Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma both score twice as Portugal bring the curtain down on the pre-Euro 2016 friendlies by putting seven past Estonia.
Portugal 7 Estonia 0
Portugal bounced back from last week’s narrow loss against England to register a third win in four with a 7-0 home victory over Estonia.
Cristiano Ronaldo served a timely reminder of just why he’s the most expensive player in the Uefa game last night. Priced at 12.0m, the Real Madrid man bagged a brace and fired five attempts before being replaced by Nani at the break – he’s currently the third most popular forward with 28% ownership.
Handed a second start in the last three friendlies, Ricardo Quaresma was afforded the full 90 minutes and outshone his strike partner by serving up two goals and a pair of assists. The 6.0-priced forward also scored in a win over Norway late last month and looks in pole position to retain his start for the opener with Iceland.
In the centre of the park, Joao Mario (6.0) produced a pair of assists in his fifth successive start. The Sporting Lisbon man has now delivered four assists across that period and, with a mere 2% ownership, looks an in-form differential to consider. Fellow midfield starters Danilo Pereira and Andre Gomes chipped in with a goal and assist respectively.
Renato Sanches (assist) and Eder (goal) both emerged from the bench to play a part in the rout. At a price of just 4.5, the former is owned by 16% of Fantasy managers yet has been utilised as no more than a second-half sub in each of the last five matches.
At the back, Fernando Santos made wholesale changes from the England match as Raphael Guerreiro, Jose Fonte, Cedric Soares and Pepe all returned to a defence that has now shipped just three goals in the last six friendlies.
The former trio have now started three of the last four friendlies and judging by recent teamsheets, seem to have moved up the pecking order of late. Fonte and Soares set you back just 4.5 apiece but, at a price of just 4.0, left-back Guerreiro could be the pick of the budget options if he retains his spot in Santos’ XI. The left-back bagged a goal and assist in a win over Norway late last month and created four chances for his team-mates in last night’s romp.
Portugal XI: Rui Patricio; Soares (Vierinha 46), Pepe (R Carvalho 58), Fonte, Guerreiro; Pereira (W Carvalho 70), Mario (Eder 59), Gomes, Moutinho (Sanches 58); Ronaldo (Nani 46), Quaresma
