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Portugal's
Andre Silva celebrates with his teammates after scoring goal during the World
Cup Group B qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Switzerland at the Luz
stadium in Lisbon, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
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European champion
Portugal will get a chance to keep its momentum going after qualifying for next
year's World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday.
Associated
Press report continues:
Cristiano
Ronaldo's team got the win it needed in the showdown against the Swiss at a
packed Stadium of Light.
Both
teams finished with 27 points, but Portugal had a better goal difference.
Switzerland,
which had led Group B since the first round, will have to go through a playoff
to try to make it to the tournament in Russia.
The
Swiss arrived with a three-point lead over Portugal and need at least a draw to
earn the automatic World Cup berth.
An
own-goal by Swiss defender Johan Djourou before halftime and a goal forward by
Andre Silva early in the second half were enough for Portugal, which has won
nine straight matches since the opening 2-0 loss to the Swiss in Basel last
year.
Switzerland
had won all of its nine qualifiers until Tuesday's setback.
Portugal
was in control but hadn't been able to create many scoring chances until
Djourou found his own net while trying to clear a cross from the left by Eliseu
in the 41st minute. The ball touched Djourou's right foot after getting past a
defender and then Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Silva
added to the lead in the 57th with a shot into the open net after picking up a
cross from the right by Bernardo Silva.
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