Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show with a stunning brace as Portugal demolished Poland 5-1 to secure top spot in their Nations League group.
The visitors, needing a win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, surprisingly dominated the first half. Bartosz Bereszynski and Krzysztof Piatek came closest to breaking the deadlock, but Poland’s efforts were ultimately undone by Portugal’s second-half resurgence.
Roberto Martinez’s side emerged from the interval transformed, and Rafael Leao’s brilliant breakaway goal in the 59th minute sparked a devastating onslaught. Leao combined superbly with Nuno Mendes to leave Poland’s defence reeling.
Ronaldo doubled Portugal’s lead from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute, after Jakub Kiwior’s handball in the box. Bruno Fernandes then sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike eight minutes later, leaving Poland’s hopes in tatters.
Pedro Neto added a fourth in the 83rd minute with a thunderous finish, before Ronaldo capped off the rout with an acrobatic bicycle kick shortly after. Poland grabbed a consolation strike in the 88th minute through Dominik Marczul, but it was too little, too late.
The emphatic win ensures Portugal finish first in League A Group 1 with a game to spare, cementing their position as one of the favourites for the Nations League title.
With this convincing victory, Martinez’s men have sent a strong message to their rivals, and Ronaldo’s scintillating form will only boost their confidence heading into the knockout stages.
Image Credit: AFP