UEFA Nations League: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal top group, ride on Joao Cancelo and Goncalo Guedes strike to beat Czech Republic

Portugal defender Joao Cancelo and winger Goncalo Guedes scored in five first-half minutes as they secured a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in their UEFA Nations League clash on Thursday (June 9). Cancelo put the 2019 champions in front in the 33rd minute of the League A Group 2 contest, blasting the ball past Czech goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek from a tight angle after good work on the right before Guedes struck.

A win for Fernando Santos on his 100th game in charge #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/H7WKkZqO28

— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) June 9, 2022

The Valencia forward found himself in space and tucked in from a similar position to Cancelo to double Portugal’s lead as Fernando Santos’s side tightened their grip on top spot in the group with seven points from three matches. Portugal travel to Switzerland on Sunday, having sealed an emphatic 4-0 home victory in their previous meeting.

Ronaldo in PFA Team of the Year

Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne have been named in the PFA Team of the Year. Ronaldo takes his place in the side after enjoying a successful return to Old Trafford last summer, and proving to be one of only a few bright sparks for United during the 2021/22 campaign. The Portuguese ace finished third in the Premier League’s top scorers with 18 goals, and totalling 24 goals across all competitions.

The 37-year-old is joined in the team by three of his counterparts from City. Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are all included after helping the Blues to a second consecutive league title, and their fourth in the last five years.

De Bruyne and Ronaldo though both missed out on the PFA Player of the Year award, with the top prize instead going to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian ended the season as the league’s joint-top scorer with 23 goals.

Salah also made it into the Team of the Year, alongside five of his Liverpool team-mates. Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago and Sadio Mane are also included, while Antonio Rudiger is the sole representative from Chelsea.

(with Reuters inputs)