Nations League Round up: Cristiano Ronaldo fires Portugal to quarters; Spain and Scotland survive tests
Portugal, Spain, and Scotland secured vital UEFA Nations League wins, with Portugal reaching the quarterfinals, Spain maintaining their unbeaten run, and Scotland edging 10-man Croatia to keep their hopes alive.
FollowImage Credit: Getty Images
Friday’s UEFA Nations League action delivered drama, goals, and pivotal moments as top nations battled for crucial points. Portugal, Spain, and Scotland secured vital UEFA Nations League wins, with Portugal reaching the quarterfinals, Spain maintaining their unbeaten run, and Scotland edging 10-man Croatia to keep their hopes alive.
Here's how the matches unfolded:
Image Credit: Getty Images
Portugal Thrash Poland to Reach Quarterfinals
Portugal stormed into the Nations League quarterfinals with a commanding 5-1 win over Poland in Lisbon. Despite dominating possession with 70%, the Selecão struggled in the first half, failing to register a shot on target as Poland’s Krzysztof Piątek and Piotr Zielinski threatened to cause an upset.
The second half, however, saw Portugal shift gears. Nuno Mendes’ brilliant run and cross found Rafael Leao, whose diving header broke the deadlock. Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the lead with a penalty, marking another historic moment in the stadium where he scored his first international goal two decades ago.
Bruno Fernandes added a spectacular long-range strike before Pedro Neto latched onto a Ronaldo pass to score the fourth. Ronaldo then delivered a signature bicycle kick to complete the rout. Poland managed a consolation goal through Dominik Marczuk, denying Portugal a clean sheet.
With this victory, Portugal tops Group A1, followed by Croatia, Poland, and Scotland. A tight battle remains for the second spot with one match to go.
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Spain Hold On Against Denmark
Spain secured their quarterfinal berth with a 2-1 victory over Denmark in Copenhagen. The reigning European champions capitalized on a defensive error by Jannik Vestergaard, allowing Mikel Oyarzabal to score the opener early on.
Denmark struggled to create chances, and Spain doubled their lead in the second half when Dani Olmo’s incisive pass set up Ayoze Perez for a cool finish.
Despite substitutions shaking up the Danish attack, Gustav Isaksen pulled one back late after a sloppy back pass from Spain. However, the goal proved insufficient for a Danish comeback.
Spain remains unbeaten and tops Group A4, while Denmark holds second place, just two points ahead of Serbia. Switzerland trails in fourth.
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Scotland Edge 10-Man Croatia in Cagey Contest
In a tense affair at Hampden Park, Scotland earned a vital 1-0 win over 10-man Croatia. The hosts struggled to capitalize on their chances, with Scott McTominay testing Croatia’s goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski but failing to score.
Croatia came close with Andrej Kramarić and Luka Sučić missing key opportunities. However, Sucic’s red card for two quick yellow cards just before halftime turned the game in Scotland’s favor.
After a frustrating second half, Liverpool’s Ben Doak forced a save from Kotarski, with the rebound falling to substitute John McGinn, who volleyed home the winner.
Scotland’s win keeps the race for Group A1’s second spot alive, with only three points separating second-placed Croatia from fourth-placed Scotland.
Image Credit: Getty Images
A look at other results:
Scotland 1-1 Serbia
Northern Island 2-0 Belarus
Luxembourg 0-1 Bulgaria
Romania 0-0 Kosovo (Abandoned)
San Marino 1-1 Gibraltar
Cyprus 2-1 Lithuania
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