Portugal extended their perfect start to the UEFA Nations League campaign with a solid 3-1 victory over Poland, thanks to first-half goals from Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Group A1 leaders now have three consecutive wins, solidifying their position at the top of the table. Silva opened the scoring after 26 minutes, capitalizing on an assist from Bruno Fernandes, who headed the ball into his path. Ronaldo then doubled the advantage just 11 minutes later, securing his 133rd international goal with a precise first-time strike following a rebound off the post from a Rafael Leão attempt.
Poland managed to pull one back in the 78th minute through Piotr Zielinski, who fired a powerful shot into the top of the net. However, any hope of a comeback was dashed when defender Jan Bednarek scored an unfortunate own goal in the closing moments of the match. With this win, Portugal remains the pace-setter in League A Group One, accumulating nine points. They are now three points clear of Croatia, who earlier in the day came from behind to beat Scotland 2-1. Poland, on the other hand, sits third in the group with three points, while Scotland remains at the bottom without any points.
From the start of the match, Poland showed intent, pressing forward and creating opportunities. Their talisman, Robert Lewandowski, nearly opened the scoring early on when he came close to connecting with a cross, but Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa reacted quickly to deny him. Despite Poland’s early pressure, Portugal began to dominate possession and create chances. Diogo Dalot had an effort saved by Poland’s goalkeeper, Lukasz Skorupski, while Ronaldo came even closer when his shot hit the crossbar.
As Portugal grew into the game, Fernandes tested Skorupski with a curling shot from outside the box, forcing the keeper to make a diving save. Poland’s defensive frailties were eventually exposed when Silva broke the deadlock, followed by Ronaldo’s calm and composed finish. Leão played a crucial role in Ronaldo’s goal, as he weaved past four defenders before striking the post, setting up the rebound for Ronaldo to tap in.
Ronaldo is 133rd Goal Helps Portugal Secure Nations League Win Against Poland
Ronaldo, who has been in excellent form for both his club Al-Nassr and his national team, netted his 11th goal of the season across all competitions. He has been instrumental in Portugal’s Nations League campaign, having also scored in their previous victories over Scotland and Croatia. After the break, Ronaldo had the opportunity to score another, but hesitated in front of goal, opting to pass to Fernandes, whose shot flew over the bar.
Poland responded with some attacking momentum as Lewandowski came close to narrowing the deficit again, sending a header just wide of the post. Despite their efforts, the Polish side couldn’t break down Portugal’s defense. Coach Roberto Martinez managed Ronaldo’s minutes, substituting him in the 63rd minute for Diogo Jota, continuing his strategy of rotating players to keep them fresh. Martinez had previously employed a similar approach, resting Ronaldo in the later stages of the game against Croatia and only bringing him on in the second half of the match against Scotland.
In the end, Portugal’s experience and quality shone through as they comfortably saw out the game, maintaining their perfect record in the Nations League. With three wins in three games, they are now in a strong position to advance from the group and continue their pursuit of another major international trophy.
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