Joao Felix hit the only goal as Nations League holders Portugal got off to a narrow winning start against Wales. The former Atletico Madrid man lashed in a low shot with the aid of a deflection to put Portugal ahead in Jorge Jesus first game in charge since replacing Roberto Martinez.Left-back Nuno Mendes did well to find space behind Ethan Ampadu and pulled the ball back for Felix, whose shot hit Wales captain Ben Davies and span into the net.Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had doubled the lead when he beat Danny Ward but he was offside and the goal was ruled out by VAR.And Wales came close to nicking a point late on when Everton forward Brennan Johnson hit the crossbar.Craig Bellamy will be pleased with his sides second-half display which was promising ahead of a trip to Denmark on Sunday.As ever, all eyes had been on the 41-year-old Ronaldo leading up to kickoff following his decision to prolong his Sele�o career. However, the veteran endured a frustrating evening in front of goal.After Rben Neves and Rben Dias both failed to convert earlier chances, Ronaldo squandered a golden opportunity moments after the restart, blazing a volley off target from just six yards out. He thought he had doubled the lead just before the hour mark when poking past Ward, only for a VAR review to rule the strike out for offside.That profligacy kept Craig Bellamys side alive, and Wales almost punished the hosts 15 minutes from time. Johnson saw an ambitious, looping effort bounce back off the crossbar before Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas looked certain to turn in the rebound. Manchester City defender Dias came to Portugals rescue, throwing himself in the way with a vital goal-line block.The hosts weathered a late flurry of Welsh pressure to secure maximum points and hand new manager Jesus a winning start to his tenure, while extending Wales winless run to five matches in 2026. Topics Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal National Football Team UEFA Nations League Wales National Football Team Add us as a preferred source on Google If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read WATCH: Felix gives Portugal the lead against Wales Tom Rostance 24th September, 2026 Portugal v Wales: Teams confirmed for Nations League clash Tom Rostance 24th September, 2026 Turkey v France: Preview, expected line-ups, stats and where to watch Nicholas McGee 24th September, 2026 Tip of the Day: Portugal, Germany & Netherlands Feature In Nations League Treble Mitch Fretton 24th September, 2026 Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal legend considered retirement after World Cup but now targeting 1,000th goal and Nations League triumph Cian Cheesbrough 23rd September, 2026 Paul Gascoigne slams muted England celebrations at World Cup and says they drive me nuts Mitch Fretton 23rd September, 2026
