Cristiano Ronaldo extended his international goal record to 133 with a key performance in Portugal’s 3-1 victory over Poland in the Nations League on Saturday. The 39-year-old superstar scored his latest milestone goal by capitalizing on a rebound after Rafael Leão’s shot hit the post in the 37th minute, giving Portugal a 2-0 lead following Bernardo Silva’s opener in the 26th minute.
Ronaldo, who faced criticism after failing to score in five appearances during the summer’s European Championship, has found his form in the Nations League. This match marked his third consecutive game with a goal, following his 900th career goal against Croatia and a scoring performance against Scotland last month.
Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martínez opted to substitute Ronaldo with Diogo Jota with just under half an hour remaining. Poland managed to halve the deficit in the 78th minute when midfielder Piotr Zielinski found the net. However, a late own goal by Southampton defender Jan Bednarek sealed Poland’s fate, pushing the score to 3-1 with just two minutes left on the clock.
Despite featuring a strong attacking duo of Robert Lewandowski and Karol Swiderski, Poland struggled to penetrate the Portuguese defense. Martínez praised his team’s preparation and execution, stating, “We worked very hard the last few days, preparing various solutions for this game, and we were able to show it on the pitch. I am really satisfied because we controlled this game.”
Portugal currently leads Group A1 with nine points from three matches, while Croatia follows with six points after a 2-1 comeback victory over Scotland. In that match, Scotland’s Ryan Christie opened the scoring, but Igor Matanovic and Andrej Kramaric secured the win for Croatia. Scotland remains at the bottom of the group with no points.
In other Nations League action, Spain secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Denmark, with Martín Zubimendi starring in place of the injured Rodri. Zubimendi’s powerful volley in the 79th minute proved decisive, highlighting his crucial role in the team’s performance. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente lauded Zubimendi, stating, “Martín is a treasure. With his goal, he will get more attention, but his play means we are privileged to have him at a time when Rodri will be out for a while.”
Spain, the defending Nations League champion, now has seven points in Group A4, while Denmark sits with six points, and Serbia follows with four after a 2-0 victory over Switzerland. The Swiss faced difficulties, including an own goal by Nico Elvedi, as well as a penalty save from Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic against Breel Embolo.
In League C, Kosovo won 2-1 against Lithuania, while Romania thumped Cyprus 3-0. Northern Ireland drew 0-0 with Belarus, and Bulgaria settled for a 0-0 draw at home against Luxembourg.
As the Nations League continues, the performances of these teams and players will be crucial as they vie for top positions in their respective groups.
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