Portugal triumphed over Germany 2-1 in the Nations League semi-final in Munich, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Francisco Conceicao scoring.
Initially, Germany seemed poised for victory when Florian Wirtz scored early in the second half. However, Portugal’s Conceicao equalised with a stunning goal, and Ronaldo secured the win, keeping Portugal’s hopes alive for another Nations League title.
Germany had a promising start when Wirtz regained possession and assisted Joshua Kimmich before heading the ball into the net. The referee reviewed the play for offside interference by Nick Woltemade but upheld the goal. This put Germany ahead until Portugal’s substitutions revitalised their attack.
Portugal began strongly with Ronaldo testing Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Pedro Neto shooting over. Despite this, Germany soon gained momentum. Diogo Costa made crucial saves against Nick Woltemade and Leon Goretzka to keep Portugal in contention. These efforts set the stage for Portugal’s eventual comeback.
A pivotal moment came when Bruno Fernandes narrowly missed after a skilful run. Then, Conceicao entered as a substitute and scored a remarkable equaliser from 20 yards out. This goal energised Portugal, leading to Ronaldo’s decisive tap-in five minutes later from Nuno Mendes’ assist.
Conceicao almost doubled his tally with an impressive run in the 82nd minute. Shortly after, Karim Adeyemi hit the post for Germany. Ter Stegen then made crucial saves against Diogo Jota and Conceicao, but Portugal held firm defensively to secure their victory without needing another goal.
The match marked Joshua Kimmich’s 100th appearance for Germany at Bayern Munich’s home ground. He assisted Wirtz’s goal, continuing his record of aiding Germany’s headed goals since his debut in 2016. Despite this milestone, Kimmich’s achievement was overshadowed by Portugal’s spirited comeback.
A Historic Win for Portugal
This victory ended Portugal’s losing streak against Germany in major tournaments since Euro 2000. Conceicao’s father, Sergio, had scored a hat-trick during that last win over Germany. The younger Conceicao’s performance was instrumental in reversing their fortunes this time around.
The match highlighted Conceicao’s significant contribution alongside Ronaldo’s decisive strike. Their combined efforts ensured that Portugal advanced to face either Spain or France in the final on Sunday.