WHAT FOOTBALL IS ON TNT SPORTS?

Any matches that fall within the Saturday blackout window in the UK cannot be shown live. The blackout window prohibits matches being shown on television between 14:45 and 17:15 in the UK.

REPORT: RONALDO NETS LANDMARK 900TH GOAL AS PORTUGAL BEAT CROATIA

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first footballer to score 900 career goals to help Portugal overcome Croatia 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League.

Portugal were the better side throughout but only held a two-goal lead for a matter of minutes, as Diogo Dalot turned the ball past his own goalkeeper in the same half that he opened the scoring for the hosts.

Yet even without the weight of history, Ronaldo’s goal was the pick of the bunch as he burst onto a Nuno Mendes cross and volleyed past Dominik Livakovic to trigger raucous celebrations in Lisbon.

FULL TIME: PORTUGAL 2-1 CROATIA

Costa’s goal kick soars into the Lisbon air, and it’s full time! On a night of history, Portugal kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign with a win courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-half strike that made him the first player to score 900 career goals.

Diogo Dalot struck in both nets but Croatia were lacking serious creative spark for much of the game as their aging core continues to decline.

90+4′ – LAST CHANCE SALOON

Matanovic gets another chance but loops his header over the bar, and that looks like all she wrote.

As Croatia push for an equaliser, San Marino are on the brink of history. Scotland have fought back to 2-2 while Denmark and Slovakia have built second-half leads.

Portugal are lucky. Goncalves is finally on for Vitinha in time to deal with a dangerous corner that Costa didn’t really deal with.

Croatia keep possession on the edge of the area and Sucic’s cross reaches Kramaric at the far post… only for the veteran to shins his shot into the side netting.

But is he subbed off? There’s some confusion, it looked like Bruno Fernandes was the man earmarked to be replaced by Pedro Goncalves but Martinez takes too long delaying to see if Vitinha can continue and ultimately only gets the one change complete.

It’s a big change though – Ronaldo gets the hero’s reception from the Lisbon crowd and Diogo Jota is on.

Ronaldo hared down the right flank on the break before pulling it back to Semedo, who’s never scored for Portugal.

And that record continues thanks to the head of Sutalo, with Martinez waiting to play his final two cards.

Zlatko Dalic has played his full hand. Ivan Perisic is currently a free agent but has been selected for the national team and replaces Kristijan Jakic, while Modric makes way for Petar Sucic.

For Portugal, Antonio Silva is on for Inacio but immediately gets beaten to a header by (guess who?) Matanovic, his effort isn’t far away either.

76′ – WOULD’VE BEEN A STUNNER

Whistles ring out as Croatia look unhurried in possession, but they almost catch Portugal napping.

Matanovic has been lively since his introduction and flashes free in the area to meet a Sucic cross and volley it just past the post.

Matanovic dispossess Vitinha and the referee blows up, with Modric quickly sprinting over to protest.

Despite his status as captain allowing the legend to speak to the referee, it’s apparently too vehement and he enters the book as a result.

It’s a goal-saving intervention by Dalot. Pasalic found a chasm between the Portuguese centre-backs and bore down on Costa’s goal, but Dalot comes out of nowhere with a long slide to eventually dispossess the striker who was expecting a one-on-one opportunity.

It’s his last act too, Luka Sucic takes over for the remainder of the game.

64′ – CROATIA STILL PRESSING

Martin Baturina’s had a decent game, part of the post-Modric future of Croatian football aged just 21. His race is run though as Igor Matanovic trots on for his debut, and immediately fires a long-range shot into a sea of Portuguese players.

It’s luscious from Portugal. Fernandes brought a long ball to heel and flicked it back to Silva, who controlled it then shuffled a pass to the onrushing Ronaldo in just two touches.

Livakovic stands up well to the captain, then the linesman’s flag goes up for Fernandes’ initial run.

59′ – MENDES AND RONALDO COMBINE AGAIN

It’s the other way this time, Nuno Mendes fed by Ronaldo before firing high and central.

It was a disjointed build-up though, Fernandes went down like he’d been shot after upper-body contact from Pasalic, who was then muscled off the ball himself.

The next goal will be absolutely crucial – you suspect Croatia can’t start another two-goal comeback again.

Ronaldo attempted to make that happen after Mendes found him following a mazy run, but Caleta-Car deflects it high and wide.

51′ – ALMOST AN EQUALISER!

First Pasalic tames a long Josip Sutalo ball enough to take a shot that’s blocked behind for a corner, then Croatia get a head on the delivery around 10 yards out! Unfortunately for them, it’s straight at Costa.

Both of Portugal’s wide attackers are off, Rafael Leao replaced by Joao Neves and Nelson Semedo on for Pedro Neto who had that chance just before half-time.

Zlatko Dalic was sweating on Duje Caleta-Car’s fitness ahead of this one and he’s been given the second half, for Marin Pongracic.

46′ – SECOND HALF UNDERWAY

And Martinez has made a double-change. Portugal are switching to wing-backs after starting the game in a 4-3-3, Mendes is immediately on the attack.

The game certainly hasn’t looked as even as these numbers suggest:

San Marino have a genuine chance at their second victory tonight and are still in it after Liechtenstein saw a goal disallowed, it would be Whipping Boys’ first win for 20 years and the first in a competitive fixture.

For the home nations, Paddy McNair and Daniel Ballard have netted at Windsor Park while a Robert Lewandowski penalty doubled Poland’s lead over Scotland after Sebastian Szymanski’s opener.

Result: Azerbaijan 1-3 Sweden (Group C)

Denmark 0-0 Switzerland (all A)

Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg (all C)

San Marino 0-0 Liechtenstein (D)

HT – WHAT FOOTBALL IS ON TNT SPORTS?

Any matches that fall within the Saturday blackout window in the UK cannot be shown live. The blackout window prohibits matches being shown on television between 14:45 and 17:15 in the UK.

HALF-TIME: PORTUGAL 2-1 CROATIA

Sosa turns it behind for a corner but with only one added minute, the referee decrees that there’s no time to take the set-piece.

Though Portuguese players surround the officials, they’re unmoved and it all ends in smiles as Modric finally drags Ronaldo away and the old teammates share a joke disappearing into the tunnel.

What a finish to this half! Neto is flying down the left and as the defence scrambles he just keeps on trucking, before launching an laser from close range. It has Livakovic beaten but slams into the bar and away from Ronaldo.

41′ – GOAL!!! PORTUGAL 2-1 CROATIA (DALOT OG)

He’s scored in both nets today and out of nowhere, Croatia are back in this! Livakovic’s quick thinking sparks a break and Kramaric – who was caught offside earlier – times his run perfectly to take the ball on the right of the penalty area.

He holds it up well before scything a low cross to the onrushing support, it looks like the chance has gone but Borna Sosa slides to nudge the ball back into the six-yard box and Dalot unknowingly fires it over Costa.

Livakovic has actually been one of Croatia’s best players tonight and gambles correctly to race out and deny Mendes.

37′ – CROATIA LOOKING RAGGED

Where were this Portugal in the Euros?

They’ve been clinically incisive and have left Croatia in the dust – the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists have been creaking all game as Leao almost gets away from the back four but loses control of the ball.

34′ – GOAL!! PORTUGAL 2-0 CROATIA (RONALDO)

It’s the moment they all came to see, goal number 900 for Cristiano Ronaldo!

And it was brutally simple too, a fizzing Nuno Mendes cross from deep that the legend reacts quickest too of anyone in the penalty area, latching onto the ball with his right boot straight past a helpless Livakovic.

Result: Azerbaijan 1-3 Sweden (Group C)

Denmark 0-0 Switzerland (all A)

Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg (all C)

San Marino 0-0 Liechtenstein (D)

Croatia play their own corner short but Modric misplaces a simple five-yard pass to Martin Baturina, a sight you never used to see.

Eventually Kramaric fashions a weak shooting opportunity that bounces wide from the edge of the box, the visitors are looking laboured right now.

The crowd are desperate to see history made tonight and they almost get their moment as Ronaldo latches onto a cute Rafael Leao backheel at full speed.

Though he produces a well-placed low shot, it’s a tight angle, and Livakovic positions himself perfectly to make the save and concede only a corner.

21′ – WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

Ronaldo wins a free kick in shooting range and… allows his teammate to take it? It’s swung into the far post dangerously but Croatia survive.

18′ – LULL IN PROCEEDINGS

Another long-range effort was straight at Costa, and Portugal have now elected to exert some control on the game, sparking a Mexican wave in the stands.

Wow that’s a laser from Modric. Mario Pasalic lays the ball off to the midfielder arriving to the edge of the area from deep and he curls a shot towards the near post that might’ve had Diogo Costa beaten but flies just wide.

Bernado Silva concedes a corner but it leads to a Portugal chance! They hoof it upfield on the break and Livakovic has to run almost to the centre circle to snuff out the danger with a sliding clearance.

7′ – GOAL! PORTUGAL 1-0 CROATIA (DALOT)

What a start for Portugal! It’s Fernandes at the heart of things again as he ghosts in from the left and has plenty of options to choose from, finding the Manchester United full-back’s perfectly timed run with a deft flick.

Dalot still had a bit to do running away from goal and was tracked by Borna Sosa but he’s able open up his body and fire under Livakovic to take the lead!

The Estadio de Luz buzzes as soon as Ronaldo gets on the ball but it’s Fernandes who forces Dominik Livakovic into the first save – the ball ricocheted to him on the edge of the penalty area and his snapshot isn’t far enough away from the keeper.

Portugal have opted for three attacking midfielders and they pass their first test, limiting Croatia in possession before Andrej Kramaric strays offside.

After an elongated captain’s conversation between Ronaldo and Modric and a moment’s silence for Benfica legend Adolfo Calisto, we’re underway! Portugal kick off in grey, against a Croatia side clad in blue.

19:40 – PLAYERS ARE IN THE TUNNEL

Just five minutes until kickoff in this one!

Pepe’s retired and Roberto Martinez dropped Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira and Francisco Conceicao among others with some fresh faces in the squad including 17-year-old Geovany Quenda who’s made just four senior appearances. But it’s a pretty familiar starting XI:

(4-3-3): Costa, Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Mendes, Silva, Vitinha, Fernandes, Neto, Ronaldo, Leao.

Meanwhile injuries have left Zlatko Dalic short of full-back cover so he’s switched formation in Lisbon:

(3-5-2): Livakovic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol, Jakic, Modric, Baturina, Kovacic, Sosa, Pasalic, Kramaric.

While we’re faffing around with the fight for qualification for the quarter-finals of this competition, San Marino have something much more important at stake tonight.

They face Liechtenstein with the very real possibility that they could be celebrating their second win of all time, first since 2004 and first ever competitive victory tonight. So keep an eye on that one too…

19:25 – AROUND THE GROUNDS

Azerbaijan 1-3 Sweden (Group C)

Serbia v Spain, Scotland v Poland, Denmark v Switzerland (A); Belarus v Bulgaria, Estonia v Slovakia, Northern Ireland v Luxembourg (C); San Marino v Liechtenstein (D) – all 19:45 KO.

Friday 6/9: Wales v Turkiye (B, 19:45); Saturday 7/9: Ireland v England (B, 17:00 – all UK times).

Not the players for the most part, as we’ve covered. Having heard concerns about player welfare, UEFA have sacrificed extra matchday revenue to reduce the number of ga- no only joking, they’ve added more playoffs to the rotation.

Teams who finish third in their pool will play a second-placed team from the group below over two legs, with the victor going into the higher group for the 2026/27 competition.

The exception is Group A, whose four runners up will face the pool winners in the Nations League quarter-finals, also over two legs in March 2025. The winners of those games then head to the semi-finals and final, hosted in one country like previously.

It also has implications for World Cup qualification but by the time things get to that stage you’ll have forgotten all the ins and outs anyway so we’ll save that explanation for now.

WHAT FOOTBALL IS ON TNT SPORTS?

Any matches that fall within the Saturday blackout window in the UK cannot be shown live. The blackout window prohibits matches being shown on television between 14:45 and 17:15 in the UK.

19:10 – RONALDO LEADS THE LINE FOR PORTUGAL

Likewise Roberto Martinez names a familiar team for Portugal, with an uber-familiar name up top.

19:05 – MODRIC CAPTAINS CROATIA

He turns 39 next week but Luka Modric is involved once again tonight in a side that sees just three changes from their Euro 2024 elimination.

19:00 – HELLO AND WELCOME

The Nations League is back, and bigger than ever! And with it, the dawn of a new cycle in European international football as the Euro 2024 slate is wiped clean and teams look ahead to the expanded World Cup in two years’ time. At least in theory.

But for Portugal and Croatia, today’s game feels more like business as usual. Nothing reinforces that more than Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo’s continued presence in their respective sides, with 77 years and more trophies than a Victorian big game hunter between them.

Portugal were the best team in Euros qualification and most of that nucleus is still entering or in their prime while Modric is joined by Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric for Croatia, all veterans of the 2018 World Cup final.

So perhaps (at least) the next 12 months are more of a last hurrah and the chance to pick up some extra silverware – there’s double the chance of making the UEFA Nations League knockouts this time around, but more on that later. This one kicks off in 45 minutes!

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