Ronaldo hat-trick inspires Portugal

Northern Ireland 2 Portugal 4

The hosts looked to be on course for a stunning upset when Jamie Ward’s scrambled effort put them 2-1 in front and a man to the good after Helder Postiga’s dismissal.

But makeshift left-back Chris Brunt saw red on the hour and Ronaldo took control with a pair of powerful headers and a late free-kick, before Kyle Lafferty’s dismissal completed Northern Ireland’s misery.

Defenders Bruno Alves and Gareth McAuley had earlier traded first-half efforts to send the sides in 1-1 at half-time.

Ronaldo, playing for the first time since Gareth Bale replaced him as the world’s most expensive player, overtook Eusebio as his country’s second-highest goalscorer on the night and now has 43 for Portugal.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said he was proud of his side’s display, despite going down.

“I thought up until 60 minutes and Chris Brunt’s sending off, we were the better team and in control of the game,” he said.

“I thought they scored against the run of play and we responded well to that having gone into our shell a little bit. But then obviously the second sending off left us that man short and subsequently we weren’t able to deal with that.

“You take the performance of the team, particularly for 60-65 minutes, I thought the energy and the shape of the team was very good.

“We were playing here against one of the top sides in Europe and people have to recognise that.”

NORTHERN IRELAND: Carroll, Hodson, Ferguson (Baird 76), McAuley, Evans, McGinn (Lafferty 67), S Davis, Brunt, Norwood, Paterson, Ward (Evans 71).

PORTUGAL: Rui Patricio, Alves, Pepe, Coentrao, Joao Pereira, Veloso, Moutinho, Meireles (Evans 71), Ronaldo (Ruben Amorim 90), Vieirinha, Postiga (Oliveira 64).

Referee: Henry Philips (Scotland).