Nicosia, Sept 3: Cristiano Ronaldoscored two goals and set up another as Portugal thrashed a 10-man Cyprus side4-0 away to stay top of Euro 2012 qualifying Group H on goal difference. Portugal's first spell of pressure started on 13minutes when the lively Joao Moutinho put Joao Pereira through with a fine passbut the right back's shot was blocked by keeper Antonis Georgallidis. Just as Portugal's menace was starting to wane,Cyprus midfielder Sinisa Dobrasinovic stretched out his arm inside the box todeflect a Moutinho shot, received a second booking and allowed Ronaldo to slotin coolly from the resulting penalty on 35 minutes. Portugal took advantage of the added space inmidfield, with both Moutinho and striker Helder Postiga coming close todoubling their lead with fierce, long-distance efforts just before the break. "We played well in the first half, especiallyuntil we scored. The score could have been bigger in the first 45minutes," Portuguese coach Paulo Bento said. The Cypriots returned with an even more defensiveattitude and Portugal's passing game stalled. They threatened only with afierce shot by Ronaldo on 51 minutes, which the keeper blocked, and a diagonaldrive from Fabio Coentrao that hit the post six minutes later. "After we were reduced to 10 men it was veryhard for us, we had to chase Portugal, ran out of stamina and that's why wecollapsed at the end," Cyprus coach Nikos Nioplias said. The Portuguese left it late to secure the win,with captain Ronaldo sidestepping a defender near the box to create space andfire in his second goal in the 82nd minute. Two minutes later the forward usedhis speed on the left wing and set up substitute Almeida for a simple tap-in. Winger Danny came on to complete the rout bycutting in from the left and driving in the fourth goal in injury time. "The goals at the end brought justice. Therewere times when we did not play well in the second half, but the most importantthing was to improve our goal difference," Bento said. "We go intothe last two qualifying matches in a strong position." Portugal are level on 13 points with Norway, whobeat Iceland 1-0 at home. The Portuguese play Iceland at home and Denmark awayin October.
Galle, Sept 3: Australia closed in
on a convincing victory in the first Test in Galle on Friday after Sri Lanka's
top order was ripped apart for a second time.
Sri Lanka, set an improbable target of 379 to win
on a crumbling wicket, were tottering at 120-5 at the close of the third day's
play at the Galle International Stadium.
Former captain Mahela Jayawardene provided a
batting lesson for his teammates, making an unbeaten 57 with the help of eight
boundaries.
Angelo Mathews was the other not out batsman, on
32, having put on 52 runs for the sixth wicket with his senior partner.
Australia start the fourth day's play on Saturday
needing five more wickets to win and take the lead in the three-Test series,
their first in Sri Lanka since 2004.
Sri Lanka need to defy history to stop the
tourists - the highest fourth innings score at the ground is 210 by New Zealand
two years ago.
The hosts, who were shot out for 105 in the first
innings, succumbed to a hostile three-wicket burst by Ryan Harris and probing
seam bowling from Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson.
Harris trapped Tharanga Paranavitana leg-before
with the first ball of the innings and then bowled Sri Lankan captain
Tillakaratne Dilshan in his fourth over to leave the hosts 15-2.
Kumar Sangakkara would have been another Harris
victim, but survived a review for leg-before off the first ball he faced.
Harris, a 31-year-old from Sydney playing only his
sixth Test, followed his defiant 23 in Australia's second innings with 2-15 in
his first five overs.
Sangakkara and Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's two most
experienced batsmen, attempted to rebuild with a 37-run stand on either side of
the tea break.
Watson, who took three wickets in 10 balls in the
first innings, broke the partnership when Sangakkara (17) fenced a vicious
rising delivery to Mike Hussey at gully.
Thilan Samaraweera edged a ball from Johnson to
wicket-keeper Brad Haddin for a 14-ball duck, leaving Sri Lanka on 63-4.
Harris bowled Prasanna Jayawardene to complete a
pair for the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper, butMathews dug in to ensure the game
went into the fourth day.
Australia resumed at 115-6 after the entire
morning session was wiped out by heavy rain and were dismissed for 210 in their
second innings midway through the post-lunch session.
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath finished with 5-79
after claiming three wickets in the first innings.
Australia added 15 runs to their overnight score
when they lost the wicket of Johnson, who top-edged a high catch off Herath
which was taken comfortably by the wicket-keeper.
Usman Khawaja put on 40 for the eighth wicket with
Harris before falling leg-before to Chanaka Welegedara for 26 to leave Australia
170-8.
Australia's total was boosted by a last-wicket
stand of 32 between debutants Trent Copeland and Nathan Lyon.
Lyon made 13 before he was caught in the deep off
Dilshan, leaving Copeland unbeaten on 23.
