• Monday, December 09, 2024
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Cristiano Ronaldo inspires Portugal to first UEFA Nations League trophy

Cristiano Ronaldo-UEFA Nations League

Cristiano Ronaldo inspires Portugal to first UEFA Nations League trophy

Portugal defeated Netherlands 1-0 to win the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament on Sunday’s final making it the second trophy  in three years.

Gonçalo Guedes scored the winner early in the second half to give Portugal its first trophy since the 2016 European Championship.

Cristiano Ronaldo, coming off a hat trick in the semifinals had a quit game but Guedes could not be stopped when he hit a powerful right-footed shot from outside the area in the 60th minute at the Estádio do Dragão.

Portugal deserved their victory as they dominated the opening 45 minutes and created more chances to score.

The hosts’ victory in UEFA’s newest competition denied the Netherlands its first trophy since the 1988 European Championship. The revamped Dutch team was seeking some redemption after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and the 2016 European Championship.

Winning the UEFA Nations League adds to Portugal’s triumph at Euro 2016, where Ronaldo was forced to go off injured and Eder scored a 109th-minute winner.

 

Anthony Nlebem

Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.

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