Nations League roundup: Ronaldo doubles up as Portugal thrash Poland | Nations League

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal ensured a top-place end in Nations League group A1 after beating Poland 5-1 in Porto.

Ronaldo transformed a penalty after Rafael Leão had given Portugal a second-half lead and the 39-year-old added his second with an overhead kick within the closing phases.

Bruno Fernandes and Pedro Neto have been additionally heading in the right direction because the Portuguese led 5-0 earlier than Dominik Marczuk struck Poland’s late comfort.

Whereas Portugal booked their quarter-final place, Poland’s hopes have been dashed and in the event that they lose to Scotland on Monday, they are going to be relegated.

Spain ensured they’ll end prime of Group A4 by profitable 2-1 in Denmark. Luis de la Fuente’s facet, already assured of a quarter-final place, have been cruising after Mikel Oyarzabal and Ayoze Pérez scored in both half earlier than Denmark pulled one again late on by way of substitute Gustav Isaksen.

Serbia saved their qualification hopes alive after Aleksa Terzic’s late equaliser gave them a 1-1 attract Zurich towards Switzerland, who have been relegated regardless of Zeki Amdouni’s second-half opener.

Northern Eire took a giant step in the direction of in the direction of promotion to League B as targets from Daniel Ballard and Dion Charles secured a 2-0 win towards Belarus in Belfast.

The Irish stay prime of Group C3 after profitable all three of their house video games and play in Luxembourg on Monday.

Northern Eire supervisor Michael O’Neill was proud of the persistence proven by his gamers. Belarus, echoing the way in which they performed within the second half of final month’s goalless attract Hungary, arrange deep from the beginning at Windsor Park and sought to frustrate Northern Eire with a low block.

For a lot of the primary half it was profitable, however Northern Eire prospered with two set-pieces within the second half. After Ballard headed house the opener from captain Shea Charles’s nook, Northern Eire have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Kirill Pechenin which Charles dispatched.

“We labored on this all week,” O’Neill mentioned. “In the event you don’t rating early within the sport the opposition get assured and imagine in what they’re doing. They sat deep, allow us to get to the midway line or simply contained in the half after which we needed to discover a answer however the distances have been brief and it was tough to get in behind.”

Luxembourg completed backside of the group after a 1-0 house defeat by Bulgaria, who’re protected from relegation.

San Marino, who earned their first-ever aggressive victory with a 1-0 win towards Liechtenstein in September, stay in rivalry for promotion from Group D1 after Nicola Nanni’s stoppage-time penalty rescued a 1-1 draw towards Gibraltar.

In Group C2, Cyprus ensured a third-place end after profitable 2-1 in Larnaca towards backside nation Lithuania, who’ve misplaced all 5 of their matches.