Portugal powered into the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals on 15 November with a commanding 5-1 triumph over Poland, highlighted by Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-goal performance, capped off with a breathtaking overhead kick.
The hosts dominated possession in the opening 20 minutes but struggled to make it count. Bruno Fernandes came closest early on, but his effort failed to test Poland’s keeper Marcin Bulka. Poland, despite seeing little of the ball, posed occasional threats through counter-attacks, yet their lack of sharpness in front of goal left the scoreline untouched by the break.
Portugal emerged a different side in the second half, their urgency yielding rewards just before the hour mark. Rafael Leao started and finished the move for the opener, driving from his own half before linking up with Nuno Mendes, who delivered a precise cross for the AC Milan forward to nod home with a diving header.
Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the advantage in the 72nd minute after Diogo Dalot’s strike struck Jakub Kiwior’s arm in the box. Stepping up for the penalty, Ronaldo calmly chipped the ball down the middle, leaving Bulka wrong-footed and helpless.
The third came just eight minutes later, courtesy of a moment of brilliance from Fernandes. With limited options, the midfielder unleashed a long-range strike that thundered off the underside of the crossbar and into the net, leaving the Polish defence and their keeper stunned.
Pedro Neto joined the scoresheet soon after, collecting a return pass from Ronaldo inside the box and smashing a powerful shot past Bulka to make it 4-0 in the 83rd minute.
Ronaldo saved the best for last, completing his brace with an audacious overhead kick in the 87th minute. Vitinha floated a cross to the back post, and Ronaldo adjusted superbly, acrobatically sending the ball into the net to cap a stellar night for Portugal.
Poland managed a late consolation when Dominik Marczuk capitalised on a defensive lapse, curling a fine effort into the bottom corner on his international debut.
The result confirmed Portugal’s progression as group winners, with a fixture against Croatia on 18 November now reduced to a formality. For Poland, their hopes of avoiding relegation hinge on their final match against Scotland, where a positive result could rescue their campaign.
