Ramos delivers as Ron is put in place

CRISTIANO IS CONSIGNED TO BENCH BUT NEW STAR SCORES A HAT-TRICK

- Neil Squires

PORTUGAL'S decision to axe Cristiano Ronaldo paid off as his young stand-in Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick in a rout of Switzerland last night.

The 21-year-old put Portugal on their way with a superb 17thminute finish, added a second just after half-time and put them out of sight with a third.

The sharp-shooter celebration for all three from the Benfica striker could hardly have been more appropriate the rampant Portuguese booked their quarterfinal clash with surprise packages Morocco.

Yet while Ronaldo, Pr brought on for the last 17 minutes here with the game won, was largely irrelevant, at least the Lusail Stadium crowd got to see him.