Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly fired Portugal to the World Cup scoring a treble to lead his side to a 3-2 win over Sweden after he had scored the only goal in the first-leg.
Bruno Alves forced the first save of the game when the defender rose highest to get his head onto a Jao Moutinho free-kick, but Sweden goalkeeper Isaksson pulled off a brilliant save to deny the Portuguese from taking a strangle hold on the play-off tie.
After a very tentative start by both sides the game started to open up as the first-half came to a close.
Ronaldo had his first real chance with just over 30 minutes played, the Real Madrid superstar cut in from the right and let fly with his left, but Isaksson got down well and saved comfortably.
A minute later and Ronaldo got on the end of a cut-back from Perreira, but the first-leg goal-scorer could not keep his shot down and blasted over.
The Portuguese skipper was involved once more in the 38th minute, this time he broke down the right and floated a cross in for striker Hugo Almeida, but Portugal’s big centre-forward could only head into the side netting.
Sweden then had the last two chances of the first-half, first Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up Kim Kallstrom who tested Portugal keeper Patricio with a low left-footed effort, and then Sweden’s captain hitting a first time volley high over the bar after a corner.
After a tentative first-half the second-half started off with a bang as both sides tried to book their place to Brazil.
Who else but Ronaldo scored his 45th goal for Portugal five minutes into the second-half, the Real super star latched onto a great pass by Moutinho and fired a low left-footed shot past Isaksson to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The goal seemed to breathe life into the game as Sweden now needed to score three goals to qualify and their own captain fantastic stepped up to equalise. The PSG frontman got on the end of a corner to give Sweden hope in the 68th minute.
Ibrahimovic then gave the hosts a lead after smashing a low free-kick from the edge of the box in the final 20 minutes of the play-off to send the Swedish fans into delirium.
But Ronaldo was to have the last laugh as he broke Swedish hearts by slotting home his second of the game after getting on the end of a Hugo Almeida pass just five minutes after Ibrahimovic’s goal.
The Portuguese goal-machine then completed his hat-trick and sent Portugal to Brazil when he combined well with Moutinho once more, before rounding the Swedish keeper and firing home.
Next year’s World Cup will be missing a great player in Sweden’s captain Ibrahimovic but after the two legged play-off the score reads CR7 4-2 Ibra.
