Portugal wins by a record 9-0 against Luxembourg.

Absent their all-time leading scorer and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal romped to a record 9-0 victory over Luxembourg on Monday thanks to the leadership of Bruno Fernandes.

 

With 24 goals scored and no goals allowed in their six qualifying matches, Roberto Martinez's team has now won the most ever in the history of the nation.

Portugal is in first place in Group J, five points ahead of Slovakia, whom they defeated in Bratislava on Friday.

Luxembourg trails Slovakia by three points at the third spot.

Playmaker Fernandes of Manchester United, who scored the game-winning goal for Portugal against Slovakia, set up three goals while also scoring one for the Selecao.

Goncalo Ramos, Diogo Jota, and Goncalo Inacio each scored two goals, and Joao Felix and Ricardo Horta also scored.

Martinez has led the team without a loss since taking over for Fernando Santos following the World Cup in Qatar.

Jota remarked, "We are still starting a new chapter with a new coach and we are still taking the coach's ideas into consideration."

"We have established a benchmark today that we can compare to in the future."

Inacio, a defender for Sporting Lisbon, headed in Fernandes' beautiful cross with the outside of his foot to give the home team the lead in the twelfth minute.

Five minutes later, after Fernandes pressed high to win the ball back, Ramos, a striker for Paris Saint-Germain, drilled home the second.

The 22-year old striker then grabbed another goal in the 33rd minute with a clever turn and clinical finish for his sixth goal in eight appearances for his country.

Liverpool striker Jota hit the crossbar as Portugal dominated at Algarve stadium near the country's south coast. 

Inacio headed home his second goal from another Fernandes cross on the stroke of half-time and Jota struck early in the second half for the fifth, set up by the Red Devils midfielder again.

Portugal thrashed Luxembourg 6-0 in their first clash in the Grand Duchy and Horta rifled home from the edge of the box for their sixth of the night to match the haul.

Jota, who set up Horta, walloped home the seventh as Portugal continued pushing on without remorse, and Fernandes capped his virtuoso display by netting the eighth.

That matched their previous best win, 8-0 on three occasions, but substitute Felix struck a superb ninth from the edge of the box to set Portugal's new record.

"We have a great group of players, we take every game very seriously," said Horta.

"We're on the right track, but we have things to improve. Against Slovakia we played a game that was not at the level this team (can offer)."

Martinez's side can qualify for Euro 2024 on October 13 if they beat Slovakia and Luxembourg fail to beat Iceland.

RESULTS

Group D 

Armenia 0 Croatia 1 (Kramaric 13)

Latvia 0 Wales 2 (Ramsey 29-P, Brooks 90+5)

Group J 

Iceland 1 (Finnbogason 90+1) Bosnia 0

Portugal 9 (Inacio 12, 45+4, Ramos 17, 33, Jota 57, 77, Horta 67, Fernandes 83, Felix 88) Luxembourg 0

Slovakia 3 (Hancko 1, Duda 3, Mak 6) Liechtenstein 0