Portugal kept their Euro 2020 qualification hopes alive with a 4-2 away win away to Serbia on Saturday evening. Late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva settled the tie in favour of the European Champions who were made to work hard for the win.

Chances were at a premium in the first half, but it was Serbia who came closest to opening the scoring. Veteran defender Aleksandar Kolarov arrived at the back post, however his snatched shot flew just wide of Rui Patrício’s goal. Portugal was frustrated in the opening exchanges of the half, and Bruno Fernandes skewed effort ten minutes before the break, summed up the struggles of the European Champions.

Thankfully for Fernando Santos’s side opened the scoring moments before the break-in fortuitous circumstances. Serbian keeper Marko Dmitrović mistimed a punch and Portugal midfielder William Carvalho was the beneficiary, eventually bundling the ball home from close range.

After the break, Cristiano Ronaldo went close bending a shot round the far post which was inches wide. Portugal continued to pressure their opponents, and moments later Ronaldo saw a free-kick bend agonisingly go wide the same post. The European Champions were not to be denied and doubled their lead just before the hour mark, Gonçalo Guedes showed quick feet to beat two defenders before drilling the ball into the top corner.

Nikola Milenković gave Serbia hope on the 67^th minute as the defender leapt unchallenged to plant a header past Patrício. Although Portugal always seemed control of the contest and with ten minutes on the clock, Cristiano Ronaldo got on the score sheet gracefully chipping past Dmitrović after a smart assist from Bernardo Silva.

Five minutes from time, Aleksandar Mitrović made it 3-2 as he fired a shot into the roof of the net, only for Portugal to put the contest out of their reach a minute earlier as Bernardo Silva rounded off a passing move sweeping the ball into the bottom corner.