Portugal Dominates Armenia with 5-0 Victory in World Cup Qualifiers

Yerevan, Armenia — Portugal secured a commanding 5-0 victory over Armenia in their first 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier held at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium on Saturday. The Portuguese side displayed their dominance from the outset, scoring within the first ten minutes.

João Félix opened the scoring with a powerful header from João Cancelo‘s cross, marking a perfect start for the visitors. In the 21st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo extended the lead, skillfully redirecting Pedro Neto‘s low cross into the net.

Portugal continued to press, and João Cancelo found the net in the 32nd minute, striking the ball into the roof of the goal after Armenia struggled to clear the danger. By halftime, the score stood at 3-0, showcasing Portugal’s superiority.

The second half started explosively for Portugal. Just 43 seconds in, Ronaldo struck again from outside the box, curling a beautiful shot into the top-right corner, increasing the lead to four goals.

Although Bruno Fernandes struck the post shortly after, João Félix added another goal in the 61st minute, converting a deflected delivery to seal a comprehensive win for the Portuguese team.

Despite a few attempts from Armenia, including a couple of saves from Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa, Portugal remained steady throughout the match. The final whistle confirmed the 5-0 victory, marking a strong start for Portugal in the qualifiers.

“It was a perfect start for us,” said Portugal’s coach Roberto Martinez. “We maintained pressure and executed our game plan effectively.” Portugal continues its unbeaten streak against Armenia, having never lost in their seven meetings.