The highly anticipated duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski was decisively won by the Portuguese star. The Al-Nassr forward scored the second goal in Portugal‘s 3-1 victory over Poland on Matchday 3 of UEFA Nations League Group A.
From the opening whistle, Portugal displayed greater offensive intent, dominating possession and creating the most dangerous opportunities in the opposition’s area. Cristiano Ronaldo came close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful shot from inside the box, but his effort rattled the crossbar.
The opener came 26 minutes into the first half when Ruben Neves delivered a precise cross into the box. Bruno Fernandes met it with a header, setting up Bernardo Silva, who unleashed a powerful left-footed shot to beat goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
Just ten minutes later, Rafael Leão showcased his individual brilliance, starting from the halfway line and dribbling past three defenders to enter the box. His left-footed strike hit the post and fell perfectly to Cristiano Ronaldo, who calmly tapped the ball into the back of the net with a simple finish.
Things didn’t go well for Lewandowski
The Barcelona striker struggled to make an impact and was largely absent throughout the match. His first real chance didn’t come until the start of the second half when a cross into the box slipped past goalkeeper Diogo Costa. However, Lewandowski’s header lacked precision, and he failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
With twelve minutes remaining, Poland found a glimmer of hope through Piotr Zielinski. The Inter Milan midfielder capitalized on a rebound inside the box, going one-on-one with Diogo Costa and calmly slotting the ball into the net with a delicate right-footed finish, making it 1-2.
Portugal remain leaders
Despite Zielinski’s late goal, Portugal held on to secure the victory and even extended their lead in the final minutes, courtesy of an own goal by Jan Bednarek, sealing a 3-1 win in Poland.
With the three points, Roberto Martinez’s side stays at the top of the UEFA Nations League Group A standings, maintaining a perfect record. They have won all three of their matches, accumulating 9 points—3 more than their closest rival, Croatia.