LISBON.- Under the command of the new coach Jorge Jesus and led on the court by the tireless Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal began the defense of the title of the League of Nations with a 1-0 victory against Welshthis Thursday in Lisbon.
The Portuguese team added the first three points in Group A4 of the Nations League thanks to a solitary goal from Joao Felix in the first half (22′) and tied the score with Norwaywho defeated 3-2 Denmark before the co-leaders face off in Oslo next Sunday.
“We scored a goal and we didn’t concede any. It’s something very positive,” he summarized to the BBC after the game. Bruno Fernandesone of the heavyweights of the Seleçao.
“I think it was a very good match. We had control and had many chances, but we were not able to score more goals. We wanted the three points and we got them,” added the midfielder of the Manchester United.
Portugal began the match clearly dominating and having the first scoring chances, including two from Cristiano Ronaldo in the first quarter of an hour, until they obtained the award for their greatest dominance with João Felix’s great goal, with a right cross from the edge of the area (22′).
Ronaldo mistaken before the goal
Wales hardly created any danger and Ronaldo was insistently searching for the goal to increase his personal tally and continue getting closer to the barrier of 1,000 goals in his career.
At the beginning of the second part, the former real Madrid and Manchester Unitedamong others, had a very clear opportunity in a center at half height of Pedro Neto which Ronaldo sent over the crossbar (48′).
The public in the stadium José Alvalade of Lisbonwhere Ronaldo took his first steps as a professional in the Sportingburst with joy when the idol finally managed to send the ball into the back of the net, with a cross shot… but the VAR He came into action to cancel the goal for offside and nip the local joy in the bud (60′).
Just five minutes later, Jorge Jesús changed his captain, so Ronaldo will have to wait to get close to scoring a thousand goals: he still has 21 left, as he has accumulated 979.
With the departure of the captain it seemed that Portugal ended the game, allowing the Welsh to take a step forward and get closer to the home team’s goal with some danger, who ended up asking for time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who on Wednesday had assured that he prefers not to think yet about a possible retirement from the Portuguese team, could not hide a gesture of certain disappointment when he left his armband to Bruno Fernandes, after having failed to score.
