Ronaldo, who made his return to Lisbon for the first time since last October, had several chances to score but missed them. The 41-year-old started the match, as promised by his coach Jorge Jesus, and despite talking of a new era and different tactics, all felt rather run of the mill. Ronaldo passed up four decent chances in the first half alone, the best of which was from about 12 yards out, leaving him scuffing his boots in frustration.
The chances kept coming for Ronaldo, but he failed to capitalise. Four minutes into the second half, he knelt on the turf behind the Wales goal-line, puffing his cheeks after passing up the opportunity to double Portugal's advantage. Rúben Neves put in a delicious cross from the right flank, but Ronaldo, unmarked and alone with his thoughts in the six-yard box, shanked the ball over off his left shin.
In the end, Portugal earned a narrow Nations League victory courtesy of another Al-Nassr forward, João Félix's first-half strike from the edge of the box beating Danny Ward in the Wales goal. Nuno Mendes, among the Portugal players who passed up chances, moved infield and located João Félix, who 20 yards from goal sent a shot in via a nick off the Wales captain, Ben Davies.