Euro 2016 round-up: Portugal back on top after battling win over Serbia

Portugal went top of Group I with a 2-1 win over Serbia on Sunday.

Defenders scored both Portuguese goals as Ricardo Carvalho and Fábio Coentrão netted in each half, either side of a spectacular equaliser from Nemanja Matic with an overhead kick.

Portugal’s third straight win under Fernando Santos, who took charge after Cristiano Ronaldo’s team lost its opening qualifier against Albania, gave them nine points from four games. It is two points ahead of second-place Denmark, which has a game in hand, and Albania, which beat Armenia 2-1 In the day’s other Group I game.

Serbia has one point from four games as it tries to make up lost ground after being deducted three points for disturbances during a home qualifier against Albania last October.

The top two from the nine groups qualify automatically for Euro 2016.

Carvalho, unmarked in the Serbian penalty area, headed in Danny’s cross after 10 minutes, putting Portugal on the road to victory despite a patchy performance.

Portugal shifted down a gear after the goal and allowed openings for the Serbians, with Dusan Tadic shooting wide.

Ronaldo had little influence on the game until he unleashed a powerful swerving shot on the half-hour which Vladimir Stojkovic just managed to push wide, and two minutes later the striker pierced the visitor’s defence with a run before he was closed down.

Matic levelled with a bicycle kick inside the Portuguese area, but two minutes later Coentrão was at the back post to tap in João Moutinho’s low cross from the right.

Portugal coach Santos was barred from contact with players at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon as he served the first of a two-game ban for improper conduct at last year’s World Cup, where he led Greece. Claudiu Keseru’s goal was enough to see Romania beat the Faroe Islands 1-0 and stay ahead of Northern Ireland at the top of Group F by a single point. Hungary and Greece drew 0-0 in Budapest, leaving the Euro 2004 champions bottom of the group.

Albania moved into contention to qualify from Group I as goals from Mergim Mavraj and Shkelzen Gashi saw them come from behind to beat Armenia.