COPENHAGEN: Ayoze Perez inspired Nations League holders Spain to a 2-1 win at Denmark on Friday to clinch top spot in Group A4. The Euro 2024 champions had already sealed progress to the quarter-finals and this victory expanded their lead on second place Denmark to six points with a match to spare. Villarreal forward Perez set up Mikel Oyarzabal for the opening goal and then tucked home La Roja's second himself to secure victory in Copenhagen, with Gustav Isaksen pulling one back late on for the hosts as they piled on the pressure.
"Above all, I really congratulate the players, because they have many talents, they surprise us every day with different options in the game and because they know how to suffer, which is still the most important thing," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told TVE. "We're very happy, because we can take very positive conclusions from all these games." De la Fuente was without injured Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal and long-term absentee Rodri among others, and started with just three players who began the European Championship final this summer against England.
Perez nearly sent Spain ahead but crashed a shot against the post after Pedro Porro played him in with a clever low pass. The striker turned provider instead three minutes later as he set up Oyarzabal to finish a neat team move. Spain were on top and conceding few opportunities to Denmark and it was no surprise when they doubled their lead. Barcelona playmaker Dani Olmo slipped in Perez, who slotted home with a clinical finish. Perez should have netted a second when well placed but attempted a chip which span wide off his boot.
De la Fuente handed Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, who has become a fixture for his club, a national team debut. Bad news for Spain came in the form of injuries to Alex Baena and Martin Zubimendi, before Isaksen's late strike. The forward charged down David Raya after Fabian Ruiz passed back to the Arsenal goalkeeper and the ball deflected into the net. Raya made amends with a fine save to thwart Skov Olsen in stoppage time and ensure his team kept the three points. "We came here with the aim of winning, we knew we would have to suffer, as we did in the end," Oyarzabal, who scored Spain's Euro 2024 winning goal, told TVE. "We had a good game and we're happy with the victory." Spain, 15 matches unbeaten across all competitions, face Switzerland on Monday in their final Nations League group match.
Portugal rout Poland
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal staged a second-half supershow to crush Poland 5-1 and reach the Nations League quarter-finals on Friday. Portugal join France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the last-eight while Poland's hopes of going through from Group A1 were ended. Having struggled to plant a shot on target in the first half, Portugal stepped on the accelerator after the break. Rafael Leao broke the deadlock in Porto just before the hour mark after starting and finishing the move. The AC Milan striker raced away and passed to Nuno Mendes whose cross from the left was headed powerfully past Marcin Bulka in the Portugal goal.
Thirteen minutes later, skipper Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet, converting a penalty after Jakub Kiwior was penalized for a handball in the area. Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, scoring after a clever run by Vitinha. Pedro Neto added the fourth three minutes later after Ronaldo's fine pass which left the Polish defense stranded. As Polish spirits sank, Ronaldo added his second and Portugal's fifth in the 87th minute with a spectacular overhead kick before Dominik Marczuk tucked away a consolation goal for the visitors.
Poland had enjoyed the better chances before falling behind but their potency in front of goal was blunted by the absence of record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski who was sidelined with a back injury. Moments before Leao's goal, Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa pulled off a fine save to deny Marczuk having also been alert to deny Nicola Zalewski in the first half. Portugal's best chance in the first 45 minutes had fallen to Ronaldo who fired a close-range effort over the bar from close range.- AFP