Portugal beat Poland (3-1) in Warsaw on Saturday during the third day of Group A1 of the Nations League. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 26th minute, before Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-0 in the 37th. Piotr Zielinski reduced the gap (78th) but an own goal from Jan Bednarek, in the 88th minute, tipped the scales in favor of the Seleção who made it 3 in 3 days.
Roberto Martinez made four changes from the Portuguese team that beat theScotland : Renato Veiga debuted instead ofAntonio Silvaet Diogo Dalot, Ruben Neves et Cristiano Ronaldo have replaced Nélson Semedo, João Palhinha et Diogo Jota.
Playing at home, Poland tried to take the initiative and even got the first corner. The first shot, however, was the work of the Portuguese Dalot in the 9th minute, but Lukasz Skorupski intervenes. The first big opportunity came in the 10th minute, on a cross from Rafael LeaoRonaldo taking advantage of a rebound off a Polish player to deflect the ball into the Polish goal. In the 14th minute, Neves, on a cross from Pedro Netoheaded the ball away, before Bruno Fernandes sent a shot from half a meter that Skorupski could only push away.
In the 20th minute, the Poles again created danger on the outskirts of the Portuguese penalty area, the set piece from Nuno Mendes canceling the first situation, before Karol Swiderski does not center for Nicola Zaleskiwhose head was not framed.
It feels like you’re on the PlayStation
The Portuguese response was deadly and… with an artistic touch. On a superb pass from Neves, Bruno Fernandesin the area and with his back to goal, took a header from Silva to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
A little more than ten minutes later, while Poland tried to react, Portugal made the score 2-0 on a great individual action from Leão, who did not hesitate to shoot on the other side of the goal, Ronaldo taking charge of finishing with his left foot to put the two teams back on level terms.
In the 40th minute, Poland shot again, the attempt to Sebastian Szymanski passing right next to the post Diogo Costabefore Ronaldo, in the 43rd minute, struck on… Fernandes.
Twice Bruno
In the second half, the Polish coach released Sebastian Walukiewiczalready sanctioned with a yellow card, to bring in Jakub Kiwior. The home side tried to take control of the match again, but in the 54th minute Portugal came close to making it 3-0, with Dalot playing through Ronaldo, who, in a good position to finish, chose to serve Fernandes, who hit the ball badly with his left foot at the entrance to the penalty area.
Poland reacted almost immediately, taking advantage of a false start from Costa, who came up against Ruben Diaset Robert Lewandowski placed a header which grazed the Portuguese post. Just before the hour mark, a new cavalcade from Leão, from left to right, before he delivered a cross to Fernandes whose resumption from the right was repelled by Skorupski.
CR7 time
In the 63rd minute, Martínez renewed the attack with Francisco Trincao in place of Leão and Diogo Jota instead of Ronaldo. Shortly after, in the 65th minute, Mendes managed to throw Fernandes, but the defense covered too much. In the 66th minute, Jakub Mother came into play for Poland, in place of Maximiliano Oyedele. In the 68th minute, Szymanski had space but his shot was blocked by Costa.
Poland believes it 10 minutes
In the 75th minute, Neto shot on the other side of the goal for another good intervention from Skorupski, before Poland made a double change, bringing in Michael Ameyaw in place of Zalewski and Kacper Urbański instead of Świderski.
This same Urbański had an immediate impact on the match, when in the 78th minute he combined with Zielenski who, taking advantage of a rebound, beat Costa to put the match back on track.
In the 82nd minute, Martínez brought on Semedo for Neto, and Poland responded with Krzysztof Piatek instead of Szymański. Portugal had another good chance in the 85th minute, when Fernandes played the ball to Mendes in the box, before Jota, in the next minute, shot wide.
In reality, the tranquility goal came in the 88th minute, when Semedo collected the ball and released Mendes. The full-back’s assist for Jota was deflected into his own net by Bednarek, in a self-goal which led to protests from the Poles and two yellow cards for Piatek and Skorupski.
