Portugal began their Nations League title defence with a narrow 1-0 win over Wales, with Joao Felix providing the decisive moment in Lisbon.
Felix broke the deadlock after 22 minutes when his low, scuffed shot from the edge of the penalty area took a slight deflection off Wales captain Ben Davies before finding the far corner.
Portugal dominated possession and created most of the opportunities, recording 19 shots compared with Wales’ four. However, the hosts struggled to turn their dominance into more goals.
“We scored one, and we didn’t concede,” Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes told the BBC. “That’s the big thing.”
The match marked Jorge Jesus’ first game in charge of Portugal. The reigning Nations League champions controlled much of the contest and registered 13 shots in the opening half alone.
“We had 13 shots in the first half, that’s a lot,” Felix said. “I can’t recall them having a single clear-cut chance; we had several.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo remained central to Portugal’s attack. The 41-year-old captain, who made his international debut in 2003 and has scored a record 146 goals for his country, received loud cheers whenever he moved into dangerous positions.
Ronaldo struck the side netting and later sent a close-range volley over the bar. He also appeared to score after the hour mark, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Ronaldo was substituted seven minutes later, and Portugal’s attacking momentum faded noticeably after his departure.
Wales came close to an equaliser from one of their best opportunities. Brennan Johnson chipped goalkeeper Diogo Costa, but his effort struck the crossbar.
Lewis Koumas and Dan James then challenged for the rebound, with Koumas eventually shooting straight at Portugal defender Ruben Dias, who was positioned on the goal line.
Wales midfielder Ethan Ampadu admitted his side were disappointed with the result but felt they had opportunities to rescue a point.
“It’s tough and there were a couple of chances at the end where we could’ve got a goal,” Ampadu said.
Portugal held on for the three points, while Wales were left to rue their missed late chances.
