"Ronaldo's Late Goal Secures Portugal's Win Over Scotland; Spain Triumphs Despite Red Card"
Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated why Portugal continues to rely on him at 39 years old with a dramatic late goal in a 2-1 victory over Scotland in the Nations League. Ronaldo, who came on as a halftime substitute, scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute, bringing his international tally to a record-extending 132 goals. Just minutes before his winner, Ronaldo hit both posts, showing his enduring impact on the field.
Despite a goal drought in the recent European Championship, Ronaldo’s contributions have remained crucial. Earlier in the week, he achieved another milestone by scoring his 900th career goal in a 2-1 win over Croatia, setting the stage for his pursuit of 1,000 goals.
Scotland initially took the lead with a seventh-minute goal from Scott McTominay, but Bruno Fernandes equalized with a fine strike from the edge of the area in the 54th minute. Ronaldo’s late heroics ensured Portugal’s win.
Meanwhile, Luka Modric, who turns 39 on Monday, continued to shine for Croatia. He scored a stunning free kick in Croatia’s 1-0 victory over Poland, showcasing his timeless skill. This goal marked Modric’s 27th in 180 appearances, tying him with Sergio Ramos as the second-highest capped European player, behind only Ronaldo.
In Spain’s 4-1 win over Switzerland, Fabian Ruiz was the standout performer, scoring twice despite Spain playing with 10 men for most of the match. Robin Le Normand’s red card in the 20th minute did not deter Spain, who had already established a 2-0 lead through Joselu and Ruiz. Ruiz later set up Ferran Torres for a goal, sealing Spain’s first Nations League win after a goalless draw with Serbia.
In Sweden, fans honored the late Sven-Goran Eriksson with a minute’s silence before their 3-0 win over Estonia. Viktor Gyokeres, who scored twice, and Alexander Isak led the charge. Sweden also secured a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan earlier in the week, showing promising form after missing recent major tournaments. Denmark joined the Scandinavian success with a 2-0 victory over Serbia, thanks to goals from Albert Gronbaek and Yussuf Poulsen.