Legendary Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match against Poland on Friday, November 15.
Ronaldo’s goals, combined with Rafa Leao, Bruno Fernandes, and Pedro Neto’s, helped Portugal qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition. Ronaldo’s 87th-minute bicycle kick went viral on social media on Saturday.
Ronaldo’s stunning overhead kick highlighted Portugal’s dominance over Poland. Poland scored a consolation goal in the 88th minute of the match, but that was not near enough to mar Portugal’s emphatic 5-1 win on Friday.
Rafael Leao opened the scoring with a header just before the hour mark, and Ronaldo doubled the lead in the 72nd minute with a calm penalty down the middle. Portugal then struck three times in a clinical eight-minute spell, with Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto, and Ronaldo again getting on the scoresheet. Poland’s Dominik Marczuk netted a late consolation goal in the 88th minute.
Portugal’s coach Roberto Martinez was pleased with his team’s second-half turnaround. “The first half was disappointing, we lost focus and became frustrated. But the second half was the best we’ve had under my management,” he said. “We changed our mentality, upped the intensity, and supported each other. We didn’t allow Poland to play.”
The win extended Portugal’s unbeaten run to the top of the group with 13 points, six ahead of second-place Croatia, who lost 1-0 to Scotland. Poland now sit third, level on four points with Scotland. On the final matchday, Poland will host Scotland, while Portugal travel to Croatia.
Despite missing their all-time top scorer Robert Lewandowski due to a back injury, Poland started brightly. They created the better chances in the first half, with three shots on target compared to Portugal’s none. Bartosz Bereszynski had a header saved by Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 12th minute, and Costa was also called into action to deny Krzysztof Zalewski’s powerful shot from the edge of the box.
Portugal were sluggish in the first 45 minutes, with both Leao and Ronaldo failing to capitalize on good opportunities before the break. However, the hosts came out in the second half with renewed energy. Leao won back possession in his own box, sprinted down the pitch, and delivered a precise cross to set up the opening goal.
Portugal were awarded a penalty after a handball in the box, which Ronaldo converted confidently. The hosts’ dominance continued as Bruno Fernandes struck a powerful shot from distance, which deflected off the inside of the crossbar and into the net to make it 3-0. Pedro Neto added a fourth in the 83rd minute, finishing from a tight angle inside the near post.
Ronaldo then sealed his brace in the 87th minute with an acrobatic overhead kick, bringing his international goal tally to 135. Poland pulled one back through substitute Marczuk, who scored his first-ever international goal in the 88th minute, but it was little more than a consolation.
The win ensures that Portugal, the 2019 Nations League champions, secure a fourth consecutive top-two finish in the competition.