Cristiano Ronaldo skips post-match press conference after Portugal draw

Ronaldo scored twice and set up Silva’s goal in the team’s 3-0 win at Latvia in European World Cup qualifying last week, the team’s last match before Sunday’s Group A opener against Mexico at Kazan Arena.

Selecao had the ball in the back of the net after 20 minutes through Pepe, but the Video Assistant Referee deemed the goal offside just moments before Ronaldo had struck the crossbar.

The highly entertaining fixture saw Cristiano Ronaldo put through a sublime assist for Ricardo Quaresma who slotted home the opening goal in the 35th minute.

Javier Hernandez levelled for Mexico shortly before half-time although Cedric Soares looked to have earned Portugal victory four minutes from time.

Both teams are trailing hosts Russian Federation in Group A, who beat New Zealand 2-0 in the tournament opener on Saturday.

After Sunday’s game, Portugal will face hosts Russian Federation in Moscow on Wednesday, while Mexico meet New Zealand in Sochi on the same day.

‘It was not the result we wanted, the team had nearly won and we suffered in the last minute, but this is football, ‘ he said.

This baffled Brian Kerr, who was not happy with the amount of time the assistant ref had allowed to be played before informing the referee of the offside, and Didi Hamann too was not impressed as he described the incident as a farce.

Ronaldo added in his post-match interview: ‘We are calm and we have to think about the next game. He, along with Nani and Ronaldo, are coming towards the last years of their career and it is hard to see how Portugal will adequately replace them after the 2018 World Cup. In previous years his 50-yard run might have taken him through on goal; this time the Mexico defence caught up but his composure in laying the ball off was a reminder of his enduring quality.

Cedric saved well from Cedric and tipped a deflection from defender Carlos Salcedo over the bar before Portugal finally took a deserved lead.

MORENO DOES IT AGAIN – André Silva wasn’t the only new Serie A player who did well.

Federation Internationale de Football Association is trialing the use of video assistants and wants them to be used at next year’s World Cup in Russia. “The draw is a fair result without doubt”, said Portugal coach Fernando Santos, whose side wore black armbands in honour of the victims of a deadly forest fire back home.

“We wanted to win, of course, but we have to be satisfied with this result against the European champions”, Chicharito said.