Ronaldo strikes late to seal Portugal win over Scotland
Cristiano Ronaldo's late strike sealed Portugal's 2-1 win
over Scotland as the 901st goal of the striker's extraordinary career completed
a stirring fightback in Sunday's Nations League clash.
Ronaldo had reached 900 career goals with his 131st
international strike in Thursday's victory over Croatia.
The 39-year-old showed no signs of being sated by that
incredible milestone as he came off the bench to lift Portugal to their second
successive win in Nations League Group A1.
The Estadio da Luz in Lisbon rose in unison to chant the
relentless Al-Nassr forward's name after he struck with two minutes to play.
On his 30th birthday, Manchester United midfielder Bruno
Fernandes fired Portugal's second half equaliser after his former Old Trafford
team-mate Scott McTominay gave Scotland a surprise early lead.
For Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, victory over Scotland
could mean some awkward silences at his next family gathering.
Martinez met his wife Beth while playing for Scottish club
Motherwell in 2001 and joked before the match he would be delighted to upset
his father-in-law by beating Scotland.
He did exactly that, leaving Scotland still waiting for
their first win over Portugal.
Beaten 3-2 by Poland at Hampden Park on Thursday, Scotland
have won just once in 14 matches, a barren sequence that included their
lacklustre failure to make it out of the group stage at Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke's men have lost six of their nine matches in
2024, with their only victory coming in a friendly against Gibraltar in June.
"When you bring quality players from the bench like
Roberto can do you always know there's a risk," Clarke said.
"I'm really disappointed for my players because I think
they deserved to get something from the game.
"But with the amount of balls that go into the box, you
know one of them can go in the back of the net and that's what happened to
us."
Scotland took a shock lead in the seventh minute when Kenny
McLean's superb cross picked out McTominay, who made a perfectly-timed run to
plant his stooping header past Diogo Costa from six yards.
McTominay, who recently moved from United to Napoli, has 10
goals in his last 12 competitive appearances for Scotland.
Rafael Leao threatened an immediate equaliser with a driving
run but his shot rippled into the side-netting.
Leao went even closer as he cut in from the left flank for a
fierce drive that Angus Gunn pushed away at full stretch.
Antonio Silva wasted a chance created by Leao as he headed
over from the AC Milan forward's dinked cross.
As the Portugal pressure mounted, Gunn made a fine save
after Diogo Jota connected with Fernandes's incisive pass.
It was no surprise to see Ronaldo sent on for the second
half and Portugal were immediately improved by his presence.
Taking aim from long-range in the 53rd minute, Fernandes's
25-yard blast should have been routine for Gunn but his weak attempted save
allowed the ball to squirm into the net.
Ronaldo's audacious backheel gave Joao Felix a sight of
goal, only for Gunn to make amends for his earlier error with an excellent
stop.
Gunn saved again from Felix's diving header before Ronaldo
turned the rebound against the post.
In the next attack, Ronaldo's glancing header hit the post
and was clawed off the line by Gunn before Felix could convert.
Portugal's late surge finally produced the winner in the 88th
minute.
Nuno Mendes whipped a cross into the six-yard box, where
Ronaldo was lurking to deliver the knockout blow with a typically predatory
tap-in.
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