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Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace as five second-half goals from Portugal ensured they topped their Nations League group after a 5-1 thrashing of a sorry Poland side.
The visitors, who held a slim chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the competition, were the better team in the first half, with Bartosz Bereszynski and Krzysztof Piatek going closest. An uninspired Portugal, on the other hand, looked lacklustre – summed up by poor finishes from Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.
Roberto Martinez’s team greatly improved in the second half and scored a brilliant breakaway goal in the 59th minute as Rafael Leao and Nuno Mendes superbly combined for the opener.
Ronaldo doubled the hosts’ lead 13 minutes later from the penalty spot after Jakub Kiwior handled in the box before Fernandes’ long-range stunner eight minutes later put the result beyond doubt.
Pedro Neto then thumped home a fourth seven minutes from time, before Ronaldo’s bicycle kick made it five shortly after. A shellshocked Poland grabbed a consolation strike in the 88th minute through Dominik Marczul as Portugal finished first in League A Group 1 with a game to go.
GOAL rates Portugal’s players from Estadio do Dragao…