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Goncalo Ramos hits hat trick as Portugal rout Switzerland to advance to World Cup quarterfinals

Goncalo Ramos replaced Cristiano Ronaldo and scored a hat trick as Portugal stormed into the World Cup quarterfinals with an emphatic 6-1 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday.

Head coach Fernando Santos made a brave call to drop Ronaldo following a dispute in their last match, but Portugal proved to be free-scoring without him, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Morocco on Saturday.

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Ramos, making his first international start at age 21, opened the scoring at the Lusail stadium with a rocket strike inside goalkeeper Yann Sommer's near post before veteran defender Pepe, 39, became the oldest scorer in a World Cup knockout game with a thumping header.