Ronaldo Strikes Late to Seal Portugal Win Over Scotland

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) scored the winner against Scotland - AFP
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) scored the winner against Scotland - AFP
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Ronaldo Strikes Late to Seal Portugal Win Over Scotland

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) scored the winner against Scotland - AFP
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) scored the winner against Scotland - AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo's late strike sealed Portugal's 2-1 win over Scotland as the 901st goal of the striker's extraordinary career completed a stirring fightback in Sunday's Nations League clash.

Ronaldo had reached 900 career goals with his 131st international strike in Thursday's victory over Croatia.

On his 30th birthday, Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal's second half equaliser after his former Old Trafford team-mate Scott McTominay gave Scotland a surprise early lead.

For Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, victory over Scotland could mean some awkward silences at his next family gathering.

Martinez met his wife Beth while playing for Scottish club Motherwell in 2001 and joked before the match he would be delighted to upset his father-in-law by beating Scotland.

He did exactly that, leaving Scotland still waiting for their first win over Portugal.

Beaten 3-2 by Poland at Hampden Park on Thursday, Scotland have won just once in 14 matches, a barren sequence that included their lacklustre failure to make it out of the group stage at Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke's men have lost six of their nine matches in 2024, with their only victory coming in a friendly against Gibraltar in June.

"When you bring quality players from the bench like Roberto can do you always know there's a risk," AFP quoted Clarke saying.

"I'm really disappointed for my players because I think they deserved to get something from the game.

"But with the amount of balls that go into the box, you know one of them can go in the back of the net and that's what happened to us."

Scotland took a shock lead in the seventh minute when Kenny McLean's superb cross picked out McTominay, who made a perfectly-timed run to plant his stooping header past Diogo Costa from six yards.

McTominay, who recently moved from United to Napoli, has 10 goals in his last 12 competitive appearances for Scotland.

Rafael Leao threatened an immediate equaliser with a driving run but his shot rippled into the side-netting.

Leao went even closer as he cut in from the left flank for a fierce drive that Angus Gunn pushed away at full stretch.

Antonio Silva wasted a chance created by Leao as he headed over from the AC Milan forward's dinked cross.

As the Portugal pressure mounted, Gunn made a fine save after Diogo Jota connected with Fernandes's incisive pass.

It was no surprise to see Ronaldo sent on for the second half and Portugal were immediately improved by his presence.

Taking aim from long-range in the 53rd minute, Fernandes's 25-yard blast should have been routine for Gunn but his weak attempted save allowed the ball to squirm into the net.

Ronaldo's audacious backheel gave Joao Felix a sight of goal, only for Gunn to make amends for his earlier error with an excellent stop.

Gunn saved again from Felix's diving header before Ronaldo turned the rebound against the post.

In the next attack, Ronaldo's glancing header hit the post and was clawed off the line by Gunn before Felix could convert.

Portugal's late surge finally produced the winner in the 88th minute.

Nuno Mendes whipped a cross into the six-yard box, where Ronaldo was lurking to deliver the knockout blow with a typically predatory tap-in.



Bundesliga Sees Quickfire Scoring Record as Bayern Puts Dive Past Dismal Leipzig

Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
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Bundesliga Sees Quickfire Scoring Record as Bayern Puts Dive Past Dismal Leipzig

Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
Bayern Munich's German midfielder #42 Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich's German forward #10 Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich's Canadian defender #19 Alphonso Davies celebrate a goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, southern Germany, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)

Bayern Munich crushed Leipzig 5-1 and they broke a long-standing Bundesliga record for quickfire goals on Friday.
Two teams had never scored in the opening two minutes of a Bundesliga match until Jamal Musiala gave Bayern the lead after 28 seconds and Benjamin Šeško equalized barely 60 seconds later, The Associated Press reported.
The pace slowed after that frenetic start but not for long. Konrad Laimer put Bayern ahead against his old club in the 25th. Michael Olise found space on the right side and Laimer gave Péter Gulácsi no chance with a crisp volley.
Nine minutes later, Joshua Kimmich lashed home from almost 30 meters to make it 3-1.
Leroy Sané added the fourth with 15 minutes remaining and Alphonso Davies got his first league goal of the season to complete the rout three minutes later.
Harry Kane returned and looked rusty after missing two games with a hamstring injury but played 87 minutes of a match that helped Bayern get back on track after a rocky run.
After winning eight games in a row from late October to late November, the Bavarian giant lost two and drew one of its next five, including a 2-1 defeat to Mainz last week, its first loss in the Bundesliga.
Friday’s result bumped its lead over titleholder Bayer Leverkusen to seven points. Leverkusen plays Freiburg on Saturday.