November 16, 2024 02:57
GOAL
80’ Bruno Fernandes scores!
November 16, 2024 02:48
GOAL
72’ Cristiano Ronaldo scores
The referee points to the spot after Kiwior is found to have handled the ball off Vitinha’s shot. Ronaldo steps up to take the penalty and calmly buries the ball into the net.
66’
Portugal is now dominating possession, riding high on the momentum found through the goal and the loud cheers from the fans in Porto.
63’
Portugal has found a new source of confidence through the goal and Veiga tries a magnificent from a distance but the ball flies off-target.
November 16, 2024 02:35
GOAL
59’ Portugal scores
Costa starts play quickly and Portugal marches up the pitch. Nuno Mendes sets up Leao in the box, who heads the ball into the net past Bulka and Portugal has finally found the breakthrough.
56’
Poland is being projected to resounding boos by the home fans as the referee gives the visitors a free-kick for a foul by Dalot. Meanwhile, Portugal steals the ball back and tries to go for an attack but Mendes’ run end with a goal kick.
52’
The home crowd has had quite some moments to complain, with the most important one being the penalty appeal by Ronaldo in the last minute of first-half stoppage time -- an appeal which was turned down by the referee.
51’
Portugal looks much more pro-active in the final third than it did in the first half but Poland is clearing its lines well to keep the score locked at 0-0 at the moment.
49’
Leao drops his shoulder to his right and shift just outside the box to try a right-footed curler, which goes wide. Bulka was unmoved.
48’
Portugal starts the second half on the attack, with Bruno’s cross in the box first blocked and then Neto’s floating cross caught by Bulka.
Second half underway!
The second half begins with three changes. Vitinha replaces Joao Neves for Portugal while Sebastian Walukiewicz and Kamil Piatkowski replace Jan Bednarek and Dominik Marczuk, respectively.
November 16, 2024 02:06
HALFTIME
Nothing to separate the two sides at the break!
A tale of missed opportunities sees the contest remain goalless after the first 45 minutes plus stoppage time.
November 16, 2024 02:04
YELLOW CARD
45+1’ Golden chance for Ronaldo to score!
Bruno Fernandes floats in a gorgeous ball on the far post for Leao, who serves it on a platter for Ronaldo to score but Bednarek makes a block to deny a certain goal. Ronaldo thinks it was a foul and appeals furiously for a penalty but his fury is acknowledged by the referee with a yellow card.
Suspension for Bruno Fernandes
In case you missed it, Bruno Fernandes got a yellow card in the 25th minute, which means he would be suspended for Portugal’s next Nations League match against Croatia.
42’ End-to-end action
Neto gets the ball to Bruno, who tries to set up Leao on the far post. But Leao’s header is too high and fails to create any real trouble for the visiting side.
41’ Chance for Poland!
Poland attacks again and this time a cross from the left is deflected out by Dalot. The corner kick sees Piatek get a head to the ball but no direction at all as the ball goes out for a goal kick.
38’ Piatek almost scores!
Piatek gets the ball off Kaminsky and then keeps Veiga at bay to launch a shot, which drifts late to go just wide off-target. It is Poland which has had the better chances in this match so far.
36’
Poland’s injury problems are only exacerbating at the moment with Taras Romanczuk on the ground. After medical attention from his team, he his back on his foot.
35’
Veiga clears the ball in the midfield and slips out of the field. There is no injury and the match resumes immediately. The contest, for now, looks well balanced between the two sides with the score 0-0.
32’ Forced change for Poland!
Kaminsky replaces Bereszynski, who looks to have pulled a muscle after the chance involving him and Nuno Mendes minutes ago.
In: Yakub Kaminsky, Out: B. Bereszynski
31’
Leao gets the ball along the left flank and marches up the pitch. He tries to set up Ronaldo in the centre but Kiwior spoils the party with a timely interception.
28’ Mendes saves Portugal’s blushes
Poland attacks against the run of play, with Zalewski making a run across the park. He sends Bernardo Silva to the cleaners, marches into the final third and sets up Berszisnky on his right.
He tries a low cross for Bogusz but Nuno Mendes makes a block at the eleventh hour to deny a certain opening goal for Poland.
27’
Bereszynski carries the ball along the right flank and wards off his marker to deliver a cross in the centre. However, there is no one to receive it and another chance for the visitors goes begging.
23’
Ronaldo steps up to take the free-kick but the ball sails over the net into the crowd. The Portuguese legend had found the net from a similar position so many times in the past. Not this time though.
22’
Ronaldo, Mendes and Leao try to combine along the left flank but Ronaldo’s mispass gifts the all to the opponent. However, Ronaldo is fouled in front of the box to give Portugal a free-kick.
20’
Poland is marching men forward with Bereszysnki whipping in a ball from the right, which Portugal had almost cleared when Zalewski tries a hit from outside the box, forcing a save by Costa.
17’
Portugal is resorting to zonal marking to deny space to its opponent, which still finds a way, with Bogusz carrying the ball in the final third but his cross is intercepted by Silva for a corner.
Zielinski takes it but Portugal gets a free-kick for a foul on one of its players in the box.
14’
Chance for Portugal to attack. Bruno gets the ball on the right flank and whips the ball into the box. But the ball fails to find a head to connect and Leao misses it too. Seconds later, Bruno gets on the receiving end of a chance wherein Nunes’ cross misses him by a whisker.
12’
Action at the other end! Costa’s goal kick ends on Polish feet but Portugal’s defenders get the ball back. Poland steals the ball back and goes for an attack but the header is finally saved by Costa.
8’
Leao tries to get to the loose ball in the final third and is pushed to the ground for a foul. Portugal’s free-kick is cleared by Poland but it gets a corner in the next minute. That too ends to nothing as one of Poland’s defenders is fouled in the box.
7’
Portugal is unbeaten in the Nations League, with three wins and a draw so far and has come into the match after a draw with Scotland.
4’
Poland tries to attack on the counter, with Zalewski putting in a cross from the left but Costa catches the ball to put the attack to bed.
3’
Portugal tries the long ball approach seconds later, with Bruno Fernandes trying to get to he bottom of a long ball along the right flank. However, he is surrounded by two Polish defenders.
2’
Portugal is looking to enjoy early possession as Leao and Ronaldo pair up in the midfield but Poland forces the host back into its own box.
Match begins!
The players after the national anthem take their positions. Portugal starts in its home kit while Poland begins in its away kit of white. Ronaldo leads the host side while Poland has a two-player attack in front.
Minutes to kick-off!
The players of both teams are done with their final warm ups and have returned to their dressing rooms. The fans are almost set for the game and only minutes remain for the match to begin!
Why is Lewandowski not starting?
With four points from as many games, the Poles remains third in their group and comes into the match after a 3-3 draw with Croatia, wherein it scored a late equaliser off Sebastian Szymanski.
Starting line-ups: Poland
Bulka - Piatkowski, Bednarek, Kiwior - Zalewski, Zielinski, Romanczuk, Szymanski, Bererszynski - Urbanski, Piatek
Starting line-ups: Portugal
Costa - Dalot, Silva, Veiga, Mendes - Bernardo, Neves, Fernandes - Neto, Ronaldo, Leao
Match Preview
Portugal will look to continue its unbeaten run in this edition of the UEFA Nations League when it hosts Poland at the Estádio do Dragao in Porto on Friday.
The team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo was knocked out of the 2024 European Championship by France in the quarterfinals but has looked in good touch since, winning thrice in four games. However, it was held to a goalless draw by Scotland in its previous match and will hope to return to winning ways at home.
Ronaldo has six goals and two assists for his Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr and is expected to lead the attack in a 4-3-3 shape. Having won the European Championship in 2016, the 39-year-old will hope to steer his country to another international trophy.
Poland, on the other hand, is struggling for form in the Nations League, failing to win any game since its first match against Scotland, which it won 2-1 on the road. Its hopes of a resurgence remains scarce, with its captain and record goal scorer Robert Lewandowski ruled out with an injury.
