Portugal

Australia's future in the competition rested with Os Lobos denying the Flying Fijians a point from this final Pool C match, the last of 40 pool stage contests at Rugby World Cup 2023.

That remained a possibility throughout the game, with the 3-3 half-time scoreline raising the prospect of Patrice Lagisquet guiding Portugal to their maiden win in his final match as head coach.

The only scoring in the match came in the 42nd minute when Morocco's Youssef En-Nesyri took a cross from Yahya Attiyat-Allah and managed to get a header past goalkeeper Diego Costa for the sole goal.

Morocco's fierce defence on Sunday morning AEDT limited Portugal to just three shots on goal.

The team's previous tournament wins include victories over Belgium and Spain.

The match also will be remembered as perhaps the end of major international play for superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who was removed from Portugal's starting line-up at the start of the round of 16.

• Goncalo Ramos scored three on first international startPepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao on target in statement Portugal display
• Fernando Santos's team face Morocco in last eight on Saturday
• Portugal 6-1 Switzerland

Goals

Portugal: Goncalo Ramos (17, 51, 67), Pepe (33), Guerreiro (55), Leao (90+2)

Switzerland: Akanji (58)

The Azzurri and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal both finished second in their qualifying groups, behind Switzerland and Serbia respectively.

Italy will host North Macedonia in the play-off first round in March, with Turkey visiting Portugal, before the winners face off for a spot at next year’s finals in Qatar.

The draw means that one of the last two European Championship winners will not be at the next World Cup. Portugal won the Euro 2016 title.

The winners of Portugal’s match with Turkey will host the final-round game in Path C.

Police believe the man, now in jail for a sex crime, was in the area where the girl, then aged three, was last seen.

Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate McCann thanked the police, adding: "All we have ever wanted is to find her."

Police are appealing for information about two vehicles owned by the man.

The day after Madeleine vanished, the suspect transferred a Jaguar car to someone else's name.

Madeleine went missing from an apartment on a Portuguese holiday resort on the evening of 3 May 2007, while her parents were with friends at a nearby tapas bar.

The three heavyweights were drawn together in a tough-looking Group F for next year's tournament, with a play-off contestant still to be added.

France and Germany will enter as winners of the past two World Cups, while Portugal are preparing to defend the trophy they unexpectedly won in 2016.

Santos' side were also crowned inaugural Nations League champions in June but the wily 65-year-old coach quickly positioned his team as underdogs.

"It will be a strong group, two favourites and a candidate," Santos told reporters.

Ronaldo starred for the reigning European champions in the Group B clash in Vilnius, taking his tally to 93 international goals.

The 34-year-old was happy for his team after the huge win lifted second-placed Portugal onto eight points.

"I'm having a good time, but the team was doing very well too," Ronaldo told reporters.

"I am happy and enjoying this moment, not because I scored the goals, but because of the level we have been able to demonstrate in recent years.

"It is up to me to continue helping the national team."

Juventus star Ronaldo has not appeared at international level since the World Cup.

Reports suggested he could return to face Italy and Poland, but Santos has honoured the joint decision not to consider the forward until 2019.

"The only thing I think about Ronaldo is that he should win the Ballon d'Or," Santos replied when asked about Portugal's all-time top scorer.

There are recalls for defenders Jose Fonte and Raphael Guerreiro, along with midfield pair Andre Gomes and Joao Mario.

The usually prolific Ronaldo was off target with a 53rd-minute penalty, awarded after a video-assisted review, as Portugal failed to build on Ricardo Quaresma's first-half stunner in the crucial Group B contest.

That miss from Ronaldo, who was perhaps fortunate not to see red for another VAR check after swinging an arm into the face of Morteza Pouraliganji, was punished when Cedric Soares was pinged for handball after referee Enrique Caceres again went to his video monitor.

Spain led with three minutes to go after Nacho Fernandez hit a wonderful 25-yard drive but Ronaldo was determined to steal the headlines for himself.

And he ended the day with a World Cup match-ball after hitting an outrageous late free-kick to ensure the spoils were shared in this blockbuster clash in Sochi.

Captain Ronaldo had given Portugal a fourth-minute lead from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Madrid team-mate Nacho, restoring the lead thanks to David de Gea's horrible mistake.