New Zealand 0-4 Portugal: Bernardo Silva picks up ankle injury as Fernando Santos' side ease into semi-finals
Saturday 24 June 2017 20:44, UK
Portugal coasted to a 4-0 win over New Zealand in St Petersburg and secured their place in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.
The win, however, came at a cost as Manchester City-bound midfielder Bernardo Silva was substituted because of an ankle injury.
With hosts Russia losing against Mexico in Kazan, Portugal progressed as Group A winners, while the All Whites finished bottom following a third straight defeat.
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo put Portugal ahead from the penalty spot on 33 minutes.
Bernardo Silva - set to leave Monaco in a £43m deal - swiftly doubled the lead with a close-range finish, but in doing so landed awkwardly on his ankle and was taken off at half-time.
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Forward Andre Silva wrapped up the comfortable victory with a fierce-angled finish on 80 minutes and Nani added a fourth in stoppage time.
New Zealand, the OFC Nations Cup winners, had made a positive opening with Leeds forward Chris Wood seeing his shot saved.
Ronaldo rattled the crossbar before Ipswich defender Tommy Smith bundled over Danilo Pereira following a corner and the Real Madrid forward scored the resulting penalty.
It was soon 2-0 when Bernardo Silva converted a low cross from Pereira Eliseu after 37 minutes.
However, the attacking midfielder turned his ankle as he landed ahead of a sliding challenge from Tom Doyle, which saw him replaced by Luis Pizzi after the break.
Just before half-time, Portugal forward Andre Silva lashed out at Michael Boxall after a tussle with the New Zealand defender, which left him with a torn shirt - but could easily have also resulted in a red card.
New Zealand almost pulled a goal back on the hour when Doyle's ball across the face of goal from the left found Wood at the far post, but Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio recovered to make a sliding block on the line.
Marinovic had produced a string of decent saves at the other end during the second half.
However, the All Whites keeper could do little when Silva, who cost AC Milan some £33m from Porto, darted into the right of the penalty area before crashing the ball into the top corner.
Nani drilled in a fourth goal for Portugal during stoppage time.
