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Football: Injured Ronaldo limps off in Portugal qualifier

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Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/reuters/03/26/20190326-cristiano-ronaldo.jpg"/><figcaption>Portugal&#x27;s Cristiano Ronaldo stands injured before being substituted off. <em>Rafael Marchante, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Portugal paid the price for poor finishing after their captain and top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off the pitch with an apparent hamstring problem during their Euro 2020 Group B qualifier against Serbia on Monday.</p><p>A 1-1 home draw, which followed a 0-0 stalemate against Ukraine on Friday, left European champions Portugal on two points and Ronaldo on the sidelines after he limped off in the 30th minute of an absorbing contest.</p><p>The 34-year-old pulled up after sprinting for the ball and was replaced by midfielder Pizzi with Serbia leading 1-0 through Dusan Tadic&#x27;s early penalty.</p><p>Central midfielder Danilo equalised with a long-range effort in the 42nd minute but the home side missed a string of chances as they lacked Ronaldo&#x27;s killer instinct against a rugged Serbian defence.</p><p>Ronaldo appeared to be pointing towards his right hamstring as he received treatment near the corner flag.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/football/news/2019/03/26/ronaldo-injured-portugal-big-wins-france-england-55001">READ: Ronaldo injured for Portugal; big wins for France, England</a></li></ul><p>Speaking later he said: &quot;We played quite well and created lots of chances. We played better than against Ukraine, but when the ball doesn&#x27;t want to go in, it simply doesn&#x27;t go in.&quot;</p><p>Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic played down the impact of Ronaldo&#x27;s misfortune as he was quick to point out that his injury-hit side missed several key players.</p><p>&quot;As far as whether Portugal missed Ronaldo, you must know that we were missing lots of players -- and we do not have a huge selection to choose from, like some countries do,&quot; he said.</p><p>Ronaldo, whose club Juventus visit Ajax Amsterdam in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 10, was making only his second Portugal appearance since last year&#x27;s World Cup. </p><div><strong>(Writing by Ken Ferris and Zoran Milosavljevic ; Editing by Martyn Herman)</strong></div><div><em>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</em></div>

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off the pitch with an apparent hamstring problem during their Euro 2020 Group B qualifier against Serbia on Monday.</p>

Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off the pitch with an apparent hamstring problem during their Euro 2020 Group B qualifier against Serbia on Monday.