Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary milestone of 200 international appearances was nothing short of memorable as Portugal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Iceland in the Euro 2024 qualifying match Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the formidable Erling Haaland showcased his prowess on the field, scoring two goals for Norway.
In other matches, Belgium confidently dismissed any concerns surrounding the Thibaut Courtois captaincy controversy by defeating Estonia, courtesy of a Romelu Lukaku brace in the vibrant city of Tallinn.
On the other hand, Moldova staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to stun Poland.
Initially, Portugal seemed destined for a lackluster goalless draw in Reykjavik.
However, the tides turned when Willum Thor Willumsson received a late red card, altering the course of the game.
Despite struggling for a significant portion of the match, Ronaldo repaid Coach Roberto Martinez's trust by calmly slotting the ball into the net in the 89th minute, capitalizing on Goncalo Inacio's well-executed knockdown.
The electrifying moment marked Ronaldo's record-extending 123rd international goal and became the first men's player in world football to reach the remarkable milestone of 200 international appearances.
In the match's aftermath, Martinez expressed his admiration for Ronaldo's achievement, stating, "It was a nice script for Ronaldo. There was an incredible celebration, making him the first men's player ever in world football to reach 200 international games."
The initial disappointment of an offside ruling was overturned after a VAR review, allowing Ronaldo's historic goal to stand.
A jubilant 38-year-old Ronaldo described the feat as an "unbelievable achievement" and emphasized the significance of scoring the winning goal, making it an even more exceptional moment.
Portugal remains comfortably perched atop Group J, two points clear of Slovakia after securing their fourth consecutive victory.
Slovakia, showcasing their resilience, emerged triumphant with a narrow 1-0 away win against Liechtenstein, maintaining their unbeaten record.
However, Luxembourg displayed their tenacity in its unlikely bid to secure a spot in a major tournament.
They registered a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, elevating themselves to the third spot in the group, a mere three points behind Slovakia.
The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the highly anticipated finals set to take place in Germany next year.
Belgium, who overcame the Thibaut Courtois captaincy controversy, enjoyed a resounding 3-0 victory against Estonia, with Lukaku leading from the front as captain.
The towering striker's clinical finishing played a pivotal role in Belgium's triumph, consolidating their second position in Group F.
Austria, currently leading the group, maintained their three-point advantage by securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Sweden, courtesy of Christoph Baumgartner's brace in the final ten minutes of the game.
Sweden find themselves in a precarious position, trailing Belgium by four points and risking exclusion from a Euro tournament for the first time since 1996.
Erling Haaland, hailed as one of football's brightest talents, showcased his scoring prowess once again.
His impressive brace propelled Norway to a crucial 3-1 victory over Cyprus, rekindling their hopes of participating in their first major tournament since 2000.
Nevertheless, they find themselves in third place in Group A, just one point ahead of Spain, albeit having played two more matches than the three-time champions.
Group leaders Scotland, undeterred by a lengthy rain delay that interrupted their match against Georgia, maintained their perfect record with a resilient 2-0 triumph.
Callum McGregor etched his name on the scoresheet within the first six minutes amidst farcical weather, and the game eventually resumed after several pitch inspections.
Scott McTominay sealed the victory for Scotland, further solidifying their position at the top of the group.
In a surprising turn of events, Poland stumbled to fourth place in Group E after squandering a two-goal advantage against Moldova.
Despite first-half strikes from Arkadiusz Milik and Robert Lewandowski, Poland found themselves at the receiving end of Ion Nicolaescu's double, leaving them shell-shocked.
The dramatic climax arrived in the 85th minute when Vladyslav Baboglo, plying his trade for Ukrainian club Oleksandriya, headed home the winner, securing a historic 3-2 triumph for Moldova.
Moldova, ranked 171st in the FIFA rankings, currently occupy the third spot in the group, trailing second-placed Albania by a single point.
Albania secured a 3-1 victory over the Faroe Islands, further intensifying the competition in the group.
In Group G, Hungary asserted their dominance by securing a convincing 2-0 victory over Lithuania, propelling them to the top of the standings, level on points with Serbia, who settled for a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bulgaria.
