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Portugal opened its qualifying campaign for the UEFA European Under-17 Championship with a dominant 4-0 victory over Andorra on Thursday at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras.
The match served as the first step in the qualification process for the 2027 tournament, with Filipe Ramos’s side securing three points to take an early lead in Group 6. According to the Portuguese Football Federation, the team overcame a defensive-minded opponent that prioritized closing down space, particularly in a scoreless opening phase of the match.
Portugal struggled to find a breakthrough against Andorra’s low defensive block during the early stages. The deadlock was finally broken in the 21st minute when Diego Farinha converted a direct free kick, according to the match report from A Bola.
While the hosts dominated possession throughout the first half, they were unable to extend their lead before the interval. The team’s efficiency improved immediately after the restart. In the 46th minute, Kauã Araújo converted a penalty kick following a handball in the Andorra area, providing the squad with a more comfortable margin, as reported by RTP.
The intensity of the Portuguese attack continued throughout the second half, leading to two additional goals within a five-minute span. Rafael Cabral scored in the 60th minute, netting the rebound after a header from Victor Bastianele struck the post. Shortly after, Farinha secured his brace in the 65th minute to finalize the 4-0 scoreline.
Portugal remained aggressive in the closing stages, hitting the post once more and nearly scoring through a header by Cristiano dos Santos, according to FPF. A late effort from João Maia was ultimately disallowed due to an offside ruling.
The match featured the debut of Cristiano dos Santos, the son of former national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who entered the pitch in the 73rd minute to replace Farinha. The forward nearly marked his first appearance with a goal, sending a header narrowly wide of the target in the 88th minute.
🚨🇵🇹 Cristiano Jr.'s matches in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers at Portugal's training ground, Cidade do Futebol: 🇵🇹 Portugal vs. Andorra 🇦🇩 📅 November 12 | Thursday – 3:00 PM GMT 🇵🇹 Portugal vs. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 📅 November 14 | Saturday – 3:00 PM GMT 🇵🇹… pic.twitter.com/8gO51tZN76
Portugal currently sits at the top of Group 6, which also includes Bulgaria and Serbia. The qualification group is highly competitive, as Portugal looks to return to the continental stage after missing the final phase of the 2025 competition, a year in which the team had previously held both the European and world titles, as noted by RTP.
The team’s schedule continues on Saturday with a match against Bulgaria, followed by a final group fixture against Serbia on Tuesday.
Who is in Portugal’s qualifying group?
Portugal is placed in Group 6 alongside Andorra, Bulgaria, and Serbia.
How does the qualification process work?
The 26 teams that qualify from this phase will be divided into seven groups, with the winners of each group advancing to join the host nation, Estonia, in the final tournament.
When is the next qualifying match for the Under-17 squad?
Portugal faces Bulgaria on Saturday in their second match of the qualification phase.
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