Chapter 744: Consecutive Victories
With the summer transfer window closed, international football entered its first international break of the new season. Portugal faced two Euro 2020 qualifiers: away against Serbia on September 7 and Lithuania on September 10.
In June, Portugal participated in the UEFA Nations League semifinals and finals, while the other teams in their group played their Euro qualifiers. This left Portugal two games behind Ukraine and Luxembourg in terms of matches played.
Currently, Ukraine, with 3 wins and 1 loss, leads Group B with 9 points, surpassing Portugal.
This marks the second consecutive European Championship qualifying campaign where Portugal and Serbia are paired together. In the last campaign, Portugal defeated Serbia home and away, improving their head-to-head record to 5 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses. Portugal now holds the upper hand.
At Belgrade's Red Star Stadium, with over 50,000 Serbian fans in attendance, Portugal handed the hosts a resounding defeat.
Portugal Triumphs in Belgrade
Serbia leveraged home advantage to mount an aggressive offensive against Portugal but failed to break through their defense.
After weathering the initial storm, Portugal began to dominate and scored the opening goal just before halftime.
42nd minute: Portugal's Bruno Fernandes drifted to the right, broke through, and delivered a cross. William Carvalho followed up with a long-range strike from the edge of the box to make it 1–0.58th minute: Bruno set up Gonçalo Guedes, who evaded Maksimović and fired a powerful shot from the left side of the penalty area to double Portugal's lead, 2–0.68th minute: Serbia pulled one back through a corner kick. Tadić's delivery was met by Milenković, who scored with a header from close range, 2–1.80th minute: Bruno, with a perfectly timed through ball, found Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo's precise finish from 12 yards out restored Portugal's two-goal cushion, completing Bruno's assist hat-trick, 3–1.85th minute: Serbia responded again when Tadić set up Mitrović for a powerful shot into the top right corner, narrowing the gap to 3–2.86th minute: Bruno initiated a quick counterattack, driving through the center before passing to Guerreiro. Guerreiro's assist found Bernardo Silva, who scored with a low strike, sealing a 4–2 victory.
Portugal left Belgrade with a decisive win.
Portugal Dominates in Lithuania
Earlier, Ukraine had defeated Lithuania 3–0, retaining their lead in Group B. However, with Ukraine resting in the next round, Portugal had a chance to overtake them.
Facing world-ranked No. 136 Lithuania, Portugal aimed not only for victory but for an emphatic win.
At Vilnius' LFF Stadium, Portugal delivered a stunning 7–1 thrashing:
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals.Bruno Fernandes added two goals and two assists.William Carvalho capped off the match with a stoppage-time goal.
Portugal rose to the top of Group B with authority.
Back to Club Football
Returning to Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes faced Leicester City in the Premier League's fifth round at Old Trafford.
The FIFA virus appeared to have taken its toll on United, as they began sluggishly. Leicester, in contrast, started brightly, with Maddison nearly scoring in the 4th minute with a volley that required a sharp save from De Gea.
The scare jolted United into action, and they quickly gained the lead.
6th minute: Rashford was fouled in the penalty area by Söyüncü, earning a penalty. Bruno calmly converted, deceiving Schmeichel to put United ahead, 1–0.
Leicester mounted several dangerous attacks, but De Gea showcased his world-class abilities with a string of saves to deny the Foxes.
As the game wore on, United struggled to extend their lead but maintained control.
82nd minute: United were awarded a free kick in a promising position. Bruno stepped up, delivering a stunning strike over the wall into the top corner, sealing a 2–0 victory.
United overcame a tough Leicester side to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
With this win, United continued to lead the Premier League table with five consecutive victories. The early-season race for supremacy saw Manchester United and Liverpool emerge as the dominant forces, with Manchester City close behind in third.
The title race in the PrManchester United flew to the Netherlands to face Ajax in the first round of the Champions League group stage.
This summer, Ajax suffered significant losses, with captain Matthijs de Ligt and midfield maestro Frenkie de Jong departing, leaving the team struggling to adapt.
United treated the Johan Cruyff Arena like their own, dominating the match. Ajax managed only one shot on target, while United fired 18 shots to Ajax's 6. It was a one-sided affair, with Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gündoğan, and Bruno Fernandes all scoring to secure a 3–0 away victory.
However, the victory didn't place United atop Group C. In the group's other match, Dinamo Zagreb routed Champions League newcomers Atalanta 4–0 at home.
Champions League Shock Results
The first round of the Champions League group stage delivered surprising upsets. Paris Saint-Germain stunned Real Madrid with a 3–0 home win, despite Los Blancos' expensive summer signings.
Liverpool also suffered a shock defeat, losing 2–0 away to Napoli. If not for Genk's 6–2 thrashing by Salzburg in the same group, the Reds might have found themselves at the bottom of their group.
Back to the Premier League
Returning to England, United faced West Ham at the London Stadium in the Premier League's sixth round.
10th minute: Noble delivered a precise pass down the right flank to Fornals, who lobbed the ball into the box. Yarmolenko controlled it with his right foot and curled a left-footed shot past De Gea to give West Ham a 1–0 lead.
United struggled briefly but soon found their footing, thanks to steadying performances from Bruno Fernandes and Harry Kane.
36th minute: Bruno and Gündoğan executed a perfect one-two, with Gündoğan assisting Kylian Mbappé for the equalizer, 1–1.43rd minute: Bruno surged down the right wing, delivering a pinpoint cross for Kane, who headed it in to make it 2–1.
In the second half, Kane returned the favor.
54th minute: Kane's header found Bruno in stride, and Bruno slotted the ball home to extend United's lead to 3–1.
Rashford's Injury
Trouble struck in the 60th minute when Marcus Rashford collapsed off the ball, clutching his left thigh. Suspecting a strain, Rashford signaled for a substitution and walked directly to the dressing room.
This marked United's second injury of the season, with Luke Shaw still sidelined after being injured against Crystal Palace.
José Mourinho replaced Rashford with Mason Greenwood, and United continued their game without disruption.
West Ham's Late Push
84th minute: West Ham won a free kick. Cresswell's left-footed strike soared over the wall and into the top corner, leaving De Gea helpless. West Ham closed the gap to 3–2.
With approximately 10 minutes remaining, including stoppage time, West Ham pushed for an equalizer. Backed by their home crowd, they mounted wave after wave of attacks, pinning United deep in their half.
United's defense, led by Virgil van Dijk and Harry Maguire, held firm. United weathered the storm and preserved their 3–2 victory until the final whistle.
Premier League Standings
Elsewhere, Manchester City obliterated Watford 8–0 at the Etihad, while Liverpool edged Chelsea 2–1 at Stamford Bridge.
After six rounds, United and Liverpool both maintained perfect records with six wins apiece, sharing the top spot on the Premier League table.
City, having lost to Norwich in the previous round, now trailed the leaders by five points, showing early signs of falling behind in the title race.
Off to Milan
After leading United to six consecutive Premier League victories, Bruno Fernandes flew to Milan with Liu Yimei on a private jet to attend the 2018–2019 FIFA Awards ceremony.
This marked the second consecutive year Bruno and Liu Yimei attended the prestigious event together.
On September 24 at 2:30 AM Beijing time, the 2019 FIFA Awards ceremony took place at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. The event was co-hosted by Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit and Italian TV personality Ilaria D'Amico.
Bruno and Liu Yimei's arrival drew significant attention. This year, Liu Yimei wore a stunning pink dress, contrasting with the white gown she wore the previous year.
The most eye-catching detail, however, was the matching diamond rings on their fingers, confirming that the couple had officially married.
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