Portugal Held to Draw by Scotland, Spain Advances to Nations League Quarterfinals
Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for his 134th international goal was thwarted as Portugal was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Scotland in the Nations League. Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, the Portuguese attack, led by Ronaldo, failed to find the back of the net.
Ronaldo, who had scored in Portugal’s previous three Nations League matches, was visibly frustrated after the game, sarcastically applauding the referee and waving his arms in disapproval. Portugal’s coach, Fernando Santos, acknowledged the team’s lackluster performance, stating, “We lacked intensity and didn’t attack at the right moments.”
Meanwhile, Spain secured a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Serbia. Álvaro Morata, who had missed a penalty earlier in the match, redeemed himself with a goal in the 65th minute. Aymeric Laporte had opened the scoring for Spain, while Álex Baena added a third from a free kick after Serbia’s Strahinja Pavlovic was sent off.
In other Nations League action, Croatia and Poland played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, with five goals scored in the first half. Kosovo, Romania, and Northern Ireland all recorded victories in their respective matches.