WAY TO GO FERNANDO MINUS RON
France Holland Germany P 4 3 3 W D 2 1 2 0 0 1 L 1 1 2 F 4 6 1 A 4 2 5 Pts 7 6 1 DESPITE missing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal boss Fernando Santos claimed his side deserved their stroll into the Nations League Finals.
Ronaldo has taken a break from international football to rest his body but Santos’s side (above, celebrating) clinched top spot in Group A3 ahead of Italy after edging out a goalless draw in Milan.
Santos (below) said: “It is a fair result because, from a moment in the second half, Portugal were better.
“In the first, with the moves in the midfield, Italy managed to win many second balls.
“Lorenzo Insigne’s movements inside created a lot of problems. Joao Cancelo did not always close the game well and that caused Ruben Neves to go too low, leaving Pizzi and William Carvalho in two-on-three situations.
“But we realised what was happening and then we improved.”
For all Italy’s dominance of possession, particularly in the first half, they rarely threatened Rui Patricio in Portugal’s goal.
The Wolves keeper twice denied Ciro Immobile before the break and was alert to Lorenzo Pellegrini’s stoppage-time header.
Portugal’s best chance was a low shot from Carvalho, which keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma brilliantly turned away.
Italy boss Roberto Mancini insisted his young side continue to progress, despite their troubles in the final third.
“What matters most is scoring goals,” he said. “We must improve in terms of taking our chances.
“We got tired in the second half but this was a step forward.”