The promising Porto striker stretched his tally in the World Cup qualifying phase to four goals to inspire Fernando Santos' charges to a comfortable win in Torsvollur
Portugal's long search for a goal-scoring centre-forward to aid Cristiano Ronaldo could be over after 20-year-old striker Andre Silva netted a first-half hat-trick in Monday's 6-0 World Cup qualifying hammering of the Faroe Islands.
Ronaldo has been relied upon as the country's main scoring threat since Pauleta retired in 2006, but Silva's encouraging emergence continued as he netted three times in just his fourth senior international appearance in Torshavn.
Free-scoring Portugal also hit Andorra for six on Friday, with Ronaldo scoring four and Silva claiming his first international goal, and the Faroe Islands were no better, keeping the visitors at bay for only 12 minutes.
Match Highlights
The first half belonged to Silva, as he scored two more by the 37th minute, before Ronaldo produced a fine strike of his own just after the hour.
The Faroe Islands failed to offer much resistance and Portugal made the scoreline rather more embarrassing in stoppage time, as Joao Moutinho and Joao Cancelo compounded the hosts' misery, with Fernando Santos' men moving on to six points in Group B.
It did not take Portugal and Silva long to pick up where they left off against Andorra, as in-form Porto attacker Silva latched on to the ball after Sonni Nattestad sliced a clearance right into his path and coolly slotted past Gunnar Nielsen.
Silva was in the right place at the right time again in the 22nd minute.
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