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Portugal POR
1
Gonçalo Guedes 59'
Finished

Portugal beat the Netherlands to become inaugural Nations League champions

Update:
Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League Final - Portugal v Netherlands - Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal - June 9, 2019  Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and team mates celebrate winning the UEFA Nations League Final with the trophy          Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

Portugal 1-0 Netherlands | Nations League final: how it happened

Congratulations to Portugal. Their fans look as though they're off to have some fun tonight. Who said this tournament meant nothing?
It was a game where both defences were on top, pressing well, forcing the attacking players away from the danger areas in most situations, and winning the vast majority of balls that threatened.
The goal when it came was at least worthy of clinching the title: nicely worked in from the left, and then struck sweetly by Valencia's Guedes.
Chances came and went for the Dutch, although few that allowed them to truly test Patrico in goal. All in all it was a well contested final, and now the players (most of them, at least) can head off for a well-earned break before the new seasons begin again.

PORTUGAL WIN THE INAUGURAL NATIONS LEAGUE

90+3

Peep, peep, peeeeeep! And that's that! It's all over.

90+2

The Netherlands build again and Depay looks to shoot from the edge of the area but feigns. His cross to the back post is then met with a Bale-like overhead effort without making contact. That could be the last chance. Late substitution: Neves on for Carvalho.

90

We'll have 3 minutes of added time. And to celebrate Moutinho skies a shot from distance high, high into the stands behind the goal.

88

First booking of the game as Dumfries makes no mistake of ending the jinking run of Moutinho. 

88

Time running out for the Dutch and Portugal trying to work the ball as far away from their goal as possible.

85

Shouts for penalty from the home fans. Nothing given as Moutinho goes over in the box. VAR not called upon it seemed.

83

Two corners to Netherlands: first met by the head of Van Dijk, blocked. Second worked into the mix and Blind doesn't make enough contact with it to trouble the goal.

81

Netherlands |  de Roon off for de Jong.

81

Portugal | Joao Moutinho jogs on, Fernandes off

80

Bruno Fernandes tries his luck. He must be at least 25 yards out and Cillessen is in the right place to sort it out.

79

PING! Memphis rolls the ball across the outside of the Portugal area and De Roon steps on to it and hits a controlled right-foot drive. It flies just over the bar and into the stands behind.

77

A blistering break from Portugal's Silva is calmly stopped by Van Dijk. He is a rock.

Guedes leaves the pitch to a cheer or two

75

Portugal | Rafa Silva on for goalscorer Guedes.

74

Nice controlled possession from the Dutch, switching it from one corner, through the midfield and back to the other. It ends with a disappointingly over-hit cross from Depay.

71

Free-kick for the Netherlands is well headed away, and that is followed by a foul high up field by Van Dijk on Semedo. The ref got a bit of a moan from the Premier League's POTY.

70

The hosts have definitely started to look to play out time whenever possible. Not sure they'll be allowed to though, as the Dutch build up their pressing game.

68

Ruben Días saying 'come and get it' to De Roon on the touchline and eventually draws a foul.

66

Following that last corner there is a delicious ball played into the six-yard area, which is met by a flying Depay. Patricio stops with his hands low, then collects before anyone else follows up. This game is far from over.

65

Van de Beek wins his side a corner but nothing comes of it.

63

Portugal content to knock it across the defence now that they have the lead. But the Dutch are quick to press and force the turnover. What can they do to probe an opening?

Sweet strike from the Valencia man but Cillessen will be a little disappointed he didn't keep it out after getting a hand to it. 

60

Gooooaaaalll!! Guedes fires into the right side from the edge of the area.

60

Donny van de Beek on for Bergwijn.

58

Cillessen invovled directly from the corner, punching it clear and setting up a counter attack. Again the Dutch smother.

57

No walking there for Memphis! He sprints in behind the covering defender and as he tried to pick out a teammate saw the deflected cross have to be dealt with instinctively by Patricio. Corner conceded by the keeper.

53

A couple of chances almost opening up for Portugal, with three corners coming in quick succession. Resolute defending from the Dutch keeps things even. Nice pace about the game.

51

Depay picks the ball up on the left and swings in a powerful cross. Patricio collects masterfully.

50

Just after Cristiano fails to reach a long pass, Wijnaldum is send racing through on goal. One-on-one with Patricio, he executes a lovely dink but the keeper raises a strong hand and pushes away. Looks like the Liverpool man was offside.

48

Bergwijn this time, collects inside the opposition area and aims to feed Wijnaldum with a clever through ball. Interception perfection.

48

Certainly a much better start from the Dutch, pushing into the final third in numbers.

46

First move from the newly-introduced Promes who dinks the ball round the back of the Portuguese defenders nicely, but no near runner.

Back underway...

Right, the teams are heading back out. One change: Promes is on for Babel.

Despite bossing the possession, it's been a quiet night for the likes of Depay and Babel. Portugal have dealt with every threat, not that there have been many, and been the more impressive moving forwards.

possession
42.3%57.7%
Yellow cards
0
0
red cards
0
0
fouls won
6
4
fouls committed
4
6
lost balls
57
65
ball recovered
25
28
offsides
1
0
penalties
0
0
goalkeeper interventions
0
4

Well, so far in the Nations League games today we've had zero goals in 165 minutes of play. Possibly not what was expected, although this final has certainly not been a dull affair. 

This is not a bad representation of the first half. Portugal have looked the more dangerous team but that Dutch defence is not easily breached.

45

HALF-TIME | The whistle goes and the players head off for the break.

45

The Dutch corner leads to a promising counter for Portugal. Three on three then Silva slows things down and the defence returns. Semedo almost gets a last chance to trouble the goal but the space disappears.

44

Babel receives the ball in the left channel for the Netherlands but, as the situation threatened danger, paused and the moment was gone. Daley Blind does get his side a corner out of it.

41

Age will never stop Cristiano's step-overs, and there they allowed him to skip inside from the left and pull the right-foot trigger. The Barça reserve keeper got himself well behind it and held.

39

Portugal getting closer. Fernandes has a shot from the edge of the area, which flies just over Cillessen's right post.

37

Pressure building by Portugal. Neat feet and clever movement creating more opportunities to bother Cillessen, but his defence does its job.

35

A Dutch break is disrupted and Portugal burst away at speed. Semedo finds himself with the chance to pick out Ronaldo at the back post but it's overhit. The 34-year old recovers but the subsequent shot is blocked.

33

Man City's Silva is again showing his quality, delivering a clever ball across goal but it's cleared.

32

The Dutch are happy to play the ball out from the back between the press but are effectively working on the counter.  The few chances they've had theyve not been able to make much of.

31

SAVE! Cillessen had to get down smartly there to push a rasping Fernandes strike away. Corner to the more dangerous looking Portugal.

29

The corner finds that man Ronaldo again but his tame header is easily gathered.

28

PING! Cristiano collects well on the right corner of the area and despite being some distance from goal lets rip. Van Dijk was right on him and the ball ricochets away from a corner.

27

Portugal under some presssing from the blue, erm, torquoise,  erm, opposition shirts, and work it back to Patricio in goal.

25

Nice, early ball swung into the area but, again, it's good defending to see it away.

24

Free-kick in a decent position here for the 'visitors' after Fonte fouls. Cue the big defenders to stroll forward.

22

Semedo now guilty of giving away a foul. Some tasty challenges seen in this first half. No way it's a friendly, there's a big shiny trophy at stake.

possession
37.9%62.1%
Yellow cards
0
0
red cards
0
0
fouls won
5
3
fouls committed
3
5
lost balls
32
29
ball recovered
12
15
offsides
0
0
penalties
0
0
goalkeeper interventions
0
1
21

Nice idea from Ronaldo there as he hits a first-time low cross into the area. No one there to bother the Dutch backline but space found well by the Juve man.

19

Matthijs de Ligt hands Portugal time to gather with a poorly timed challenge. The Dutch, though, are slowly getting into this game. I'd say it's building as a contest and can see goals before the end of the half, despite strong defending at both ends.

17

Pereira with a shot in anger but it's blocked. 

15

Wijnaldum tries to get on the end of a ball down in the left corner but he's forced into making a mistake. It almost looked like he was being weighed down by a winner's medal ;-)

But there is this stat to remember

13

Most of the attacking play is for the hosts in this early period, Netherlands struggling to build anything.

12

The corner is played short and a dangerous inswinger played in from the man of the every play at the moment, Bruno Fernandes. Cillessen gathers in front of three closing red shirts. 

11

Corner to Portugal here after Fernades' cross is put out.

8

Fernandes on the ball again. The centre of the pitch appears to open up in front of him and so he tries his luck from distance. Nothing for Cillessen to worry about though, unless he has some relatives in the crowd.

6

Fernandes tries to pick out Cristiano on the run but again the Dutch defence kills off any danger.

4

First real break for the hosts as Bernardo Silva is hit with the long ball. Van Dijk eases him out of the run, but the CIty man claims a penalty. No chance!

3

Both sides trying to get some possession but another foul brings a second free-kick Portugal's way. Sussing each other out while the home fans get behind their side

1

Netherlands straight onto the front foot but a foul by de Roon break that up.

Let's go!

A remote controlled car zooms onto the pitch to deliver the ball to the waiting referee. And we're almost ready...

Great signing by both sets of fans. Remember there is a comments box above this feed where you can join in the fun. Any comments we like may get a mention, or respond to our AS English tweets.

The teams are out, along with a surprisingly tinny looking trophy. It does reflect the evening light beautifully though. Here come the anthems...

Portugal get to play at home, which means there is a wonderful welcome for the team, the red and green being waved enthusiastically from all around the arena. Well, there's a touch of the famous orange thrown in there too, and they'll be loud.

As I mentioned, England eventually claimed third spot in this let's-do-away-with-meaningless-friendlies competition but some believe there was no need for this afternoon's game. What are your thoughts?

There are, of course, plenty players to get us interested tonight, but one particular match-up has been driving a lot of attention. Cristiano Ronaldo continues to shine - his semi-final hat-trick just another example - while Virgil van Dijk is fresh off a record-breaking season and Champions League win with Liverpool. Both look to head off into the holiday sunset with another medal. Here's a piece you may want to read on their constrasting campaigns.

In case you missed it, England finish the competition with the bronze medal. Earlier today they played out a classic 120-minutes worth of goalless fun all the way through to penalties, where they won 6-5. We're hoping for earlier net-bulging in this encounter.

After a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick helped the hosts overcome Switzerland in the semi-finals,  Portugal are now looking to go down in pub quiz history as the first nation every to win this tournament. They are up against a talented Dutch side though, that could well disappoint much of the crowd in the Estádio do Dragão.

Hello and welcome to the final of the inaugural Nations League, which sees Portugal play the Netherlands. Kick off is at 19:45 (20:45 CEST) and we'll be bringing you all the action as it happens.