbs who was brought down by Sergey Muradyan, another penalty awarded with Fernandes making no mistake in securing his hat-trick.

Cancelo made way for Matheus Nunes and Rúben Neves came on for Rúben Dias as the Seleção began toying with the visitors who were resembling cats chasing flies.

Avagyan punched away Fernandes’ inswinging corner but the eighth goal would come in the 81st minute following another Fernandes corner kick. Rúben Neves headed it off the woodwork, Fernandes sending the ball back into the box where Veiga headed it to João Neves, the 21-year-old taking a touch and scoring to become the second hat-trick hero.

The heavens opened up as Conceição latched onto Fernandes’ pass, cut inside Styopa Mkrtchyan and wasted a glorious opportunity to make it nine, going for power over placement.

Ramos was denied by Avagyan and Félix fired over from close range, but there was still time for Portugal to score a ninth goal in added time, Félix finding Conceição who drilled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Job done

Four days is a long time in football, Portugal bouncing back from the disappointing 2-0 defeat in Dublin to comprehensively dismantle Armenia 9-1 in Porto.

If it wasn’t obvious that Portugal’s squad is far superior to Armenia’s following the dominant 5-0 victory in Yerevan in September, there should be no doubt now.

Bruno Fernandes missed the match in Ireland and didn’t waste the opportunity, scoring his 26th, 27th and 28th goals for the national team. He went past Rui Costa and Hélder Postiga on the all-time top goalscorers list, now standing alone in 6th place and closing in on Nuno Gomes and Luís Figo.

João Neves’ remarkable rise continues and it’s hard to believe he turned 21 less than two months ago. He already has 20 caps to his name, is going to be a permanent fixture for the Seleção during the next decade and I can’t wait to see it.

It was ironic that the result came without Cristiano Ronaldo who was suspended following his red card in Ireland. Another piece of irony is that the last time Portugal scored nine goals, the 9-0 victory against Luxembourg just over two years ago at Estádio Algarve, also came with Portugal’s record goalscorer suspended.

There is plenty to discuss between now and 5th December when the World Cup draw is made. For now it’s best to join in with the celebrations as Portugal secured another spot at the big dance.

Lineups

Portugal (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa, João Cancelo (Matheus Nunes, 73’), Rúben Dias (Rúben Neves, 73’), Renato Veiga, Nélson Semedo, Vitinha (João Félix, 68’), Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva (Carlos Forbs, 56’), João Neves, Rafael Leão (Francisco Conceição, 56’), Gonçalo Ramos

Unused substitutes: José Sá, Rui Silva, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, António Silva, João Palhinha, Francisco Trincão

Coach: Roberto Martínez

Armenia: Henri Avagyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Sergey Muradyan (Artem Bandikyan, 82’), Styopa Mkrtchyan, Erik Piloyan, Nayair Tiknizyan, Eduard Spertsyan (Hovhannes Harutyunyan, 56’), Narek Aghasaryan, Karen Muradyan (Edgar Sevikyan, 46’), Artur Serobyan (Zhirayr Shaghoyan, 46’), Grant-Leon Ranos (Arayik Eloyan, 65’)

Unused substitutes: Ognjen Cancarevic, Arsen Beglaryan, Edgar Grigoryan, Karen Nalbandyan, , Gor Manvelyan, Gevorg Tarakhchyan, Narek Grigoryan

Coach: Yeghishe Melikyan

Goals:

[1-0] Renato Veiga, 7’

[1-1] Eduard Spertsyan, 18’

[2-1] Gonçalo Ramos, 28’

[3-1] João Neves, 30’

[4-1] João Neves, 41’

[5-1] Bruno Fernandes (pen), 45+3’

[6-1] Bruno Fernandes, 52’

[7-1] Bruno Fernandes (pen), 72’

[8-1] João Neves, 81’

[9-1] Francisco Conceição, 90+2’