Portugal beat 2-1: UEFA Nations League semifinal – as it happened

Thanks for ing us as Portugal booked their place in Sunday’s Nations League final with a well deserved 2-1 win in Munich.

Al Jazeera will be back with plenty more sporting action soon, including the second semifinal tomorrow between Spain and .

But for now, from Kevin Hand and Patrick Keddie, goodbye.

The match-winner for Portugal 🤩🇵🇹pic.twitter.com/WOmcICJwTU

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) June 4, 2025

We have a double header for you on Thursday with the second semifinal of the UEFA Nations League as holders Spain take on .

First up, however, it’s the third round of the AFC World Cup Qualifiers as Indonesia host China in Group C.

Do us for all the usual build-up and comprehensive text commentary of both if you can.

Click here to read our match report following the first of the UEFA Nations League 2025 finals.

Julian Nagelsmann, ’s coach, has also given some of his thoughts to reporters.

“It was a deserved win for Portugal; they were the better team. We really gave it up in the first half. If we’re not at 100 percent, we can’t compete with the top teams.

“We lacked the grit today. We had a good team on the pitch, but we were always a bit too slow. Had we taken the lead in the first half, we might have gotten into the flow a bit.

“After half-time, we took the lead and then got sluggish. We have to work on that.”

Joshua Kimmich has been speaking to the media.

“The defeat is absolutely deserved. We weren’t playing well enough in the first half. After going 1-0 up, nothing came of it in the second half,” he said.

“We have to learn from this. If we’re not at 100 percent, we can’t beat a top European team. Today was one of our worst games, purely based on our performance.”

Portugal will face either Spain or in the Nations League final on Sunday.

Defending champions Spain will face in the second semifinal showdown tomorrow evening.

Everything you need to know about that game, which we will also be covering on Al Jazeera, is here.

Portugal’s coach Roberto Martinez has praised his side for their tactical execution and commitment.

“We need to enjoy the victory – we won for the first time in ,” he told reporters.

“Tactically, we were exceptional and our commitment helped … it was a team victory.

“There are a lot of things you have to do well if you want to play eye-to-eye with .

“We could have had more possession – the space was there and we didn’t look for it in the best way.

“The important thing is to be competitive. We need flexibility to use the individual ability of the players.

“Now we can recover and evaluate. We want another performance with personality in this shirt.”

1579 – Florian Wirtz scored with a header in a competitive match for the first time in 1579 days – it was his second such goal as a professional, having previously scored a header only in the Bundesliga in February 2021. Rarity. pic.twitter.com/XkF69ErexI

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) June 4, 2025

While it was a disappointing 100th cap for ’s captain, Joshua Kimmich, he did at least lay on an assist with a lovely scooped through-ball over the top, which Wirtz headed home.

That was Kimmich’s sixth assist of this Nations League campaign – more than any other player.

Joshua Kimmich becomes the 14th player to reach 100 caps for the German men's national team 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/0p0bgTex41

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 4, 2025

This was Portugal’s first victory against their opponents in since October 1985.

Cristiano Ronaldo had lost all five of his previous meetings vs. .

Then he scored a 68th-minute winner to send Portugal into the UEFA Nations League final 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/2QbXjSusX6

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 4, 2025

That was only ’s second defeat in 18 internationals, but they were very poor tonight.

They will have a chance to bounce back in the third place tie on Sunday, but the hosts will be frustrated for not giving a better of themselves.

He may now be in his fifth decade, but Portugal’s captain is still racking up the goals.

Ronaldo scored the winner with a tap in past Ter Stegen after Mendes teed him up with an unselfish . VAR showed he had just stayed onside.

That’s his 137th international goal on his 220th appearance for Portugal.

He only entered the game in the 58th minute, but Portugal’s right winger Francisco Conceicao has deservedly been named Player of the Match by UEFA.

He scored a sensational equaliser shortly after coming off the bench and was a constant menace to the German defence throughout.

Super-sub Francisco Conceição takes the Player of the Match award 👏pic.twitter.com/vjZes4h45v

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) June 4, 2025

After a goalless first half, took the lead in the second through a lovely header by Wirtz on the 48th minute, but that only roused Portugal into taking over the game.

Portugal scored twice in five minutes, through a beautiful long-range curler from Conceicao after 63 minutes, followed shortly thereafter by a Ronaldo tap-in.

The hosts never looked right all evening. Their attacking was anaemic, and their defence always looked vulnerable to Portugal’s attacks.

Adeyemi hit the post late on for the Germans, but Portugal never really looked in trouble after taking the lead, and the visitors saw out a deserved victory.

They will face either Spain or in Sunday’s final!

Jota is put through on the left and shoots from a tight angle. Ter Stegen blocks with his legs, and it’s the last major action of the game as the referee blows the whistle.

Portugal are in the final!

Fernandes breaks down the right and looks torn between crossing and shooting with ter Stegen off his line, and does neither, sending a ball into the German keeper’s arms.

Moments later, Vitinha creates some space on the right with a lovely bit of skill, and the ball falls to Paulinha, whose wild shot is deflected over.

90+4 mins: 1-2 Portugal

Kimmich wins a corner on the right and takes it, sending it into the box where it evades everyone to fly out for a throw-in on the other side of the pitch.

90+3 mins: 1-2 Portugal

still have time to save this, but they’re going to have to get more creative.

90+1 mins: 1-2 Portugal