More to Portugal than just Cristiano Ronaldo, warns Stephen Kenny

Portugal's defender Joao Cancelo (L) shakes hands with Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the UEFA EURO 2020 Group F clash with France in June. Picture: Getty Images

Although the world spotlight will shine upon Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday, Stephen Kenny has warned his Ireland players to avoid tunnel-vision.

The Portugal captain’s quest to smash the goal-scoring world record was already dominating the build-up to the World Cup qualifier before he brought transfer-window frenzy to a new level on Friday.

Three international matches consume his agenda until his Manchester United return, and every shimmy, slalom, shot, and strop will be scrutinised for any evidence of the purchase of the 36-year-old being of damaged goods.

He’s not shown any sign of slowing down in the campaign to date.

Only for a delay in implementing VAR across every venue in the qualifiers, Ronaldo’s late goal in Belgrade would have stood and Portugal would be three points clear at top of Group A, and even further along the trail towards next year’s finals.

However, the man of the moment won’t be subject to double-marking against an Ireland side seven points adrift of their opponents and Serbia in the pool.

Portugal have too much talent dotted around every other patch for that tactic to be employed.

“To score that number of goals at international level is just incredible,” admits Kenny about the Madeira maestro.

“But from our point of view, we can’t just focus on him because they have got a lot of other good players who score goals regularly.

“I think we’ve got to be very well organised defensively, there’s no doubt about that.”

Portugal may be deemed the eighth-best team in the world, 39 places above Ireland in Fifa’s rankings, yet an inferiority complex won’t pervade Kenny’s crew.

“You can’t go to Portugal and defend for 90 minutes,” he asserted. “We have to go and be positive in our approach. There’s no doubt it’s a tough challenge because Portugal have some really outstanding players, but a lot of ours are looking forward to showing what they’ve got.”

Whereas the Iberians have rattled in 27 goals over 13 games, the return during the same stretch, Kenny’s entire reign, is just eight.

None of his strikers have started a Premier League game this season, Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly both appearing off the bench, and a concern over the latter’s fitness is another unwelcome blow after West Bromwich Albion’s Callum Robinson was ruled out with Covid-19.

Connolly was named on the Brighton and Hove Albion bench for Saturday’s visit of Everton, but was seen in dialogue with the club’s medical staff before kick-off and didn’t feature in the warm-up.

“Idah and Connolly have real natural pace and Troy has started the season quite well on loan at MK Dons,” Kenny mused about his options.

“We have a lot of attackers that are unproven at the top level, but they’ve shown a lot of potential and have good attributes.

“The other forwards, James Collins and Shane Long, are much more experienced.

“Shane has got a lot of goals for Ireland, so we’re carrying an attacking threat.”

In the overall context of the three upcoming qualifiers — Ireland host Azerbaijan and Serbia over the following six days — emerging from Faro without something to build on is the priority.

That might be a display in defeat, rather than any realistic prospect of points.

As he admits, this is the most onerous task of Kenny’s managerial career.

“Yeah, I would say that but I’m looking forward to that. This is a privilege and you have to earn the right to put in a really good performance. It would be great if it was a really positive display that would allow us to take momentum into the next two games. That’s really what I would ideally like and want.”

The FAI is due to provide a squad update today, with doubts hanging over Mark Travers. The goalkeeper missed Bournemouth’s trip to Hull City due to illness. If he’s forced to withdraw, it will be interesting to see if Darren Randolph is offered back his spot in the squad.

Three past meetings with Ronaldo

February 9, 2005, international friendly: Ireland 1 Portugal 0

Ronaldo, just out of his teens four days earlier, arrived at Lansdowne Road with his reputation enhanced from leading Portugal to the Euro finals on home soil the previous summer. He’d also come of age for Man United, scoring twice in a 4-2 win at Arsenal the week beforehand.

That contest is remembered most for Roy Keane’s verbal volley in the tunnel, but Alex Ferguson prevented the United stars vying at international level after ordering his skipper to rest.

Damien Duff transpired to be Ronaldo’s physical opponent on the night, the Chelsea winger incurring a booking following a tangle, but he came out on tops on the night as Andy O’Brien’s goal gave Ireland victory.

July 20, 2009, friendly: Shamrock Rovers 0 Real Madrid 1

By pure accident, Rovers hosted Ronaldo’s first game as a Real player following his £80m move from Man United. Sport agency Platinum One were handling Real’s pre-season schedule and, as part of their training camp at Carton House, a friendly was sought. With Lansdowne Road under construction, a partially built Tallaght Stadium was the next best option.

Ronaldo soon shipped a stern tackle from Pat Flynn and couldn’t finish off any of the three chances he mustered to mark his bow with a goal. The biggest loss Rovers players suffered was the newcomer’s jersey, which he refused to swap.

June 10, 2014, friendly: Ireland 1 Portugal 5

Keane and Ronaldo would reacquaint when Ireland provided Portugal’s final warm-up on their way to the World Cup in Brazil. Appointed alongside manager Martin O’Neill eight months earlier, Keane gained an insight as to the gap to be filled as the Portuguese ripped Ireland apart with three first-half goals. Ronaldo didn’t score, but he assisted on two during the 66 minutes he was on the pitch.

David Forde could only parry his header into the path of Hugo Almeida to make it 3-0, as Ireland struggled to track the runs or aerial supremacy of the attacker, who had led Real Madrid to their 10th European Cup two weeks earlier.