Portugal secured a 2-1 comeback victory against Germany in their Nations League semifinal in Munich on Wednesday. While the side by Cristiano Ronaldo made it to their second final in the history of the competition, it was their 40-year-old skipper scoring his 137th international goal to become the oldest player to score against Germany that grabbed all the headlines.
Ronaldo's goal came five minutes after substitute Francisco Conceicao equalized with a powerful shot in the 63rd minute, helping Portugal overcome their initial deficit and ending Ronaldo's personal losing streak against Germany.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Florian Wirtz had given Germany the lead in the 48th minute with a precise header inside the right post, but Portugal coach Roberto Martinez's strategic substitutions proved decisive.
Champions League winner Vitinha, who helped Paris Saint-Germain triumph against Inter Milan at the same stadium just four days earlier, made a significant impact after coming on as a substitute. German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen stood his ground to prevent Portugal from extending their lead further.
PSG wing backs Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes were in the starting line-up for Portugal, while Nick Woltemade made his debut start for Germany. Conceicao made an immediate impact after coming on, scoring with an impressive long-range strike past Robin Gosens. Mendes then provided the assist for Ronaldo's comfortable finish five minutes later. The Al-Nassr man was in the right place to guide the pass from his teammate into an empty net.
While Portugal have already booked their spot in the final, they will have to wait to know who they are to face in the title decider. Spain and France face off at MHP Arena in Germany. Defending Euro and Nations League champions Spain will look to become the first side to defend the Nations League trophy if they manage to go through Kylian Mbappe and Co.
The victory was particularly significant for Ronaldo, who had previously lost all four games he had played against Germany during his career. For Portugal, this was the first win against Die mannschaft in the last 25 years and the first win in Germany in over 40 years.
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