Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the decisive blow as Portugal defeated Germany 2-1 in Munich on Wednesday to book a spot in the UEFA Nations League final, ending a personal winless streak against the Germans.
The 68th-minute goal — a simple tap-in from close range — was Ronaldo’s record-extending 137th international goal and his first victory over Germany after five straight defeats.
Germany had taken the lead early in the second half when Florian Wirtz headed home a cleverly worked move just three minutes after the restart. But Portugal hit back through Francisco Conceição, who scored a sensational solo effort in the 60th minute after a 35-metre run.
Ronaldo, who had missed two earlier chances, made no mistake when Nuno Mendes found him in space, slotting home what proved to be the winner.
The match, delayed by 10 minutes due to a hailstorm, saw both teams struggle to find rhythm early. Germany handed a debut to Nick Woltemade, who came close to scoring in the first half, while Portugal’s early pressing rattled the German defence.
Germany, who had lost just once in their previous 17 games, now drop into Sunday’s third-place playoff in Stuttgart. Portugal, winners of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, will face either Spain or France in the final at the same venue.
Portugal’s manager Roberto Martinez saw his substitutes make a key impact, while German boss Julian Nagelsmann must regroup after a frustrating loss on home soil.
