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
TT

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.



Morocco’s El Idrissi Smashes Women’s Marathon World Record on Last day of Paralympic Games

Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi wins the women's marathon T12 at the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi wins the women's marathon T12 at the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
TT

Morocco’s El Idrissi Smashes Women’s Marathon World Record on Last day of Paralympic Games

Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi wins the women's marathon T12 at the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi wins the women's marathon T12 at the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi has smashed the world record in the women’s marathon for runners with visual impairments on the last day of the Paralympic Games, The AP reported.

The 29-year-old El Idrissi finished in 2 hours, 48 minutes and 36 seconds on Sunday, beating the previous record from Japan’s Misato Michishita in Hofu City in December 2020 by nearly 6 minutes.

Compatriot Meryem En-Nourhi was just over 9 minutes behind, followed by Elena Congost of Spain, with Michishita fourth, almost 15 minutes behind the winner.

Tunisia’s Wajdi Boukhili won the men’s T12 marathon.

The 25-year-old Boukhili finished in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 5 seconds, ahead of Spain’s Alberto Suarez Laso and Paralympic record holder El Amin Chentouf of Morocco. All three ran season-best times.

Swiss wheelchair racers Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug won the women’s and men’s marathons for the T53/54 catagories.

Debrunner, the world record holder, finished in 1:41:50, more than four minutes ahead of Australia’s Madison de Rozario and the United States’ Susannah Scaroni, who took silver and bronze, respectively.

Tatyana McFadden, the most decorated American wheelchair racer, was seventh, just over 12 minutes behind Debrunner. The 35-year-old leaves Paris with a silver medal from the 100 and bronze from the 4x100 universal relay.

Hug won the men’s race in 1:27:39, ahead of China’s Jin Hua and Tomoki Suzuki of Japan.

More medals were to be awarded later Sunday before what artistic director Thomas Jolly said would be a huge dance party at Stade de France for the closing ceremony.

The United States women’s wheelchair basketball team was to play defending champion Netherlands for gold, and there were finals in para powerlifting, as well as five races in para canoe.