Portugal – Poland 3:1 (October 12, 2024) Match analysis

First-half goals from Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo helped league leaders Portugal to a comfortable 3-1 away Nations League win over Poland on Saturday, continuing their perfect start to the competition with three wins.

Silva gave Portugal the lead after 26 minutes when he netted from a header assist from Bruno Fernandes, before captain Ronaldo scored his 133rd international goal when he doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a first-time shot after Rafael Leão hit the post.

Piotr Zielinski pulled the score back for Poland in the 78th minute with a powerful shot into the net before home defender Jan Bednarek scored an own goal in the final minutes.

Portugal continues to set the pace in Group 1 of League A with nine points, three points ahead of Croatia, who came from behind to beat visitors Scotland 2-1 on Saturday.

Poland, who beat Scotland 3-2 away in their opening game before losing 1-0 in Croatia, are in third place with three points while the Scots have none so far.

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The Poles started on the front foot and top striker Robert Lewandowski almost scored the early lead when he was inches away from a cross when Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa brought the ball to him.

However, Portugal quickly got into the game and Poland goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski had to work early when he blocked Diogo Dalot's shot from close range.

Ronaldo then hit the bottom of the bar as Portugal continued to have most of the ball and the chances continued to arise.

Fernandes tested Skorupski again in the 14th minute with a curling shot from just outside the penalty area and the goalkeeper had to stretch to direct the ball away.

Poland's fragile defense finally capitulated as Silva struck before Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a calm finish.

Leão had won the ball back near the halfway line and slalomed past four defenders before hitting the post from inside the area, leaving Ronaldo to sink the rebound.

The 39-year-old Al Nassr striker, who helped Portugal to 2-1 wins over Scotland and Croatia with a goal each, scored his 11th goal of the season for club and country.

He could have scored a third goal after the restart, but hesitated to finish from inside the penalty area and instead found Fernandes, who sent the ball flying over the crossbar.

Poland got a glimmer of hope when Lewandowski had a chance a minute later when he climbed highest into the penalty area to meet a cross but sent his header narrowly wide of the left post.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez continued to manage Ronaldo's playing time and Diogo Jota replaced him in the 63rd minute.

After playing virtually every minute of every game at this year's European Championships, Ronaldo was replaced by Jota late in the game against Croatia and only started in the second half against Scotland.

Zielinski's strike gave the hosts some momentum but Poland lacked clear chances to equalize before Bednarek's own goal ended their two-year unbeaten home run.