Cristiano Ronaldo Seals Portugal’s Comeback Victory Over Germany
In a thrilling UEFA Nations League semifinal, Portugal overturned a 1-0 deficit to defeat Germany 2-1 on Wednesday, securing their spot in the final. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive goal, extending his international goal record to 137.
Germany took the lead shortly after halftime when Florian Wirtz showcased his talent with a brilliant solo effort, heading in the opener just three minutes into the second half.
Portugal responded with determination. Francisco Conceição dazzled the crowd with a spectacular solo run, covering 35 meters to score and level the match with half an hour remaining.
The stage was set for Ronaldo, who had missed earlier opportunities. In the 68th minute, he made no mistake, tapping in a precise pass from Nuno Mendes to give Portugal the lead and ultimately the victory.
“I’m very happy. This was an important game against a top-quality Germany side, and we played away from home. Turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win shows what this team is capable of,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.
Germany’s coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed his disappointment: “We didn’t always attack with enough conviction. We started well and took a deserved lead but then did far too little. Against a team like Portugal, if you’re too slow in transition, you get punished.”
Portugal, winners of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, will face either Spain or France in Sunday’s final.
