Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had scored. The Estadio Jose Alvalade thought so too, for a couple of seconds, until the flag went up and the 59th minute went back to being goalless from Portugal's captain. Nine minutes later Jorge Jesus took him off. Portugal won anyway, and the only goal had come from somebody else entirely.
Joao Felix got it on 22 minutes, after Nuno Mendes had done the work down the left. That was enough to beat a Wales side who spent the night defending and finished with five shots to Portugal's 23.
The disallowed goal and the substitution
Ronaldo is 41 and spent the build-up to this game talking about the 21 goals he still needs to reach 1,000 in his career. He also spoke about a third Nations League title. Neither ambition moved forward on Thursday, and the offside call in the second half was the closest he came.
Coming off on 68 minutes for Goncalo Ramos was not a punishment. Ronaldo said himself before the game that he is relaxed about being rested now, and he had already explained why he stayed on after the World Cup: "I still believe that I'm able to help the national team to reach what they want."
Watching him hunt a goal he did not get was still the story of the night for most of the stadium, which tells you something about how Portugal games are consumed now, even when a 26-year-old has already won the match for them.
Wales could not get out
Craig Bellamy's side managed an expected-goals figure of 0.85 across the full ninety, most of which arrived after Portugal had stopped pushing. Portugal had 2.29, 61 per cent of the ball and 38 touches in the Welsh penalty box against Wales' ten.
Bellamy made the changes you make when you are chasing a game without much to chase with. Daniel James on for David Brooks after 63 minutes. Kieffer Moore and Sorba Thomas together on 77. Ben Cabango went off injured on 71 having been booked moments earlier, replaced by Chris Mepham, which is the kind of night Wales had.
Joao Felix nearly got a second in the fourth added minute, driving into the box before a defender blocked it. That was the last real action.
Group A4 starts badly for Bellamy
One game gone and Wales have nothing from it, against the strongest side in the group and away from home. That is survivable. What will worry Bellamy more is how little his team created in ninety minutes against a Portugal side that was not at full throttle after the opening goal.
Portugal, meanwhile, have three points and a win in Jesus' first competitive match of this cycle without needing their captain to deliver it. Given how the next two years are likely to go, that may be the more useful thing they learned.
Match facts: Portugal 1-0 Wales, UEFA Nations League League A, Group A4, Round 1, Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Thursday 24 September 2026, 19:45 BST. Goal: Joao Felix 22 (assist Nuno Mendes). Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside on 59 minutes and was substituted for Goncalo Ramos on 68. Referee: Donatas Rumsas (Lithuania). Ground capacity 52,095. Expected goals: Portugal 2.29, Wales 0.85. Possession: Portugal 61%, Wales 39%. Shots: Portugal 23, Wales 5.
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