Ronaldo on target as Portugal maintain perfect start in Nations League

Portugal's Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo scored first-half goals in a 3-1 win on the road against Poland in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, as the Group A1 leaders continued their perfect start to the competition with three wins from three games.

Silva put Portugal in front after 26 minutes, finding the net off a header from Bruno Fernandes, before captain Ronaldo tallied his 133rd international goal when he doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a first-time shot after Rafael Leao hit the post.

Piotr Zielinski pulled a goal back for Poland in the 78th with a powerful strike into the roof of the net, before teammate Jan Bednarek surrendered an own goal in the dying minutes.

Portugal continue to set the pace in League A Group 1 with nine points, three points clear of Croatia, who came from behind to beat visitors Scotland 2-1 earlier on Saturday.

Poland, who defeated Scotland 3-2 on the road in their opener before losing 1-0 at Croatia, are in third place with three points while the Scots have none so far.

The Poles started on the front foot, and striker Robert Lewandowski came close to netting an early opener, as he was inches from getting his head to on cross before Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa beat him to the ball.

Portugal, however, were quick to find their footing and Polish keeper Lukasz Skorupski was put to work early when he blocked Diogo Dalot's effort from close range.

Ronaldo then hit the bottom of the bar as Portugal continued to enjoy the bulk of possession and the chances kept coming.

Fernandes put Skorupski to the test again with a curled shot from just outside the box in the 14th minute, and the shot-stopper had to stretch to tip the ball away.

Poland's vulnerable back line eventually capitulated when Silva struck, before Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a calm finish. Leao had recovered the ball near the halfway line and slalomed past four defenders before striking the post from inside the box, leaving Ronaldo to slot home the rebound.

The 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward, who helped Portugal claim 2-1 wins against both Scotland and Croatia with one goal in each match, scored his 11th of the new campaign for club and country. He could have added a third after halftime, but hesitated to finish from inside the area and instead passed to Fernandes, who sent the ball flying over the bar.

Poland saw a glimmer of hope as Lewandowski had a chance a minute later when he rose highest in the box to connect with a cross, but sent his header narrowly wide of the left post.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez continued to alertly manage Ronaldo's playing time, with Diogo Jota replacing him in the 63rd minute.

Zielinski's strike injected some life into the hosts, but Poland lacked clear chances to equalize, before Bednarek's own goal confirmed the end of their two-year unbeaten home run.