Portugal out of contention for the Nations League finals after defeat to France
Portugal will not be retaining their UEFA Nations League crown next year after a narrow 0-1 defeat to reigning world champions France.
Portugal, who have a better goal difference than France despite the result and sit only 3 points behind their opponents with one game to go, are unable to catch the Euro 2016 runners-up due to their inferior head-to-head record, having earned just one point in their two Nations League matches against the World Cup 2018 winners.
Having drawn 0-0 in France, Portugal knew that a repeat of the exact same scoreline in Lisbon would have been sufficient to keep qualification in their own hands, while a victory of any kind would have guaranteed them a place in the finals next autumn.
Even a score draw, though handing the initiative to France, would have been enough to at least keep Fernando Santos’ side in contention of reaching the semi-finals of the second edition of the newest UEFA international tournament, but they were unable to respond to Kante’s second half tap-in.
Portugal were very much second best throughout the first half, with the best of the game’s chances falling to France, who had numerous opportunities to take the lead.
A fantastic save from Rui Patricio with his foot in a one-on-one scenario was all that prevented France from taking the lead through Anthony Martial, the Portuguese shot-stopper having also been forced into a smart save earlier in the half after a Coman effort from a tight angle.
France continued to have the better chances, even striking the bar through Martial from point-blank range on the half hour mark, the Manchester United forward having also hit the side netting with a shot from outside of the box earlier on too.
And Martial had yet another effort superbly stopped by Patricio in the 40th minute, the Wolves goalkeeper making himself big to deny France their opening goal of the night just before the break, getting his arm in the way of Martial’s sliding shot on goal from close range.
But, though France had the better opportunities to open the scoring, things could have been very different had Cristiano Ronaldo’s bullet header just before half time been just a few inches lower and hit the back of the net, but it just wasn’t to be.
France started the second half in a similar manner to the first, and it took them just 7 minutes to break the deadlock, Rabiot’s shot only pushed away by Patricio before N’golo Kante tapped the ball into the back of the net on the goalline.
Portugal, knowing the need to now push on to win the game after conceding such a crucial goal, became more adventurous, and came close to pegging their opponents back just 7 minutes later when Raphael Guerreiro long-range shot stung the hands of Hugo Lloris, just before Jose Fonte saw his header cannon off the post after connecting with a wonderful Bernardo Silva cross on the follow-up. Felix also had two bites of the cherry on the rebound, but saw both ferocious efforts blocked.
Cristiano Ronaldo then danced into the box in the 75th minute before laying the ball back to Joao Moutinho, whose accurate curling effort was destined for the top corner but for an excellent save by Lloris.
Ronaldo was then very close to being Portugal’s hero once again, flying towards the ball with just 10 minutes left on the clock, but just couldn’t reach Cancelo’s whipped cross, and Portugal were forced to accept their first ever defeat in the UEFA Nations League, bringing to an end a 10 match unbeaten run in the competition since it started in 2018.
Fernando Santos was clearly displeased by the performance, both on the touchline and with his comments to the press after the game, but will need to try and pick his side up as they look to finish their campaign off on a high against Croatia later in the week.
N’Golo Kante. Photo author: Кирилл Венедиктов. License link.
