Portugal 1-0 Wales: Five key takeaways from UEFA Nations League 2026-27 match
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Selecao win their first Nations League game under Jesus.
Portugal begin their Nations League campaign with a win under Jorge Jesus. Even though they didn’t score many goals, Selecao won with a goal from Joao Felix. They could have had two.
But Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was ruled out as offside. For Portugal, though, it was their first big win under their new coach. They will hope to keep it up when they play again.
Key takeaways from UEFA Nations League match
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5. Joao Felix wins game for Portugal
Joao Felix’s goal gave Selecao their first Nations League win against Wales. The Al-Nassr forward found the back of the net in the 22nd minute to give the home side an advantage, which they held until the final whistle. Defending champions opened their Nations League quest with a win.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo goal disallowed
In the 59th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo believed he had scored his 147th goal for Portugal against Wales. But the goal was disallowed. A VAR assessment found he was offside after striking the back of the net.
His much-anticipated goal against Wales was disallowed.
3. Toothless Wales suffer setback against Portugal
Craig Bellamy’s Welsh team had a difficult start to their return to competition. The game took place at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon. In the 22nd minute, João Félix’s deflected long-range shot proved to be the game-winning goal.
Against a formidable Portuguese team, a severely depleted Wales national football team found it difficult to generate clear-cut opportunities. Star players Harry Wilson, Joe Rodon, and Nathan Broadhead were among the several pre-match injury withdrawals that seriously hindered the visitors.
2. Selecao struggled to score more goals
The Portuguese team failed to score more goals despite having a star-studded roster with an abundance of attacking skill. The starting lineup included 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, João Félix, and Pedro Neto. After replacing Roberto Martínez as head coach after the 2026 World Cup, Jorge Jesus made his management debut with a 1-0 win.
Even though A Seleção had a lot of possession, they were unable to break through Craig Bellamy’s weakened yet incredibly strong Welsh defence.
1. Portugal secure first win under new manager
Portugal begin their new era under Jorge Jesus with a narrow win over Wales in the UEFA Nations League group stage match. Despite failing to score more goals, Selecao got the job done with a goal from Joao Felix. However, they could have had two.
But Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was disallowed. But it still was a major win for Portugal under the new head coach. They will hope to continue their winning return when they return to action again.
Who won the game?
Portugal won the game 1-0.
Who scored for the Selecao?
João Félix.
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