Portugal made a winning start to their UEFA Nations League campaign, edging past Wales 1-0 in Lisbon despite a deeply frustrating night in front of goal for Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed a string of chances before being substituted.
A Cruel Deflection Decides It
The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute through João Félix, though there was little to admire in the finish itself — his effort deflected in off Wales defender Ben Davies, a harsh way for the visitors to fall behind despite having started the match in composed, disciplined fashion. Lewis Koumas impressed for Wales early on, occupying Portugal’s defenders and showing the kind of form that’s caught the eye at Liverpool this season, but the shift in momentum after Félix’s opener proved difficult to reverse.
Ronaldo’s Night to Forget
For all of Portugal’s dominance — a staggering 22 shots to Wales’s 5 — the headline story was Ronaldo’s struggle in front of goal. Winning his 234th cap and playing at the José Alvalade Stadium where his career began, the 41-year-old fired wide from a tight angle, saw a poor touch let Neco Williams recover possession, and sent another chance well off target. He even had a second-half effort controversially ruled out by VAR before being withdrawn after 67 minutes, leaving him still 21 goals shy of the 1,000-goal career milestone that continues to elude him.
A Mismatch on Paper
The result came as little surprise given the gulf between the two sides — Portugal sit seventh in the world rankings, a full 31 places above Wales, and fielded a squad drawn almost entirely from major European clubs. Wales, by contrast, arrived severely weakened, missing key players including Harry Wilson and Joe Rodon, with Wrexham’s Danny Ward making just his second appearance of the season in goal following the absence of regular keeper Karl Darlow. The match also marked a historic note off the pitch, with 72-year-old Jorge Jesus becoming the oldest coach in Portugal’s national team history.
What It Means
Despite the underwhelming performance from their talisman, Portugal’s dominant shot count and control throughout the match will offer plenty of encouragement as they begin their Nations League campaign with three points. For Wales, the result extends a difficult run of form — now winless in four matches in 2026 — and manager Craig Bellamy, already facing speculation about his future, will need to find answers quickly against a squad hit hard by injuries and absences.
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