CORNERFLICK
Cristiano Ronaldo missed another chance to edge closer to 1,000 career goals as Portugal beat Wales 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League.
Ronaldo draws a blank
The 41-year-old started for Portugal and spent 67 minutes on the pitch, but none of his seven shots found the net. That total was three more attempts than any other player in the match.
Portugal won through João Félix’s 22nd-minute strike, while Ronaldo also had a second-half goal ruled out by VAR for offside.
Big chances go begging
Ronaldo’s numbers suggested a better return was possible. He finished with an expected goals figure of 1.32 and passed up one big chance, including a close-range effort early in the second half after a precise Ruben Neves delivery, which he lifted over the bar.
According to Al Jazeera, Ronaldo had gone into the game on 979 career goals, leaving him 21 short of the 1,000 mark after the match. The Guardian described the missed second-half chance as one of his biggest.
Portugal’s next fixtures, against Norway and Denmark, give Ronaldo another chance to resume the chase.