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Ronaldo's last-gasp two-goal show steals Salah limelight

AFP  |  Zurich 

hit two goals in stoppage time as European champions defeated 2-1 in a friendly international, winning his personal duel with who had put the seven-time African champions ahead.

Ronaldo, appearing in his 900th career match, made his mark to devastating effect as time ran out.

First, he pulled his team level with a header from a Ricardo Quaresma cross, before adding the winner in almost identical circumstances in the fourth minute of time.

However, the 33-year-old Real Madrid star had to wait for the VAR system to validate his goal after a suspicion of offside. His two-goal salvo took his tally to 81.

Earlier, Salah, who has shone at this season with 28 goals, broke the deadlock in after 56 minutes.

After a quickfire exchange of passes, found Salah in space for his teammate to beat in the Portuguese goal with a sweetly-timed left-foot strike from the edge of the area.

"In the last minutes we were better, created four chances and showed great determination to turn it around. They showed that they did not want to lose," said

"And with Ronaldo, it's about a goal and another goal."

had two first-half chances blocked as he tried to continue his impressive recent form which had seen him score 18 goals in his last nine games, including registering a 50th hat-trick.

Salah was replaced late in the game by and sensed a chance to grab a share of the spoils.

Quaresma, meanwhile, saw a 72nd minute attempt saved by in the goal while saw a close-range header from a corner drift wide of the goal.

had a fierce shot saved by diving high to his right before Alves's frustrations boiled over late in the game with a yellow card.

But with time running out, had the final say as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner moved into third place on the all-time list of international goal scorers.

Legendary Hungarian striker scored 84 goals while Iran's leads the list with 109 goals in 149 internationals.

Egypt, back at a for the first time since 1990, will play in Group A at the finals this summer with hosts Russia, and

are in Group B and will face Spain, and

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, March 24 2018. 10:40 IST
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