A "global shame", "Les Misérables": the press tackles Portugal, barrage at the 2022 World Cup

A "

", headlines the Portuguese daily

this Monday morning.

The words are unequivocal to qualify the poor performance of Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates on Sunday night against Serbia (1-2), accused of "Miserable" by

.

While leading 1-0, through Lille's Renato Sanches after two minutes, Portugal let Serbia embolden themselves and return to the game thanks to Dusan Tadic, aided by the hand fault of Rui Patricio (33rd).

In the 90th minute, Aleksandar Mitrovic was in charge of crucifying pale Portuguese with an angry header at the far post.

While they had the possibility of winning a direct ticket for Qatar and the next World Cup, Fernando Santos' men will have to go through the play-offs.

Seen from Portugal, the Seleção could not really hope for better given their evening performance.

To discover

• Qualifying rankings for the 2022 World Cup

• The 2022 World Cup qualifying calendar

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A guilty reluctance

Portugal had two options on Sunday night to validate their ticket to the 2022 World Cup: to win or not to lose since the Seleção, tied on point with Serbia, was ahead of their evening opponent on goal difference at kick-off.

Presumably, it is the second solution which was favored by the Lusitanians.

And that is precisely what the Portuguese press denounces this Monday morning.

“

”read

Monday morning.

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Proof of the Portuguese reluctance, the replacement of Danilo Pereira in central defense during the second half. While Serbia tried everything with the entry of colossus Mitrovic, victorious scorer in the 90th, Fernando Santos chose to move to 5 defenders in order to keep the point of the draw, enough to get the Grail. An inconclusive strategy which pushed Portugal to retreat from the Serbian assaults. “

” coldly analyzes David Marques, journalist for

. The figures confirm this general impression as Serbia shot more on goal and touched more balls in the opposing box than the Portuguese. "

”admitted Fernando Santos at the end of the meeting.

Portugal never lost in play-offs

The teammates of Cristiano Ronaldo, too discreet this Sunday, will therefore have to wait until next March to win, or not, their ticket for the World Cup.

Despite the disappointing performance on Sunday evening, the Portuguese press is optimistic about the chances of qualifying for the 2016 European champions. This Monday morning, the newspaper

recalls that Portugal has always emerged victorious from these dams.

During the last decade, the Portuguese have played three play-offs, the most recent of which dates back to 2013 and a hat-trick by Cristiano Ronaldo on Swedish soil, synonymous with qualification for the 2014 World Cup.

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In addition,

recalls that Portugal will be seeded for these dams.

Fernando Santos' men are sure to finish among the best 2nd in the group and therefore benefit from a rather favorable draw.

It could be North Macedonia, Austria, Scotland or Russia, while waiting to see who from Wales or the Czech Republic will finish second in Group E behind Belgium.

Affordable opponents on paper but against whom it will be necessary to show something other than the stammered score of Sunday night against Serbia.

The trauma experienced by Italy in 2017, eliminated from the 2018 World Cup race by Sweden, must inevitably haunt some minds in Portugal.