Felix hands Portugal win over Wales on a frustrating night for Ronaldo
Joao Felix struck the only goal of the game as reigning Nations League champions Portugal opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon on Thursday, despite a night to forget for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal dominated proceedings throughout, dominating possession and outshooting their visitors 19 to 4, yet still found themselves needing a slice of fortune to finally break the deadlock in the Group A4 opener.
The decisive moment arrived in the 22nd minute, when a scuffed low effort from Felix on the edge of the box took a slight deflection off Wales captain Ben Davies and crept inside the far post beyond a diving Danny Ward.
Ronaldo, winning his 234th international cap, remained the focal point of Portugal's attack throughout, with the crowd rising in anticipation every time the ball found its way near the veteran forward inside the penalty area.
Despite that support, the 41 year old endured a frustrating evening in front of goal, firing into the side netting at one stage and shinning an inviting volley high over the crossbar from close range shortly afterwards.
His frustration deepened further after the hour mark, when he appeared to have doubled Portugal's advantage, only to see the effort chalked off by VAR after replays confirmed he had strayed offside in the build up.
Ronaldo was still visibly shaking his head in disbelief when Jorge Jesus withdrew him seven minutes later, replacing the captain with Goncalo Ramos as Portugal looked to see out the remainder of the contest.
Portugal's intensity noticeably dropped following his departure, allowing Wales, who had themselves gone close on two separate occasions, to grow into the contest during the closing stages of the match.
Brennan Johnson came closest for the visitors, chipping goalkeeper Diogo Costa only to see his effort strike the crossbar, with Lewis Koumas then shooting tamely straight at Ruben Dias as the rebound fell kindly for Wales.
Craig Bellamy's side pushed hard for a leveller in the final stages, but ultimately could not find a way through a resilient Portuguese defence protecting their narrow advantage until the final whistle.
The result extends Portugal's strong recent record in the competition, having already lifted the trophy twice since its inception back in 2018, and continues an impressive home record inside the Nations League specifically.
For Wales, the defeat marks a difficult return to the top tier of the competition, having earned promotion into a demanding group alongside Portugal, Norway and Denmark following their previous League B campaign.