UEFA Nations League: Spain vs Portugal ends in a draw as Ricardo Horta scores a late goal

Álvaro Morata, in the 25th minute, was the sole goal scorer for Spain. In contrast, Ricardo Horta, in the 82nd minute, was the only player to score for the Portuguese side.

Spain had a good start at their home ground as teenager Gavi stole the ball from João Cancelo and launched a counterattack. The Barcelona midfielder rushed forward and sent a near-perfect pass to Pablo Sarabia, who passed the ball to unmarked Álvaro Morata, who easily slotted the ball into the net.

Spain got an opportunity to double the lead in the 29th minute. However, the Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler sent the ball directly into the hands of the Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa. The first half ended with a 1-0 lead for Spain.

Portugal had a relatively more robust start to the second half. Rafael Leão almost levelled the score in the 59th minute, but the Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón got his fit in at the right time, pulling off a brilliant save.

Ricorda Horta came on the field as a substitute in the final moments of the second half. Spanish defenders were too busy keeping Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo in check that they left replacement Ricardo Horta unmarked. This turned out to be a big mistake at the start of their bid to reach the UEFA Nations League for the second consecutive time.

João Cancelo made a run on the flanks and sent an excellent pass to unmarked Ricardo Horta in the penalty area, who fired the ball into the net to level the score for Portugal. It was the first international goal for Ricardo Horta, who was playing his first international match since his debut in 2014.

Spain controlled 61% of the ball, took 11 shots and had a pass accuracy of 87% compared to 39% possession, seven shots and 80% pass accuracy by the Portuguese squad.

In a post-match interview, Portuguese striker Bernando Silva said, “This feels good because Spain is a very strong team, and we were playing on the road. This is a good result for Portugal.