Portugal, Belgium Prepare For World Cup With Wins

Paris, France: Portugal and Belgium both won in front of their home fans yesterday ahead of their latest attempts at World Cup breakthroughs.

Portugal beat Chile, who are not going to the World Cup, 2-1 in Oeiras, near Lisbon.

Belgium cruised to a 5-0 victory over fellow World Cup qualifiers Tunisia in Brussels.

Although the games were notionally friendlies, there were red cards in both.

Portugal started Cristiano Ronaldo. The star had a strike ruled offside just before half-time before he went off amid a raft of half-time substitutions.

By then both teams were down to ten men after Rafael Leao and Ivan Roman were sent off following a mass scuffle just before the break. Goncalo Guedes gave Portugal a 58th-minute lead. Premier League player of the year, Bruno Fernandes, who played the full game added the second from long range.

Lucas Cepeda replied in added time. Portugal have a home friendly against Nigeria in Leiria on June 10 before setting off to play DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K. In Brussels Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio and Nicolas Raskin scored for Belgium.

The last three came after Tunisia's Ismael Gharbi was sent off for a second yellow card.

At the World Cup, Belgium will face Egypt, Iran and New Zealand in Group G. Tunisia, managed by Sabri Lamouchi, are in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden.

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