Cristiano Ronaldo’s late goal sealed a 2-1 win for Portugal over Scotland in the Nations League, marking his 901st career goal and continuing Scotland’s winless streak.
Scotland initially shocked Portugal with an early lead in the 7th minute, courtesy of a Scott McTominay header. Despite Portugal’s 16 attempts at goal in the first half, Scotland’s defense held firm until halftime. However, a mistake by goalkeeper Angus Gunn allowed Bruno Fernandes’ long-range shot to sneak in after the break, leveling the score.
Ronaldo, subbed in at halftime, was persistent throughout the second half. After hitting the post twice, he eventually found the net, converting a Nuno Mendes cross for his 901st career goal. The defeat extended Scotland’s winless run to eight competitive matches, their longest in history. They’ve now won just one of their last 14 games.
While Scotland’s coach, Steve Clarke, may find some positives in their performances, the team remains at the bottom of their group after Croatia beat Poland 1-0. Scotland’s next Nations League fixtures include home and away matches against Croatia, another clash with Portugal at Hampden, and a trip to Poland.
The first half saw Scotland under immense pressure, with most of the play concentrated in their half. Rafael Leao posed a constant threat on Portugal’s left flank, creating several scoring opportunities. Gunn made key saves, denying Leao and Diogo Jota, while some Portuguese shots narrowly missed the target. Despite the pressure, Scotland managed to maintain their lead until the break.
However, Portugal’s persistence paid off early in the second half when Fernandes’ weak shot was mishandled by Gunn, resulting in an own goal. Scotland responded well, with Billy Gilmour and Ryan Christie appealing for penalties, both of which were dismissed. McTominay also tested Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa, but Scotland couldn’t retake the lead.
Portugal continued to push forward, with Ronaldo playing a central role. His backheel pass put Joao Felix through on goal, but Gunn made a crucial save. Minutes later, Felix’s diving header was also stopped by Gunn, with Ronaldo hitting the post twice in quick succession during the follow-up.
Scotland’s defense eventually crumbled when Mendes delivered a cross that bypassed both Jota and Gunn, allowing Ronaldo to score his 132nd goal for Portugal. The victory reinforced Ronaldo’s dominance as the top international goalscorer in men’s football, having now scored against 48 different countries.
For Scotland, this defeat underscores ongoing issues. The team has now conceded 33 goals in their last 14 games and has allowed late goals in five of their last six matches. Their lack of ball retention and inability to hold out for full 90 minutes remain concerns for Clarke as they face tougher upcoming matches.
After the match, Scotland’s head coach Steve Clarke expressed his disappointment: “Obviously disappointed – it looked for a long period that we’d get something from the game. The effort and the quality the players put in, they deserved to get something.”
Scotland midfielder John McGinn also reflected on the defeat: “A sickener at the end but much more like us in terms of level of performance, desire, commitment. Not many people gave us a chance of getting anything but the way we competed was brilliant.”
