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After defeating Serbia 4-2 during the last round of qualifying fixtures, Portugal travelled to Lithuania and trounced the hosts 5-1.
The Seleccao had entered the latest FIFA international window off the pace in group B, having started their qualification campaign with two draws. However, they have rallied back and now have their destiny in their hands.
Cristiano Ronaldo put the visitors ahead in the seventh minute when he converted from the spot but they were quickly pegged back by Vytautas Andriuskev, who equalized for the home side.
From then on, it was all Portugal, as a further four goals were scored to move them up to second place in the group and five points behind Ukraine. Moreover, the Portuguese have a game in hand.
This victory would help build momentum for Portugal and they are firmly in the driving seat to qualify, thereby allowing them the opportunity to defend their European crown next year. In this piece, we shall be highlighting three talking points from Portugal's victory over Lithuania.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo: The difference maker
Having taken a well deserved break from the international scene after the World Cup last year, Cristiano Ronaldo made a return during the EURO qualifiers in March. But, he was powerless to stop his nation from posting two successive draws, with an injury hampering his contribution.
He returned to the fold in June and spearheaded Portugal's quest to claim the first ever Nations League title and he has proved his importance once again during the latest round of qualifiers.
The 34-year-old icon was named the Portuguese Player of the Year for the 10th time earlier in the month and a lot of furore was raised over his award, with many feeling Bernardo Silva was a more deserving recipient.
While we shall not go into the merits or demerits of Ronaldo winning the award, the Juventus talisman is still the most important player in the history of Portuguese football and this status holds true 15 years after he made his international bow.
If there was any doubt about his importance to the national team, Ronaldo's performances during the last week have helped silence those skeptics.
He had starred in the defeat of Serbia, weighing in with one goal, but he took his goal-scoring prowess several notches higher in the game against Lithuania.
He opened the scoring from the spot, but with parity restored, Ronaldo took it upon himself to single-handedly decide the outcome of the game, scoring a further three goals to put daylight between Portugal and their opponents.
The quartet marked his 54th career hat-trick, moving him onto 93 goals for Portugal and ever closer to Iran's Ali Daei's all-time record of 109.
#2 Joao Felix's international career yet to hit the heights expected
Joao Felix had a breakthrough campaign last season with Benfica, scoring 20 goals in all competitions to help The Eagles to the Primeira Liga in Portugal.
His form last term earned him a mega move to Atletico Madrid and the 19-year-old has hit the ground running in the La Liga, scoring one goal and assisting another from three matches to help Diego Simeone's side sit at the top of the league standings.
However, for all of his exploits on the club scene, Felix is yet to blossom on the international stage. And that would come as a disappointment to his compatriots, given his immense talents.
He entered this latest round of international fixtures with just 30 minutes under his belt in Portuguese colours and once again started the game against Serbia from the bench.
Against Lithuania, Felix was deployed from the start, and he watched on from the periphery of the game as Ronaldo took centre-stage.
There is still an abundance of time for Felix to come good for Portugal, and with Ronaldo still around to show him the ropes, it is highly likely that he would blossom into a sparkling superstar for Portugal.
#1 Lithuania fail to build on first half momentum
Lithuania are currently ranked 130th in the world and have failed to pick up victory yet, with their solitary point coming from their 1-1 draw with fellow minnows, Luxembourg.
Coming up against Portugal, not much was expected of the hosts as the sheer difference in the quality of players and historical achievements meant that Lithuania were practically written off before a ball was kicked despite having the advantage of playing at home.
When Ronaldo put Portugal ahead as early as the 7th minute, it seemed like the game was going to script with Portugal about to blow their opponents to smithereens. However, in a surprising turn of events, Lithuania rallied and equalised 21 minutes later.
The first half ended all square and this was largely due to the hosts' resolute defending while they made the most of their set-pieces and limited Portugal to very few chances.
They had a total of four shots in the opening 45 minutes, with two of those being on target. And, even though they could not maintain their momentum throughout the game, for the first 60 minutes against the European champions in Vilnius, they gave as good an account of themselves and they can be proud of the endeavour they showcased.
