LONDON: While Cristiano Ronaldo kept moving up Europe’s all-time scorers list on Saturday, a demoralising loss to Bulgaria endangered the Netherlands’ World Cup qualification.

Ronaldo moved into fourth place on the all-time scorers list for European nations with two goals in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Hungary as the European champions stayed in second spot behind Switzerland in Group ‘B’.

Ronaldo’s 70 in 137 appearances trail only Miroslav Klose (71), Sandor Kocsis (75) and Ferenc Puskas (84).

The Netherlands’ hopes of reaching the World Cup finals suffered a major setback when the three-time runners-up slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria.

The loss left the Dutch six points behind Group ‘A’ leaders France, who beat Luxembourg 3-1, and down in fourth spot, three back from Sweden and two off Bulgaria with just the group winners guaranteed a place in the 2018 finals in Russia.

“What can I tell you? We came here with good intentions, but it has become a nightmare,” Dutch skipper Arjen Robben said.

Elsewhere, Belgium needed a goal two minutes from time by Romelu Lukaku to salvage a 1-1 draw against nine-man Greece as they stayed two points clear in Group ‘H’, although Roberto Martinez’s team lost their 100 percent record in the process.

In Lisbon, Portugal saw off Hungary, a team they shared six goals with at Euro 2016.

The win kept Portugal in second place in their group, three points behind Switzerland, who earlier preserved their 100 percent record with a fifth win in five games, a 1-0 home victory against Latvia.

Porto striker Andre Silva opened the scoring after 30 minutes, converting a pass from Raphael Guerreiro for his fifth goal in six games for Portugal.

Six minutes later, skipper Ronaldo doubled the lead with a superb left-footed finish and the Real Madrid superstar made it 3-0 on 65 minutes with a clever free-kick.

“We started off slowly, but the first goal gave our confidence a boost and the other goals came naturally,” Ronaldo told Portuguese television.

Still stuck at the foot of the table, Andorra nevertheless savored the end to a losing streak that had lasted 58 competitive matches stretching over 11 years after drawing with Faroe Islands 0-0.

Bulgaria stunned the Dutch with two goals in the first 20 minutes in Sofia, both coming from Spas Delev.

Delev pounced on a mistake by 17-year-old Matthijs De Ligt, Holland’s youngest debutant since 1931, who misjudged a pass and allowed the striker to slot the ball past Jeroen Zoet.

Delev then made it 2-0 when he curled a shot past De Ligt’s attempted block and into the bottom corner of Zoet’s goal.

Injuries had forced coach Danni Blind to make the risky choice of De Ligt.

After the stunning loss, the manager took the blame.

“I blame myself,” Blind told national broadcaster NOS, adding that, “It can’t go on like this. Things have to change.”

The Netherlands, which failed to qualify for the European Championship last year, looks likely to struggle to reach the World Cup.

France stayed on top of the group with 13 points after beating Luxembourg 3-1.

The 1998 champions and last year’s Euro 2016 runners-up saw Olivier Giroud open the scoring in Luxembourg just before the half-hour mark.

Luxembourg levelled after 34 minutes thanks to Aurelien Joachim’s penalty, his country’s first goal against France in 39 years.

But the minnows’ joy was short-lived as Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann restored France’s lead, also from the spot, just four minutes later.

Arsenal star Giroud scored his second of the evening after 77 minutes after being set up by Benjamin Mendy.

“With us, Olivier often scores goals even if he is having a difficult time with his club. We gave him the crosses and he was very efficient,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

Sweden are second with 10 points after thrashing Belarus 4-0 , with Emil Forsberg scoring twice. The Netherlands slid to fourth with seven points, behind Bulgaria with nine.

Romelu Lukaku saved Belgium’s place at the top of Group ‘H’, snatching an 89th-minute equaliser in Brussels after being frustrated all night by an unyielding Greece defence.

Lukaku chested down the fall and fired past goalkeeper Stefano Kapino with only two minutes of regular time remaining.

Greece finished the game with nine men, but surprised the favorites just 20 seconds into the second half when Costas Mitroglou caught defenders off guard and scored.

Belgium were left with 13 points to Greece’s 11.

Bosnia closed to 10 points after a 5-0 rout of Gibraltar with zero points. Estonia and Cyprus have four points each after a 0-0 draw.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2017