UEFA Nations League: Felix gives Portugal win over Wales as Ronaldo misfires

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Joao Felix scored the only goal with a long-range shot as reigning Nations League champions Portugal opened their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Wales.

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“We scored one, and we didn’t concede,” Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes told the BBC. “That’s the big thing.”

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Portugal have won two of the four finals since the competition was launched in 2018 but lost in the round of 16 to Spain at the World Cup in July.

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In the first match under coach Jorge Jesus, Portugal dominated possession and outshot Wales 19-4 in Lisbon but squandered a string of chances.

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“We had 13 shots in the first half, that’s a lot,” said Felix. “I can’t recall them having a single clear-cut chance; we had several. You can expect this from us. We only scored one today but, if we carry on like this, we’ll score more.”

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Their only goal came after 22 minutes when a low scuffed shot by Felix from the edge of the box took a slight deflection off Wales captain Ben Davies and skipped inside the far post beyond Danny Ward’s desperate dive.

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“I think it was a very good game,” said Fernandes. “We controlled it and had a lot of chances but were not capable of scoring more. We wanted the three points and got that.”

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As it has for some two decades, Portugal’s attack revolved around Cristiano Ronaldo. Every time the 41-year-old, who made his national debut in 2003 and has since scored a record 146 international goals, touched the ball near the goal, the roar of the home crowd rose several octaves.

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Ronaldo found the side netting once and shinned an inviting volley high over from close range. After an hour, he slid the ball into the Wales net but, to his evident disbelief, was ruled offside.

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He was still shaking his head when he was replaced seven minutes later.

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The crowd grew quieter, and Portugal’s play drifted after Ronaldo’s departure.

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Wales came agonisingly close to equalising, twice, from their one good chance.

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First, Brennan Johnson chipped goalkeeper Diogo Costa and hit the face of the bar. With Costa stranded, Lewis Koumas and Dan James both went for the rebound. Koumas ended up shooting tamely straight at defender Ruben Dias on the line.

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“We are disappointed with the goal,” said Wales midfielder Ethan Ampadu. “It’s tough, and there were a couple of chances at the end where we could’ve got a goal, and that would have made it a better feeling, but it’s never nice to lose.”

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AFP

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