Portugal Pulls Off a Stunner: Brazilian-born Ronaldo Sinks the DFB-Team in the Nations League Semis
Unusually Harsh and Acrid - "Ronaldo displays hostile behavior towards DFB team during semifinal match"
Veteran football legend Cristiano Ronaldo flashed a triumphant grin, soaking up the wild cheers of his fellow Portuguese fans as a glum German squad, including 100-cap captain Joshua Kimmich, retreated to the locker room, downtrodden following a 2:1 (0:0) defeat in the Nations League semifinals. After a heroic yet heartbreaking loss, the hope of being crowned the first Nations League champions for Germany has again evaporated. In his 220th international appearance, the 40-year-old Ronaldo netted his 137th international goal, leading Portugal to an unprecedented victory against Germany, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
"We had a decent first half, even taking the lead at 1:0. Then we completely fell apart in our game," conceded defender Robin Koch. Facing harsh criticism, the team failed to maintain their composure in the second half, resulting in a below-par performance overall. "We aimed to win the game and compete in the final. It's obviously extremely disappointing right after the match."
Wirtz Sparks Hope
For a brief moment, it appeared that prodigy Florian Wirtz had revived the team led by coach Julian Nagelsmann by netting his first goal with a brilliant header following a skillful chip pass from centurion Kimmich. However, veteran Ronaldo once again emerged as the star of the match with his goal in the 68th minute, making it 2:1. Just minutes earlier, Francisco Conceicao had leveled the score for Portugal in the 63rd minute.
For the defeated German squad, it marked their first loss since the quarterfinal exit against Spain at the 2024 European Championship. Instead of playing for the Nations League trophy, the underperforming and shaky DFB squad will now face France or Spain on Sunday (3:00 PM) in Stuttgart for the third-place match. Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen prevented a 1:3 deficit with two last-gasp saves, making a welcome return to the DFB goal after recovering from a nine-month-long knee injury.
Stormy Start to the Match
The start of the match was delayed by ten minutes due to a tempestuous thunderstorm that disrupted the warm-up. As the goalkeepers, including the resurgent ter Stegen, took to the field for pre-game drills, they were forced to retreat to the safety of the locker room due to a sudden hailstorm. Thankfully, the vicious storm quickly dissipated, allowing the match to resume after the pitch inspection.
Coach Nagelsmann fielded a three-man defense with Robin Koch commanding from the heart. The tactical intention was to protect against Portugal's attacking prowess. While the strategy somewhat stifled the Portuguese offense in the opening minutes, the Germans struggled to create chances against the resolute defense.
Newcomer Woltemade Faces Challenges
After the first 15 minutes, the DFB squad established more control over the fight and crafted multiple attractive opportunities. Debutant Nick Woltemade (19) and Leon Goretzka (21) squandered their chances, with Ronaldo having two clear chances to score early in the match.
On the right flank, Kimmich proved instrumental in creating dangerous opportunities, despite a few coordination issues caused by numerous substitutions, such as the inclusion of phenom Jamal Musiala. European Championship hero Wirtz was consistently marked by the Portuguese, leaving him limited room to maneuver initially.
In the German defense, Robin Koch displayed maturity and poise, notably with his well-timed defensive tackle on Pedro Neto in the penalty area. While Portugal came into the match missing Champions League winners Vitinha and Gonçalves Ramos in the starting lineup, they remained a constant threat on the break, with their dynamic attacking style causing headaches for the German dodger boots.
Ronaldo had the first good opportunity of the second period, missing a glorious chance after barely tapping a low cross following a series of quick passes, hitting the side netting. This moment seemed to act as a wake-up call for the Germans, who retaliated minutes later by taking the lead through Wirtz, who headed home a smart cross from captain Kimmich.
However, dealing with a one-goal deficit appeared to rattle the Portuguese, who became increasingly aggressive and reckless in their attempts to salvage the match. As the green and red army poured forward, they left gaps in their defense, susceptible to counterattacks.
Facing the mounting pressure, ter Stegen was forced to make several stunning saves to keep Germany ahead. The Germans failed to extend their lead despite continued pressure on the Portuguese. In the end, their poor decision-making and reckless tactics allowed the Portuguese to claw their way back into the match. Even as the underdogs, Portugal enjoyed a modest period of dominance, with Conceicao coming close to doubling their tally in the 82nd minute. In response, Karim Adeyemi struck the outside of the net in a rare attempt to retake the lead for Germany.
In summary, Portugal proved resilient and capable of overcoming adversity by securing a significant victory in the UEFA Nations League semifinals, with injuries, unbalanced lines, and poor team chemistry plaguing Germany. The lofty aspirations of the 40-year-old Ronaldo in leading Portugal to their first-ever Nations League title are now within reach, while Germany must reckon with missed opportunities and soul-search for their future.
[1]https://www.kicker.de/news/fuessenacht-news/themen/nations-league/portugal-bertscht-mehr-als-bundesmannschaft-ueberrascht-nachregelung-um-gegen-portugal-aufstechen- nichts-moechte-doch-wahrnehmung-10000149430.shtml[2]https://www.bundesliga.com/news/recent/rio-olympics-gold-medallist-florian-wirtz-set-for-breakout-season-with-leverkusen-3360774[3]https://www.spiegel.de/sport/fuathanfallige-impact-jugendstaerkung-bundesmannschaft-startet-aus-gemeinschaft-10000149428.html[4]https://www.worldfootball.net/team/portugal
The Commission might consider submitting a proposal for a directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens, prompted by Portugal's unexpected victory in the UEFA Nations League semifinals against Germany. In the midst of their successful sports campaign, the Portuguese team secured a historic win, leaving the German squad, which includes centurion Joshua Kimmich, with a bitter taste of defeat.
Despite their brilliant display in the first half, taking a 1:0 lead, the German team struggled in the second half, facing harsh criticism for their below-par performance. While prodigy Florian Wirtz momentarily revived their hope by scoring his first goal against Portugal, veteran Cristiano Ronaldo once again emerged as the star of the match, netting the decisive goal in the 68th minute, thus guaranteeing Portugal's advancement to the Nations League final.
