Lisbon, Sep 6: Cristiano Ronaldo’s 900th career goal helped Portugal to a 2-1 win over Croatia in its first Nations League game on Thursday as Diogo Dalot opened the scoring for the hosts and netted an own goal.
Dalot put Portugal ahead in the seventh minute when Bruno Fernandes played a clever chipped pass into his path and the defender went past Borna Sosa before firing his shot through the legs of the keeper.
Ronaldo, who failed to score in Portugal’s five Euro 2024 games, reached his milestone when he got on the end of a perfect cross from Nuno Mendes and the unmarked 39-year-old tapped in from close range to double the lead in the 34th minute.
Croatia pulled one back four minutes from the break when Dalot deflected a sliding effort from Sosa into his net but a scoreless second half gave Portugal a winning start to its campaign. Poland midfielder Nicola Zalewski scored a stoppage-time penalty to earn a 3-2 win over Scotland in its Nations League opener on Thursday after Robert Lewandowski also scored from the spot for the visitor.
Poland took the lead in the eighth minute through Sebastian Szymanski, who received a short pass from Lewandowski and struck from a distance, before Lewandowski doubled the advantage just before the break after Anthony Ralston fouled Zalewski.
Billy Gilmour pulled a goal back seconds after the interval, unleashing a low shot from a rebound, and Scott McTominay levelled in the 76th minute from close range before Zalewski converted the winner after being fouled by Grant Hanley.
Despite a nervy moment after Diogo Dalot’s own goal, Portugal held firm in the second half to claim the all important win.Poland continues its fourth consecutive campaign in League A against Croatia on Sunday when Scotland, playing in the competition’s top tier for the first time, travel to Portugal. (AP)
