Euro 2020 qualifiers: Cristiano Ronaldo one short of 700 career goals after Portugal's win over Luxembourg

Juventus forward hit his 94th goal for the European champions and took his overall tally to 699 when he scored in the second half

Group B - Portugal v Luxembourg - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - October 11, 2019 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts REUTERS

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) vies with Luxembourg's midfielder Lars Gerson during the Euro 2020 qualifier football match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AFP

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, right, dribbles past Luxembourg's Leandro Barreiro Martins during the Euro 2020 group B qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AP Photo

Portugal's Bernardo Silva, left, challenges for the ball with Luxembourg's Daniel Da Mota during the Euro 2020 group B qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AP Photo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after a missed opportunity to score REUTERS

Portugal''s Gonçalo Guedes (L) celebrates with Danilo Pereira after scoring during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Portugal's head coach Fernando Santos gestures during the Euro 2020 qualifier football match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AFP

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo in action with Luxembourg's Laurent Jans REUTERS

Portugal`s Nelson Semedo (R) in action against Luxembourg`s Gerson Rodrigues during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo (R) talks with Polish referee Daniel Stefanski during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Portugal`s Cristiano Ronaldo (2R) in action during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Portugal's Joao Felix, second from right, challenges for the ball with Luxembourg's Florian Bohnert, second from left, and Luxembourg's Laurent Jans, right, during the Euro 2020 group B qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AP Photo

Portugal`s Bruno Fernandes (L) in action against Luxemburg`s Lars Gerson during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Luxembourg's Leandro Barreiro Martins, right, challenges for the ball with Portugal's Nelson Semedo during the Euro 2020 group B qualifying soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AP Photo

Portugal's forward Joao Felix (L) vies with Luxembourg's midfielder Leandro Barreiro during the Euro 2020 qualifier group B football match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AFP

Portugal's head coach Fernando Santos reacts during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying round Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Portugal's forward Joao Felix (R) vies with Luxembourg's defender Maxime Chanot during the Euro 2020 qualifier group B football match between Portugal and Luxembourg at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. AFP

epa07913917 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) in action against Luxemburg's Anthony Moris (L) during the UEFA 2020 Qualifying round - Group B soccer match between Portugal and Luxembourg at Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. EPA

Cristiano Ronaldo moved to within one of 700 career goals on Friday when the Juventus forward was on target for Portugal in a 3-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win over Luxembourg.

Ronaldo hit his 94th goal for the reigning European champions and took his overall career tally to 699 when he scored in the second half after Bernardo Silva had opened the scoring in the first period. Goncalo Guedes scored the third in the 89th minute.

The three points keep Portugal in second place in Group B, five points behind Ukraine who defeated Lithuania 2-0. The two meet in Kiev on Monday.

"In the first 25 minutes we were very good, very dynamic and created chances," said Fernando Santos, who was marking his fifth anniversary as Portugal manager.

"Then we lost depth, Luxembourg became more comfortable but never created opportunities. After the break, we started well and I think we quickly controlled the game, but after the second goal, the players started thinking ahead to Ukraine."

Portugal went ahead at the Estadio Jose Alvalade home of Sporting Lisbon in the 16th minute.

Barcelona defender Nelson Semedo's effort was only parried by Luxembourg goalkeeper Anthony Moris and Manchester City midfielder Silva was on hand to sweep in the opener.

It was a second goal in three internationals for Silva who arrived in Portugal under a cloud having been charged with misconduct by the English Football Association over a controversial social media post comparing City teammate Benjamin Mendy with a black cartoon character.

At the other end, it wasn't until the 35th minute that Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio was called into action for the first time to deny Vincent Thill, whose brother Olivier was also in the Luxembourg starting line-up.

Ronaldo had his first real chance of the second half but his ambitious overhead kick was easily dealt with by Moris.

However, he made no mistake in the 65th minute when he took his international tally to 94 as he stole the ball off Maxime Chanot before lobbing it over Moris.

The 34-year-old is now just 15 goals behind the all-time international record of 109 held by former Iran striker Ali Daei.

There was time for Portugal to add a third in the dying moments through Guedes.