Portugal began their Nations League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Wales in Lisbon. Joao Felix scored the only goal in the 22nd minute, with his effort from the edge of the area taking a decisive deflection off Ben Davies before finding the net.
The game was mostly controlled by Portugal, who dominated possession and created the majority of the chances, but Wales stayed in it until the final whistle.
Cristiano Ronaldo was back in the team in defiance of retirement calls, winning his 234th cap at the age of 41. The Portugal captain got into some really good positions but was unable to find the target.
He fired wide from a tight angle before seeing another effort go over, and then also scuffed a chance from around 12 yards. He did manage to score just before the hour mark, running onto Bruno Fernandes’s pass to finish past Danny Ward, but VAR ruled that he had strayed offside.
Portugal did take the lead early in the first half through Felix. Pedro Neto had already gone close at the far post before the Al-Nassr forward collected the ball around 20 yards out and struck a shot that deflected off Davies and beyond Ward.
Wales had asked some reasonable questions going forward despite being without several important players. Leeds United’s Harry Wilson and Joe Rodon and Manchester United goalkeeper Karl Darlow were among those missing for coach Craig Bellamy. But Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas proved an energetic threat in attack.
Shortly after Ronaldo’s goal was ruled out for offside he was substituted, although this appeared to have been agreed on beforehand, as new coach Jorge Jesus said afterwards.
Wales grew more dangerous as the match entered its final stages and came within inches of an equaliser. Everton’s Brennan Johnson saw his effort from the byline loop onto the crossbar before Koumas tried to reach the rebound.
But Ruben Dias intervened at the crucial moment, making a vital clearance to keep Wales from converting what was their best chance of the night.
