• March 19, 2024

Ronaldo scales the Mohammed Salah hurdle in style and glory

Cristiano Ronaldo

It was a footballing night that promised much excitement as two of the highest goal scorers across all competitions in Europe’s top five leagues squared up to each other in the internationals. The game saw the perennial goal hound Cristiano Ronaldo step up for Portugal, and season wonder Mohammed Salah step up for Egypt.

At the end of full time, it was no surprise, and no coincidence either that the two goal hungry forwards provided all the goals in an exciting encounter and three-goal thriller.

The in-form Mohammed Salah has been compared to the likes of Ronaldo and Messi this season due to his world class impressive form for Liverpool. This game was a friendly, but no friendly, as pundits would have drawn more comparisons between the two based on their impact in the game, as well as the outcome.

Well, it was a tough game indeed with the two sides looking to annul each other’s threats, with all eyes on the stadium and TV screens fixed on the two players to see who would come out top in this battle of wits. However, there is no basis for comparison between the two in the long run as Ronaldo’s consistency since his entry into limelight can be matched by no other, except his perennial rival Messi.

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Ronaldo seemed the more intent to prove a point of his supremacy over the Egyptian and was more purposeful in the opening exchanges. He possessed most of the ball and appeared in dangerous spaces in the opposition box.

One of his passes on the night left the Egyptian defense scrambling, resulting in a foul back pass to the goalkeeper. This resulted in a free kick being awarded to Portugal inside Egypt’s eighteen-yard box.

Wow! I guess Ronaldo exclaimed within. This was an opportunity for him to showcase one of his skill sets and exert his supremacy. The free kick, although well taken and on target was met with sprawling and diving Egyptian bodies and was blocked off the danger area.

Mohammed Salah had his opportunity and struck in the 56th minute after some good work down the middle alongside Abdallah Said, who held the ball long enough to enable Salah to create some space for himself before he returned the pass.

What followed immediately, was one of the most precise left strikes we would see in the game from outside the box that hit the net, giving the maximally stretched and diving Antonio Pimparel no chance. Salah was a god at that moment. Imagine the headlines if the Egyptians emerged winners courtesy of his strike.

However, the Real Madrid man was not going to have it. He was going to keep on going till something happened. Ronaldo, despite his status, has shown determination in games down to the last minute and last second. This was not going to be an exception. He was going to bide his time and strike when least expected, and he did it in style.

If Salah could score in the game, he was also going to score and steal the limelight. Afterall, a week back, Salah scored a double brace or quadruple and he scored the same for Real Madrid.

However, he was going to go one better this time, and ensure that his side came out tops, and this was the story after he jumped highest on two occasions in the eighteen-yard box of the Egyptians and planted two headers into the net in the last four minutes of the game.

The assists came from Quaresma’s crosses. One from the left, and one from the right. Ronaldo ended up the star of ‘day one’ of the current international break, exerting his dominance over Salah while at it.