Cristiano Ronaldo‘s late strike sealed Portugal’s 2-1 win over Scotland as the 901st goal of the striker’s extraordinary career completed a stirring fightback in Sunday’s Nations League clash. Ronaldo had reached 900 career goals with his 131st international strike in Thursday’s victory over Croatia. The 39-year-old showed no signs of being sated by that incredible milestone as he came off the bench to lift Portugal to their second successive win in Nations League Group A1. The Estadio da Luz in Lisbon rose in unison to chant the relentless Al-Nassr forward’s name after he struck with two minutes to play.

On his 30th birthday, Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal’s second half equaliser after his former Old Trafford team-mate Scott McTominay gave Scotland a surprise early lead.

For Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, victory over Scotland could mean some awkward silences at his next family gathering.

Martinez met his wife Beth while playing for Scottish club Motherwell in 2001 and joked before the match he would be delighted to upset his father-in-law by beating Scotland.

He did exactly that, leaving Scotland still waiting for their first win over Portugal.

Beaten 3-2 by Poland at Hampden Park on Thursday, Scotland have won just once in 14 matches, a barren sequence that included their lacklustre failure to make it out of the group stage at Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke’s men have lost six of their nine matches in 2024, with their only victory coming in a friendly against Gibraltar in June.

“When you bring quality players from the bench like Roberto can do you always know there’s a risk,” Clarke said.

“I’m really disappointed for my players because I think they deserved to get something from the game.

“But with the amount of balls that go into the box, you know one of them can go in the back of the net and that’s what happened to us.”

Ronaldo late show

Scotland took a shock lead in the seventh minute when Kenny McLean’s superb cross picked out McTominay, who made a perfectly-timed run to plant his stooping header past Diogo Costa from six yards.

McTominay, who recently moved from United to Napoli, has 10 goals in his last 12 competitive appearances for Scotland.

Rafael Leao threatened an immediate equaliser with a driving run but his shot rippled into the side-netting.

Leao went even closer as he cut in from the left flank for a fierce drive that Angus Gunn pushed away at full stretch.

Antonio Silva wasted a chance created by Leao as he headed over from the AC Milan forward’s dinked cross.

As the Portugal pressure mounted, Gunn made a fine save after Diogo Jota connected with Fernandes’s incisive pass.

It was no surprise to see Ronaldo sent on for the second half and Portugal were immediately improved by his presence.

Taking aim from long-range in the 53rd minute, Fernandes’s 25-yard blast should have been routine for Gunn but his weak attempted save allowed the ball to squirm into the net.

Ronaldo’s audacious backheel gave Joao Felix a sight of goal, only for Gunn to make amends for his earlier error with an excellent stop.

Gunn saved again from Felix’s diving header before Ronaldo turned the rebound against the post.

In the next attack, Ronaldo’s glancing header hit the post and was clawed off the line by Gunn before Felix could convert. 

Portugal’s late surge finally produced the winner in the 88th minute.

Nuno Mendes whipped a cross into the six-yard box, where Ronaldo was lurking to deliver the knockout blow with a typically predatory tap-in.

Josh Inglis celebrates after his century off 43 balls vs Scotland.© AFP

Scotland vs Australia 2nd T20I Highlights© AFP

Picture from Scotland vs Australia second T20I on September 4.© AFP

Travis Head in action against Scotland.© AFP

Scotland vs Australia Live Score 1st T20I© AFP

Australia announced their T20I squad for their upcoming series against Scotland and England, with Perth Scorchers all-rounder Cooper Connolly earning his maiden T20I call-up. The post-David Warner era has begun for Australia, and a new opening pair will take the field for their white-ball series against Scotland and England. The Baggy Greens will play a three-match T20I series against Scotland in September. Australia will also play three T20Is and five ODIs against England later in the month.

The three T20Is against Scotland will be played on September 4, 6, and 7, and the England T20I series will begin on September 11.

In Warner’s place, Jake Fraser-McGurk has been included in the T20I squads for both series and in the ODI squad against England. Fraser-McGurk will look to establish himself as a long-term opening alternative for Australia.

Connolly has featured in 15 domestic T20s. He starred for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League 2022-23 final with his quick-fire 25* off 11 deliveries. In his Sheffield Shield debut, he scored 90 against Tasmania earlier this year.

Mitchell Marsh will lead the side in the absence of Pat Cummins, who has been rested. Cummins is currently involved in the ongoing Major League Cricket with the San Francisco Unicorns.

The experienced duo of Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell will also miss the T20I series but will link up with the squad for the ODI series against England.

Matthew Short, who travelled with Australia’s T20 World Cup squad as a reserve player, will miss out on the T20I tour due to the birth of his first child.

“This tour gives us a great opportunity to bring in some new players in the absence of David Warner and Matthew Wade, as well as giving some senior players time to prepare for the home summer and a busy first half of next year. We are particularly pleased to offer Cooper his first opportunity in the T20 squad, having introduced the likes of Jake, Spencer, Xavier and Aaron in the past 12 months. They are exciting prospects to join the likes of Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis in the white-ball set-up,” national selector George Bailey said in a statement by Cricket Australia.

With the ICC Champions Trophy almost seven months away, Australia will try to find the right balance within the ODI team.

“With the Champions Trophy on our doorstep early next year, the white-ball series against Pakistan leading into the summer and a huge home Test series against India, there has been a lot of planning invested into these next six months. That has included gradual integration of new players into our white-ball squads who have earned international opportunities via excellent form in Big Bash or state cricket,” he added.

Australia T20I squad for Scotland and England: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Spencer Johnson, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad for England: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.

Hungary winger Roland Sallai dedicated Sunday’s 1-0 win over Scotland at Euro 2024 to Barnabas Varga who was stretchered off and taken to hospital after a sickening collision which will rule him out of the rest of the tournament. Varga collapsed to the pitch in Stuttgart and was struggling to move after chasing a long cross into the area as Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn came to collect the ball late in the second half. After a long delay, medics took the 29-year-old player from the pitch while sheets were draped around the stretcher in scenes that were initially reminiscent of Christian Eriksen‘s collapse after suffering cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland.

barnabas varga injury #EURo2024 pic.twitter.com/yFNPdOexhJ

— troll football (@BlessinKab2823) June 23, 2024

Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai appeared to be in tears as he consoled his stricken teammate.

“It was terrible. It was a terrible moment to see Barnabas like that,” said Sallai. 

“Fortunately he is in a much better condition. He is probably going to have to go for a minor operation. 

“We cross our fingers that he can return quickly. Naturally it was a terrible incident. Of course we were fighting for him in the remaining 15-20 minutes. We wanted to win for him and we dedicate the win to him.”

Coach Marco Rossi said Varga suffered what appeared to be a facial fracture.

“It was a confusing situation. What I heard from the players is that Barny at that moment looked like he was not conscious so everyone was really worried about his condition and also worried about the fact that the doctors arrived a bit late we can say,” said Rossi.

“But of course they probably didn’t realise it was a dangerous situation. Fortunately we can say now that Barny is not under any kind of risk. 

“Probably he will be operated in the coming hours because he suffered a fracture here (pointing to his cheek/eye socket). If we go through the competition of course he will not be part of the team any more.”

Varga was immediately taken to hospital after the incident.

“The condition of Barnabas Varga is stable,” the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) wrote on X. 

“The Hungarian national team player is currently in one of the hospitals in Stuttgart. We will inform you immediately if there is any news on his status.”

German broadcaster Magenta TV reported that Varga was conscious and talking when he arrived at hospital in Stuttgart.

Kevin Csoboth grabbed the winning goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time in the Group A game to keep alive the team’s hopes of making the last 16.

Kevin Csoboth scored in the 10th minute of added time after a frightening injury to Barnabas Varga as Hungary snatched a 1-0 win over Scotland to stay in the hunt for a place in the last 16 of Euro 2024. A sickening incident led to Hungary striker Varga being stretchered off in front of his visibly shocked team-mates in the second half, but Csoboth’s late winner kept them alive in the tournament. The Hungarian Football Federation said shortly after Sunday’s match that Varga was in a “stable condition” in a hospital in Stuttgart.

The episode brought back harrowing memories of Christian Eriksen‘s collapse at Euro 2020, when Denmark players shielded him from the cameras and those in the stadium after he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Csoboth dedicated the goal to Varga by holding up his stricken team-mate’s shirt during his celebration.

“Of course we were fighting for him in the remaining 15-20 minutes. We wanted to win for him and we dedicate the win to him,” said Hungary attacker Roland Sallai.

It was a bitter end to Scotland’s bid to reach the knockout phase of a major tournament for the first time as they were caught out pressing for a goal of their own right at the death.

“It was always a one-goal game,” said Scotland coach Steve Clarke. “We didn’t manage to get the goal, we opened up at the end to try and get it.”

Germany finished top of Group A after a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, who will go through as runners-up. Hungary must rely on other results if they are to advance as one of the best third-placed sides.

Scotland came last with just a point as their wait for a first European Championship win since 1996 goes on.

Clarke made one enforced change for Scotland as Scott McKenna replaced Kieran Tierney, who was stretchered off with a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

English-born Callum Styles got the nod in Hungary’s midfield, coming in after shaking off an injury, with Endre Botka also making his first appearance of the tournament on the right side of a back three.

John McGinn revealed the team skipped their pre-match nap as thousands of Scotland supporters gathered outside the hotel, belting out songs in anticipation of what they hoped was a historic night.

Hungary arrived at the Euros with increased expectations after a 14-match unbeaten run between November 2022 and March of this year. They also beat England twice in the last UEFA Nations League, as well as Germany away.

But back-to-back defeats had punctured confidence and left Marco Rossi’s side needing to beat Scotland to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

Cagey opening

Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn shovelled away a dipping drive from Bendeguz Bolla that bounced awkwardly in front of him, with Styles and then Willi Orban booked for cleaning out McGinn in a first half full of endeavour but limited in genuine chances.

Che Adams’ dangerous clearance though led to a Hungary free-kick 25 yards out, which Dominik Szoboszlai clipped towards the far post with Orban’s header skimming the top of the crossbar.

Szoboszlai, who shrugged off injury concerns after missing Hungary’s final team training session, hammered over a strike from distance, and it wasn’t until the 53rd minute that Scotland registered a shot.

Scotland defended doggedly as Jack Hendry blocked Sallai’s attempt when he shifted in from the left before Marton Dardai headed over from a cross.

A horrifying moment left Varga prone on his back in the Scotland area as he tried to head a free-kick goalwards while Gunn came flying out, with Anthony Ralston also crashing to the ground.

It resulted in a long stoppage as medics set Varga in the recovery position before a sheet was draped around him as he was carried off on a stretcher.

Scotland saw a penalty shout controversially turned down after Stuart Armstrong went down under a challenge from Orban, before the fourth official indicated 10 minutes of stoppage time.

That sparked a desperate quest from both teams to find the winning goal.

Gunn saved well from Andras Schafer and Szoboszlai, before Csoboth hit the post. Scotland defender Grant Hanley had a chance parried away by Peter Gulacsi, with Hungary racing up the other end and Csoboth steering home Sallai’s cutback to break Scottish hearts.