Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name into footballing history on Thursday, scoring his 900th career goal to lead Portugal to a 2-1 victory over Croatia in their Nations League opener.
The 39-year-old superstar reached the milestone in the 34th minute, tapping in from close range after a perfect cross from Nuno Mendes. The goal was a testament to Ronaldo’s enduring brilliance and his ability to find the back of the net even at the twilight of his career.
Portugal had taken an early lead through Diogo Dalot, who fired home in the seventh minute after a clever pass from Bruno Fernandes. However, Dalot’s night took a turn for the worse when he deflected a sliding effort from Borna Sosa into his own net four minutes from the break, giving Croatia a lifeline.
Despite Croatia’s late surge, Portugal held on for a hard-fought victory. The win gives them a strong start to their Nations League campaign, as they look to defend their title.
In the other League A Group 1 game, Poland edged out Scotland 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. The Poles took the lead through Robert Lewandowski, but Scotland fought back to level the scores. However, Poland ultimately prevailed, with goals from Arkadiusz Milik and Krzysztof Piatek securing the victory.
Portugal will host Scotland on Sunday, while Croatia will entertain Poland. Both matches promise to be exciting affairs, as the teams look to make their mark in the Nations League.
