Germany 1-2 Portugal on Wednesday after rallying from behind thanks to a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored his 137th goal for his country to go to the Nations League final.
Portugal Ends 24-Year Germany Victory Drought
Portugal secured their first victory against Germany since 2000, with Ronaldo’s goal helping them reach their second Nations League final, having won the first edition in 2019.
Spain and France will meet in the second semi-final on Thursday to determine which team will compete against Portugal in the final on Sunday.
Diogo Costa First-Half Heroics for Portugal
Germany was in control during the first half, yet the score stayed at zero due to the outstanding performance of Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The goalkeeper had a fantastic beginning to the first half, denying a low effort from Germany’s Leon Goretzka just four minutes in with a powerful save.
Costa once again saved Portugal with an astonishing stop from Nick Woltemade’s shot taken from close range, and just two minutes later, he showcased his quick reflexes by diving low to deflect another strike from Goretzka.
Wirtz Breakthrough & Portugal Quickfire Comeback
Germany went ahead in the 48th minute when Florian Wirtz scored with a header while unmarked in the penalty area, thanks to a perfectly placed lobbed pass from Joshua Kimmich.
The game was turned around by Portugal, who first tied the score in the 63rd minute through a goal from substitute Conceicao. Nuno Mendes set up Ronaldo, who scored from close range five minutes later.
For Conceicao, the victory held special meaning, since his father Sergio netted a hat-trick the last occasion Portugal triumphed over Germany – during the European Championship in 2000.
Roberto Martinez: “A Victory for the Entire Team”
“We should celebrate the win – we triumphed against Germany for the first time in some time. Our tactics were outstanding, and our dedication contributed greatly… this was a victory for the entire team,” stated Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.
“At this point, we can regroup and assess,” he remarked. “We want to see a different display of character while wearing this jersey.”
Late Drama: Woodwork & Ter Stegen Saves
Germany attempted to turn the tide when replacement Karim Adeyemi unleashed a powerful rising shot with his left foot, which regrettably struck the outside of Costa’s right post.
Portugal nearly scored a third goal in the closing moments of the match, but Germany’s goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, made an impressive double save.
Joshua Kimmich Frustration After 100th Cap
The 100th appearance for Germany captain Kimmich was quite disappointing.
“The loss was entirely justified. Our performance in the first half was not good enough. After taking the lead at 1-0, we failed to build on it in the second half,” he expressed to reporters.
“We need to take lessons from this. If we’re not performing at our best, we won’t be able to defeat a leading European team. Today was among our poorest performances, strictly in terms of how we played.”
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