Portugal and Switzerland would be meeting for the third time this year.
Switzerland made two changes from the side that defeated Serbia 3-2 last week. Sommer returned as goalkeeper, and Edimilson Fernandes started as right-back.
Portugal, on the hand, used their first team, but benched Cristiano Ronaldo, after their 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their final group game.
A noticeable change in Portugal’s lineup is that C.Ronaldo starts on the bench for the first time at a major tournament since 2008, which ended a 31-game streak as a starter.
1st Half
Throughout the 1st half, Portugal was far more active and strategic. However, The Swiss, being characterised as slow starters since the commencement of the world cup, have failed to score a first-half goal in three of their four games.
In the 17th minute, Ramos, scored a stunner in his first international match. He received a pass from Felix in the box from a throw-in, takes a touch and elegantly strikes the ball into the top left corner at his near post. This made it 1-0 for Portugal.
After the opening goal, Switzerland tried to come back into the game, with few chances of attack, but Portugal kept finding the ball.
In the 33rd minute, Pepe managed to convert a cross from Bruno Fernandes, and score with a thumping header into the net, which gave them a comfortable 2-0 lead.
For the remainder of the second half, Switzerland had a few chances at goal, but they amounted to nothing. Although, but for the save by the Swiss goalkeeper, Portugal nearly had a 3-goal lead in the 42nd minute.
2nd Half
Switzerland entered the second half with pressure to improve massively but such hope was further stressed as Ramos got in at the near post to convert Dalot’s low cross, making it 3-0 for Portugal.
Still, in hopes of salvaging the situation, Switzerland made a desperate change – Zakaria replaced Freuler in midfield. Yet, barely 1 minute after the substitution, In the 55th minute, Portugal had a fourth. Otavio’s backwards flick set off a Portuguese counter-attack. Ramos passed to Guerreiro into the box, and he placed it confidently into the net, 4-0 to Portugal.
In what was already building up as Portugal’s game. The swiss, 3 minutes later, In the 58th minute, got a consolation goal from M. Akanji who managed to pull a goal from the corner, 4-1.
The goal by Akanji must have motivated the Swiss, as they got more possession of the ball. But this wasn’t enough to deter a hat-trick goal for Ramos. In the 67th minute, Felix got Ramos running into the box, and he comfortably played the ball past Sommer into the bottom left corner. 5-1.
Portugal kept on causing trouble for the Swiss defence with more devastating attacks, especially in the 69th minute. when Guerreiro tried a nice cross to Fernandes, who was a leg shot of scoring.
In the 73rd minute, C. Ronaldo was brought on to replace Felix. Other substitutions were made afterwards – Vitinha replaced Otávio, and Ricardo Horta replaced the hat-trick hero, Gonçalo Ramos.
The match continued with certainty that Portugal have made it through to the quarter-final, and when it appeared over, Portugal’s substitute, Rafael Leão, scored a dime minute goal. He received the ball from Guerreiro, cuts inside from the left and curls an unstoppable shot past the Swiss Goalkeeper.
Portugal will face Morocco in the quarter-final.