Ronaldo forced off injured as Portugal held by Serbia
Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured as reigning European champions Portugal were held 1-1 at home to Serbia in their Euro 2020 qualifier.
The 34-year-old could now be a doubt for Juventus when they face Ajax in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the first leg on April 10.
Dusan Tadic put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the seventh minute after Rui Patricio fouled Mijat Gacinovic.
Things got worse for Portugal when skipper Ronaldo appeared to tweak a hamstring and had to be substituted after half an hour.
Portugal equalised before the interval thanks to Danilo Pereira’s drive which flew into the top corner from outside the box. However they could not force a winner and were unlucky not to be awarded a late penalty after the referee overturned his own handball decision. Ukraine are the early pace-setters in Group B after a last-gasp 2-1 win in Luxembourg.
Bulgaria, one of England’s main rivals in Group A, were held to a 1-1 draw in Kosovo, Arber Zeneli’s equaliser giving the hosts a point from their first ever qualifying match.
PORTUGAL:
Rui Patricio, Joao Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro, William Carvalho, Danilo Pereira, Rafa Silva (Goncalo Guedes 84), Ronaldo (Pizzi 31), Dyego Sousa (Andre Silva 57), Bernardo Silva.
SERBIA:
Dmitrovic,Rukavina,Milenkovic,Spajic,Mladenovic, Gacinovic (Radonjic 21),Maksimovic,Lazovic (Zivkovic 69),Tadic, Ljajic (Milinkovic-Savic 87),Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Szymon Marciniak (Poland).
