• Cristiano Ronaldo required medical attention in the first quarter.
• After colliding with Tomas Vaclik, Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot scored.
• Twice as did his Manchester United colleague Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota.

Diogo Dalot scored twice as Portugal defeated the Czech Republic to keep their Nations League hopes alive.

The 2019 winners were able to move two points clear atop Group A2 as a result of Spain’s loss to Switzerland.

Portugal must defeat Spain in their final group match on Tuesday in order to get to the finals.

The second goal was scored by Dalot’s Manchester United colleague Bruno Fernandes, while Diogo Jota added a late fourth.

In the first quarter, Cristiano Ronaldo required medical attention after colliding with Tomas Vaclik, the Czech goalkeeper, and receiving a blow to the face. Ronaldo had headed a corner into the six-yard box to assist Jota’s goal.

Despite being hurt, the forward played on.

The team under Fernando Santos bounced back well from their June Nations League defeat to Switzerland, knowing that a win in Prague would boost their prospects of making it to the match against Spain.

Goals from Dalot off a cutback from Rafael Leao and Fernandes off a low cross from Mario Rui gave Portugal the lead.

Patrik Schick, a Czech forward, was unable to reduce the lead from the penalty spot before halftime after Ronaldo was penalised for a handball.

Due to this, Liverpool’s Jota scored the game’s last goal with eight minutes still on the clock with a header after right-back Dalot had put the match beyond question seven minutes earlier with a spectacular left-footed shot from outside the area.

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The Czech Republic placed last in their group, and in order to avoid being demoted to League B, they must overcome Switzerland in their final match.

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