No sign of slowing down at 39: Ronaldo batters Poland

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals including one through a sensational bicycle kick as Portugal qualified for the UEFA Nations League Quarter-finals by thrashing visiting Poland 5-1 in Group A1 on Friday.

Portugal took the lead in the match through a Rafael Leao goal in the second half before Ronaldo struck his first goal.

The former Real Madrid star scored from the penalty spot followed by a barrage of three more goals as Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto scored one each and Ronaldo added his second.

The match finished with Dominik Marczuk scoring a consolation goal for Poland in the 88th.

“The first half was very bad for what we wanted to do, we lost focus and got frustrated. But the second half was the best I’ve seen,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez. “We’ve changed the mentality and increased the intensity and mutual support. We didn’t let Poland play.”

Portugal maintained their unbeaten record and secured the top spot in the group with 13 points, six clear of Croatia. Meanwhile, Croatia suffered a 1-0 defeat to Scotland, who, despite being at the bottom, are now tied on four points with third-placed Poland.

How Portugal scored 5 goals vs Poland
The final matchday on Monday will see Poland hosting Scotland, while Portugal travel to face Croatia. Last month, Portugal ended Poland’s two-year unbeaten home streak with a 3-1 victory in Warsaw. However, the hosts faced stiff resistance from Poland in the first half of this encounter.

Missing their star striker Robert Lewandowski due to a back injury, Poland still posed a significant threat early on.

They registered three shots on target before halftime, while Portugal failed to test the Polish goalkeeper. Bartosz Bereszynski came close to scoring in the 12th minute, but Portugal’s Diogo Costa made a crucial save.

Costa later denied Krzysztof Zalewski’s powerful effort from the edge of the box.

Portugal struggled offensively in the first half, with both Rafael Leao and Cristiano Ronaldo missing chances to score just before the break.

However, the second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Portugal dominated possession and opened the scoring after Leao initiated a counterattack, leading to Nuno Mendes delivering a perfect cross for the forward to convert.

Ronaldo extended the lead from the penalty spot after a handball in the box, and Bruno Fernandes added a third with a stunning long-range effort that ricocheted in off the bar.

Substitute Pedro Neto further widened the gap in the 83rd minute with a precise strike, and Ronaldo capped off the performance with his 135th international goal, an acrobatic finish, in the 87th minute.

Poland managed a consolation goal late on through halftime substitute Marczuk, who netted his first international goal.

Despite their earlier draw against Scotland on October 15, Portugal’s commanding win ensured a fourth consecutive top-two finish in the competition.

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