Portugal Wins Nations League in Penalty Shootout vs Spain
Portugal wins Nations League in penalty shootout vs Spain after a thrilling 2-2 draw in Munich. Diogo Costa emerged the hero, saving a crucial spot-kick from Alvaro Morata before Ruben Neves calmly converted the winning penalty, sealing a 5-3 shootout triumph over the defending champions. The match was highly anticipated, largely due to the first-ever meeting between 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal. Despite both being substituted before penalties, their impact had already been felt especially Ronaldo’s equaliser in the second half that forced extra time.
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A Tense and Dramatic First Half
Spain opened the scoring after a frantic and mistake-filled play in the 21st minute. Mikel Oyarzabal started the move with a clever flick, and when Portugal failed to clear Yamal’s cross properly, Martin Zubimendi pounced to finish into an open net. But Portugal didn’t trail for long. Just four minutes later, Nuno Mendes brought the score level. The PSG left-back charged into the box and fired a low angled shot into the bottom corner, marking his first international goal in style. Despite Portugal gaining control of possession after the equaliser, Spain struck again right before halftime. With Portugal appealing for a foul, Pedri took advantage of the moment and found Oyarzabal, who slotted home with a quick, first-time finish.
Ronaldo’s Moment and Late Drama
Portugal thought they had equalised again shortly after halftime, but Bruno Fernandes’ goal was ruled out due to an offside by Pedro Neto in the buildup. The second leveller finally came in the 61st minute. Mendes breezed past Yamal and crossed into the box. The ball deflected up off Robin Le Normand and landed perfectly for Ronaldo, who powered home his 138th international goal while fending off Marc Cucurella. The match continued to provide edge-of-your-seat moments, with Ronaldo eventually limping off just before extra time.
Extra Time and Shootout Glory
Extra time brought few clear chances. Nelson Semedo missed a good opportunity early on, and a heated moment arose when Mendes went down under pressure in the box. Spain subbed off Yamal during the tense second period of extra time. Eventually, it all came down to penalties. Portugal were flawless, while Spain’s Morata was the lone miss. Portugal celebrated their second Nations League title, after winning the inaugural edition in 2019. An emotional Ronaldo was seen in tears as his team lifted the trophy.
France Clinches Third Place
In the third-place playoff, Kylian Mbappe scored his 50th goal for France in a 2-0 win over Germany. Despite Germany creating better chances in the first half, Mbappe gave France the lead just before halftime. He later assisted Michael Olise to secure the result. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan played a crucial role with several key saves, helping France bounce back after their semi-final loss to Spain.
