2022 World Cup: Ruthless Portugal smack Switzerland to set up quarter-finals clash with Morocco

Goncalo Ramos, the man who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s starting line-up, has three goals to his name as Fernando Santos’ side have smashed six past Switzerland.

Portugal skipper Pepe scored a thumping header in between Ramos’ double.

It was a bold call from Santos to bring in Ramos, but the Benfica star needed just 17 minutes to repay the manager’s faith.

Ramos received the ball inside his box with his back to goal, before rolling his defender and firing past Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer at his near post from an extremely tight angle.

Pepe then got his name on the scoresheet 16 minutes later when he rose highest from a Bruno Fernandes corner to power a header home in the 33rd minute.

By doing so, the Portugal skipper became the oldest player (39y 283d) to score at the World Cup since Roger Mila in 1994.

Ramos got his double in the 51st minute when he poked Diogo Dalot’s cross between the legs of Sommer.

The striker then turned provider just four minutes later when he slipped left back Raphael Guerreiro through on goal who had no problems adding Portugal’s fourth.

However, the Swiss pegged one back when defender Manuel Akanji tapped home off a corner in the 58th minute.

Yet Ramos would add one more goal when he latched on to a through ball from Joao Felix and dinked it over the on-rushing Sommer for his hat-trick and Portugal’s fifth.

Ronaldo eventually entered the contest in the 73rd minute and thought he scored in the 84th minute, but he was flagged for offside.

However, Portugal added a sixth when Rafael Leao cut in from the left and curled the ball past Sommer who was stuck in the mud.

The win means Portugal will meet Morocco in the quarter-final stage of the World Cup.