Bruno Fernandes struck twice to send Portugal to a sixth successive World Cup finals.
Fernandes may have struggled at United this season, but showed his enduring quality on the international stage in Porto to seal Portugal's place in Qatar. Goals from the Manchester United playmaker in either half saw Portugal through and denied North Macedonia a World Cup debut and a second major scalp inside a week.
North Macedonia had caused a major upset in the play-off semi-finals by knocking out European champions Italy, courtesy of an added-time goal from Aleksandar Trajkovski. But against Portugal there was to be no repeat of those heroics, as Fernando Santos's side made their superior class tell, to book their place in Friday's draw for the World Cup finals.
