Cristiano Ronaldo will look to help Portugal continue atop Group F when it takes on Northern Ireland in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday.
The top team in each UEFA group automatically qualifies for Brazil next summer while the runner-up must settle for a two-legged playoff battle with another also-ran.
Portugal currently sits atop Group F with 14 points, but has played one more match than immediate rivals Israel and Russia. Russia has 12 points and Israel has 11; a win by either team coupled with a Portuguese loss could cripple the Iberians' chances at a World Cup berth.
For Ronaldo, this is the final World Cup that he will get a chance to play in his prime; he has yet to make his presence felt in these qualifiers. While Helder Postiga has put up five goals in seven qualifiers, Ronaldo has failed to score a single tally since the opener against Luxembourg.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland will look to reassert itself in the group. The team only has six points but has managed to stay alive in the tournament. With six games played, Northern Ireland has 12 points left to acquire and could max out with 18 points; a win over Portugal would go a long way toward helping the Irish reach this goal or at least make a run at second. Last time these two sides met, Northern Ireland pushed Portugal to the limit in a 1-1 draw in Portugal. Most recently, Northern Ireland upset Russia 1-0 at home.
Prediction: Portugal manages a 1-0 win thanks to a Ronaldo goal.
Start Time: 2:45 p.m. EST
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