In the UEFA Nations League, Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal couldn’t secure a win against Croatia. Meanwhile, Spain narrowly edged out Switzerland, and the lowest-ranked team, San Marino, made history.
Portugal Stumbles Without Ronaldo
Portugal had demolished Robert Lewandowski’s Poland 5-0 in their previous game, with Ronaldo scoring a brace, including a stunning bicycle kick. However, Ronaldo was rested for their final League A Group 1 match against Croatia.
Despite taking an early lead, Portugal couldn’t hold on and settled for a 1-1 draw. João Félix scored for Portugal in the 33rd minute, but Croatian defender Joško Gvardiol equalized in the 65th.
The draw didn’t impact Portugal’s standings. They remain comfortably on top with 14 points from six matches, followed by Croatia with 8 points and Scotland with 7.
Elsewhere, Scotland defeated Poland 2-1, adding to the drama of the group.
Reflecting on the draw, Manchester City defender Gvardiol said, “It felt like two different matches for us. In the first half, we were tired and needed adjustments. But the second half was much better.”
Spain’s Nail-Biting Victory
Spain emerged victorious in a thrilling Nations League encounter, beating Switzerland 3-2.
Pedri missed a penalty in the 32nd minute, but Yeremy Pino quickly put Spain ahead moments later. Switzerland equalized in the 63rd minute, only for Spain to regain the lead through Bryan Gil five minutes later.
Switzerland fought back with a penalty scored by Andy Zeqiri in the 85th minute, bringing the game to a dramatic 2-2 tie. Just when it seemed the match would end in a draw, Spain pulled off a last-minute surprise. A stoppage-time penalty allowed Bryan Zaragoza to seal a 3-2 victory.
After the match, 22-year-old winger Yeremy Pino expressed his delight, saying, “Scoring at home to help the team win—what more could I ask for?”
San Marino Makes History
San Marino, the lowest-ranked team in FIFA (210th), wrote a historic chapter in the Nations League by defeating Liechtenstein 3-1 to move up to the next tier.
This was San Marino’s first away win ever and their first competitive match with more than one goal. Remarkably, it was also their first match scoring three goals.
For Liechtenstein, San Marino has become a nightmare. Two of San Marino’s previous wins were also against them—one in a 2004 friendly and another 1-0 victory last September.
With this latest triumph, San Marino has once again proven to be Liechtenstein’s nemesis.
