Portugal 5-1 Poland: Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes on track as UEFA Nations League knockout spot clinched – Eurosport

Portugal scored 5 second-half targets as they thumped Poland in Porto to qualify for the knockout phases of the UEFA Nations League.

After a disappointing opening interval from Roberto Martinez’s facet, a Cristiano Ronaldo double and strikes from Rafael Leao, Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto ensured they may end high of Group A1.

Leao opened the scoring for the hosts simply earlier than the hour mark as he headed house from a Nuno Mendes cross after beginning the transfer with an outstanding run from inside his personal space into the Polish half.

Ronaldo doubled their lead through a penalty earlier than Fernandes added a 3rd with an outstanding strike from the sting of the field that crashed off the underside of the crossbar.

Neto made it 4 with a wise end inside the realm earlier than skipper Ronaldo accomplished the five-star second-half show with a wonderfully-executed bicycle kick from shut vary.

The 39-year-old has now scored 5 targets in Portugal’s 5 matches of their Nations League marketing campaign and is high scorer in League A of the competitors.

Dominik Marczuk received one again for the guests with a well-taken end from the sting of the field however with two minutes left on the clock it was nothing greater than a comfort.

Portugal knew {that a} win can be sufficient to safe qualification to the quarter-finals, however with Scotland beating Croatia within the different recreation of the group, the victory ensures high spot for Martinez’s facet.

As for Poland, they’re now stage on factors with Steve Clarke’s Scotland on the foot of the group and the 2 nations will go head-to-head on Monday in a battle to keep away from computerized relegation.

Regardless of the emphatic and ruthless second half from the hosts, it was Poland who have been arguably the higher facet within the opening interval and maybe deserved the lead on the break.

They constantly made threatening in-roads into the Portuguese field and Bartosz Bereszynski ought to have opened the scoring with a free header within the space earlier than Krzysztof Piatek went inches extensive with an effort from the sting of the field.

Portugal’s finest and solely actual clear-cut probability of the half got here within the closing phases as Ronaldo prodded over from a matter of yards out from a Leao header again throughout the six-yard field. It was a let-off for the guests however an indication of issues to return.

Portugal got here out for the second half and have been immediately a reworked facet. Neto and Leao have been instantly threatening and it was simply 14 minutes after the break that the latter broke the impasse.

Following Ronaldo’s penalty it took Martinez’s males simply quarter-hour to increase their benefit to 5 as they scored in what felt like each assault.

Regardless of being concerned in simply one of many 5 targets, Leao’s header to interrupt the impasse was definitely crucial one with it managing to deflate the visiting facet.

The winger was Portugal’s shiny spark in a tough opening interval as he prompted issues for the defenders down Poland’s proper and his purpose was the proper demonstration of his skill to drive with the ball at his ft to hold his facet up the pitch.

Portugal: Costa 6, Dalot 6, Silva 6, Veiga 6, Mendes 7, Fernandes 7, J.Neves 6, B.Silva 6, Leao 8*, Ronaldo 8, Neto 8. Subs: Felix 5, Samu Costa 5, Vitinha 7, Trincao 5, Tavares N/A.

Poland: Bulka 5, Piatkowski 5, Bednarek 5, Kiwior 6, Bereszynski 6, Bogusz 5, Romanczuk 6, Zielinski 6, Zalewiski 7, Piatek 6, Urbanski 5. Subs: Kaminski 6, Walukiewicz 5, Buksa 5, Kozubal 4, Marczuk 7.

59′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 1-0 POLAND (LEAO): Leao drives from inside his personal field earlier than feeding Mendes to the left of him. The wing-back returns the favour as he digs out a cross that finds the pinnacle of Leao who heads house previous Bulka.

70′ – PENALTY FOR PORTUGAL: Vitinha from the sting of the field slips a intelligent through-ball into Dalot on the sting of the six-yard field however his effort is blocked by the arm of Kiwior and the penalty is given.

72′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 2-0 POLAND (RONALDO): It is the captain who steps up for the hosts and he simply clips his penalty down the centre of the purpose with Bulka diving to the best and that’s absolutely job completed.

80′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 3-0 POLAND (FERNANDES): Vitinha pulls off a wise flip in midfield earlier than feeding Fernandes. He drives to the sting of the field earlier than unleashing a thunderous effort that finds the highest left nook because it crashes off the underside of the crossbar.

83′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 4-0 POLAND (NETO): Portugal are operating riot! Ronaldo slips a wonderful ball into Neto in the best of the field. He takes one contact to collect it in his path earlier than putting house on the close to publish.

87′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 5-0 POLAND (RONALDO): WOW! That is getting foolish now. Trincao and Vitinha mix in the best of the field. The latter stands up a cross to the again publish the place Ronaldo is ready to execute an outstanding bicycle kick to get his second and Portugal’s fifth.

89′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 5-1 POLAND (MARCZUK): It is raining targets in Porto. Portugal have their pocket picked on the sting of their field as they appear to play out. Marczuk works area for the shot and fires effectively into the underside proper nook.