Portugal 1-0 Netherlands: Nations League final – as it happened

The hosts were deserved winners of the inaugural Nations League, with Goncalo Guedes’s thumping strike settling the final in Porto

11.13pm BST

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9.51pm BST

That’s it for tonight’s liveblog. I’ll leave you with Daniel Taylor’s match report from Porto. Thanks for your company tonight, and throughout the 2018-19 season. See you in August!

Related: Portugal provide local cheer as Gonçalo Guedes does for Netherlands

9.50pm BST

The Portugal squad, led by their coach Jack Straw and the injured Pepe, stroll up to receive their medals. Cristiano Ronaldo is the last man up, and he collects the Nations League trophy for Portugal! This team are nowhere near as sexy as the Golden Generation of the 1990s, but they sure know how to win.

9.46pm BST

The Player of the Tournament is Bernardo Silva. There are few more admirable footballers in the world just now.

9.41pm BST

Portugal have done the European double - they won Euro 2016 and have added the 2019 Nations League. They are a slightly odd side, a bit of a motley crew with one or two class acts like Bernardo Silva. But they are brilliantly organised at the back, they work like stink and they have a demented glory addict in attack.

9.36pm BST

The Portugal players are celebrating like they’ve won a major trophy, and maybe that’s what the Nations League is. Either way, Portugal were much the better side and deserved to win. The Netherlands had lots of the ball but did very little with it, and this time there were no defensive gifts. In fact, the Portugal defence was superb, especially Jose Fonte and Ruben Dias in the centre.

9.34pm BST

That’s it! Three liong years of hurt have come to an end! Goncalo Guedes’s ferocious strike has won the inaugural Nations League for the hosts Portugal. Didn’t beat England, though, did they.

9.31pm BST

90+1 min Depay is booked for dissent.

9.31pm BST

90 min A headed clearance falls invitingly for Joao Moutinho, who thrashes it miles wide from distance. There will be three minutes of added time.

9.30pm BST

89 min Ronaldo spanks the free-kick miles wide.

9.29pm BST

88 min Dumfries is booked for a desperate foul on the substitute Rafa Silva, a lovely runner with the ball who has been excellent since coming on.

9.28pm BST

87 min de Jong goes down after a very late follow through from Ronaldo. I think it was accidental, but it’s hard to know these days.

9.27pm BST

86 min Portugal appeal for a penalty when Joao Moutinho appears to be dragged to the ground. The referee isn’t interested. Play continues, and moments later the underlapping Semedo drives a low shot that is comfortably saved by Cillessen. Replays suggest Moutinho may have been fouled by Blind, but not clearly and obviously.

9.25pm BST

84 min “It’s looking like Ronaldo will be adding yet another trophy to his collection,” says Matt Dony. “I just hope that the excitement doesn’t distract him and cause him to forget to thank Aaron Ramsey when he returns for pre-season at Juve. If it hadn’t been for Ramsey being suspended for the Euro 2016 semi, this would be the peak of Ronaldo’s international career.”

Wasn’t that because of a needless handball as well? That must smart.

9.24pm BST

82 min A long, angled ball is headed down by Luuk de Jong towards van de Beek, whose poor first touch almost sneaks in at the near post. Rui Patricio scrambles it behind for a corner. That’s taken short and crossed towards Luuk de Jong, who heads wide from 10 yards. That was a chance.

9.22pm BST

81 min A substitution apiece. Portugal bring on Joao Moutinho for Bruno Fernandes; the Netherlands introduce Luuk de Jong in place of Marten de Roon.

9.21pm BST

80 min Bruno Fernandes’s 48th long-range shot of the night is well struck but comfortably saved by Cillessen.

9.20pm BST

79 min Promes, cutting in from the left, plays an inviting pass back towards de Roon. He marches onto the ball and drills a rising drive just over the bar from 25 yards. That was a cracking effort.

9.16pm BST

75 min A change for Portugal, with Rafa Silva replacing the goalscorer Guedes.

9.14pm BST

73 min Portugal, Ronaldo in particular, are desperate to win this game. Now that the Netherlands have also stirred, it’s an intense, manic contest.

9.12pm BST

70 min “What is it about Pepe that makes him a pantomime villain?” says JR in Illinois. “He intentionally tries to hurt opponents, intentionally violates the laws of the game as often as he can, and intentionally tries to get opponents wrongly sent off. In my book that makes him an actual villain.”

If you don’t find Pepe amusing, I’m afraid you simply don’t hate yourself enough.

9.10pm BST

69 min Blind’s dangerous low cross is wonderfully cleared by Dias, stretching towards his own goal in the six-yard box. Dias, the young Benfica defender, has been really impressive.

9.09pm BST

68 min Since going behind, the Netherlands have played with much greater intensity. Human nature is a peculiar thing.

9.07pm BST

65 min: Good save from Rui Patricio! That was the Netherlands’ best chance. Depay met van de Beek’s deep right-wing cross with a firm downward header from six yards, but it was too close to Rui Patricio and he plunged to his right to make an important save.

9.05pm BST

65 min van de Beek wins a corner for the Netherlands. Fonte heads it clear.

9.04pm BST

62 min Portugal deserve to be ahead. They’ve played with much greater intensity and purpose in attack.

9.03pm BST

Guedes started the move with a lovely nutmeg that allowed a pass from the left touchline to run through to Bernardo Silva. He moved into the area and played a reverse pass back towards Guedes, who had continued his run towards the edge of the area. I thought Guedes should have slipped in Ronaldo on the right but instead he hammered a first-time shot that went through the left hand of the diving Cillessen and into the net. Cillessen should probably have saved it but it was a fierce strike.

9.01pm BST

Goncalo Guedes batters Portugal into the lead!

9.00pm BST

60 min Another change for the Netherlands - Steven Bergwijn is replaced by Donny van de Beek.

9.00pm BST

57 min “I share JR in Illinois’s genuine regret at the lack of Pepe in this game,” says Tom Hopkins. “In fact, he got me to thinking why they didn’t get Mark van Bommel out of retirement. It was just more fun with him rampaging about with impunity.”

Ah, you’re making me nostalgic.

8.58pm BST

56 min It’s been a cracking start to the second half, as if both teams can’t bear the thought of extra-time. Depay wriggles away from Fonte in the area and cuts the ball back. It hits somebody - no idea who - and is pushed behind by Rui Patricio.

8.56pm BST

54 min “Why do English people boo Virgil van Dijk?” asks Peter Giesen. “We are totally puzzled here in the Netherlands. Why are English people even in the Dragao? Is this some sort of desperate, drunken last stance before they finally leave the EU?”

The booing is from non-Liverpool fans, I suppose. As for the English fans, they bought tickets for the game in the knowledge that England would reach and then win the final.

8.55pm BST

53 min Bernardo Silva’s wicked inswinging corner from the right clears everyone in the centre of goal and is met by Fonte at the far post. His downward header is blocked, I think by one of his own teammates, and Cillessen gets to the loose ball a fraction before Fonte.

8.51pm BST

50 min Depay slides a through pass to Wijnaldum, who looks offside but is allowed to continue. He tries to chip Rui Patricio, who claws the ball away with his left hand - and then the flag does go up against Wijnaldum. All that blood pressure for nothing.

8.49pm BST

48 min The Netherlands, who were so passive before the break, have made a fast start to the second half.

8.46pm BST

46 min The Netherlands begin the second half. They’ve made a change, with Quincy Promes replacing Ryan Babel.

8.34pm BST

Half-time reading

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8.34pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Breen Ó Conchubhair. “Who is winning the Ronaldo v Virgil Van D competition?”

He’s mainly been looked after by de Ligt, so hasn’t really come up against van Dijk. Ronaldo v de Ligt is about even, I’d say. De Ligt has been quite rough and ready with him.

8.32pm BST

Peep peep! Portugal have been the better team without creating any clear chances. The Netherlands have been neat, tidy and entirely sterile. See you in 10 minutes.

8.31pm BST

45+1 min The corner is taken short, swung deep and headed over by Fonte. And that’s that.

8.31pm BST

45 min Blind wins a corner for the Netherlands, their first of the match. It’s headed clear by Danilo and Portugal break promisingly. Eventually Semedo’s shot, which was going miles wide, deflects off van Dijk for another corner.

8.28pm BST

42 min “Either the German commentator on ZDF doesn’t seem to deem the action worthy of commentary, or there’s a technical glitch, but he’s been silent for at least 10 minutes now,” says Michael Dear. “Given the appalling state of football commentary in this country, though, I’m just as happy to hear the crowd noise, the occasional sounds of players shouting instructions to each other, or the thud of feet hitting the ball.”

Maybe it’s a protest against modern commentary, and specifically the inability of 99 per cent of commentators to even consider allowing a millisecond of dead air (sic).

8.27pm BST

41 min Portugal continue to chase Nations League glory. Ronaldo beats Dumfries and de Ligt before shooting straight at Cillessen from distance.

8.25pm BST

39 min “What a shame it is that Pepe isn’t fit to play in this final,” says JR in Illinois. “A real damn shame. It’s so sad that we are missing out on the opportunity to witness his delicate skill and unrivalled, impeccable sportsmanship. Terribly unfortunate, we are. Did I mention what a shame it is?”

A bit of pantomime villainy is just what this game needs, for mine.

8.24pm BST

38 min Make that five shots. Bernardo Silva shoves an inviting little pass back to Bruno Fernandes, who sweeps over the bar from inside the D.

8.23pm BST

37 min Bernardo Silva plays a nice little pass to Bruno Fernandes, whose shot on the run from the edge of the area is deflected behind by van Dijk. Fernandes certainly isn’t shot shy; I think that was his fourth of the half.

8.21pm BST

35 min Ronaldo plays the ball back to Guedes, whose low shot from the edge of the area takes a deflection before van Dijk boots it away. Portugal have been much more threatening in attack.

8.20pm BST

33 min Dumfries runs 50 yards down the right. He looks up at all the blue shirts waiting in the middle - and then he decides to play a short pass, the most abysmal pass I have seen in my entire life. I’m not even going to dignify it with a description.

8.18pm BST

32 min Louis van Gaal must be loving this Netherlands performance.

8.17pm BST

31 min For once, the stats are a perfect summary of the game. The Netherlands have had 60 per cent of the possession and no shots at goal. Portugal have had 40 per cent and six shots.

8.16pm BST

30 min Bruno Fernandes, on the right, whacks an awkward, wobbling shot from distance that is palmed round by Cillessen. From the resulting short corner, Ronaldo flashes a header straight at the keeper, though he’d been flagged offside.

8.15pm BST

28 min Ronaldo’s shot from the right of the box deflects wide off van Dijk. The resuling corner is swung towards Fonte, whose header from near the penalty spot is a bit tame and comfortably saved by Cillessen. That was a chance. In fact it hit his shoulder, which would explain why it looked so tame. While that was happening, de Ligt took one in the face from Dias. I think it was accidental.

8.13pm BST

27 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “Viasat, the station broadcasting the Nations League here in Finland, certainly doesn’t seem to care very much for the final. The entire game so far has been shown from a camera high in the stands behind the Dutch goal, showing pretty much the entire pitch at all times. It’s interesting to watch the game that way, but it’s hard to tell what goes on when the ball’s near the Portuguese goal.”

It’s just like being there, sort of.

8.11pm BST

25 min Wijnaldum is fouled 40 yards from goal by Guerreiro. Ordinarily I wouldn’t give such incident the time of day but I’m starting to feel guilty about the lack of regular updates. I swear to you: nothing is happening.

8.07pm BST

21 min Portugal are having a good spell, their best of the match in terms of possession. It’s still not especially exciting, though, and the game really could do with a goal.

8.06pm BST

19 min Ronaldo is flattened by de Ligt, not for the first time in the game. This is the bit where I tell you that de Ligt was four years old when Ronaldo made his Portugal debut.

8.04pm BST

18 min “Mrs Dony and Master Dony are both in bed, I refuse to pay for Sky Sports (and goodness knows there’s nothing else on at the moment), and I’m currently on a diet, meaning I’m trying not to eat or drink anything unnecessary,” weeps Matt Dony. “So, my Sunday evening is being spent lying very soberly on the sofa watching a recording of the original Broadway production of Into The Woods. It’s come to this. No pressure, Rob, but if your MBM isn’t sufficiently entertaining, then I can’t guarantee I’ll see tomorrow. Might just disappear in a sad puddle of lower-middle-age (still south of 40!) ennui.”

I could do something wacky if you’d like.

8.03pm BST

17 min Fernandes plays a dreadful pass straight to Bergwijn, who charges at the heart of the Portugal defence from the halfway line. He gets to the edge of the area and tries to scurry past the last man Dias, who stays on his feet and makes a fine tackle.

8.01pm BST

15 min Portugal are playing like the away side, as they did so successfully for much of Euro 2016. They are so well organised in defence, and thus far the Netherlands haven’t been able to get behind them.

7.59pm BST

14 min “Great to see a Scottish market town getting a run out at right-back for the Netherlands tonight,” says Alan Walker of everyone’s new favourite defender, Denzel Dumfries.

7.58pm BST

13 min We’re having a few technical problems; apologies. You haven’t missed much, just a long-range shot from Fernandes that was comfortably saved by Cillessen.

7.54pm BST

9 min Bruno Fernandes has a shot from 25 yards, and instantly wishes he hadn’t.

7.54pm BST

8 min The Netherlands are dominating possession, as expected, but so far it has all been in front of the Portugal defence.

7.52pm BST

5 min “Impossible to see a shot of the Portuguese manager and not immediately think of Jack Straw,” says Charles Antaki. “Unfortunately.”

Well, it was possible to do so, but it isn’t any longer. Thanks a lot.

7.51pm BST

4 min A very long ball is driven towards Bernardo Silva, who takes it down beautifully on the chest before falling over just inside the area after a challenge from Blind and van Dijk. Portugal appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty. Van Dijk did put hands on Silva, but probably not enough for it to be a foul.

7.49pm BST

3 min It looks like Portugal are playing 4-3-3, with Guedes on the left of the attack and Bernardo Silva on the right. Ronaldo has just given the referee a rollocking for not giving him a free-kick.

7.47pm BST

2 min “I saw the Maradona movie today and I’ll confess I was disappointed,” says Gary Naylor. “The story is more one of addiction (and there’s a sense in which every addict’s story is the same story) and not so much the one of outrageous genius. What little football included, comprised footage shot close up with no sense of his peerless domination of space through technique, vision and personality.”

I suppose you could argue the football has been done a million times already, but that does sound a bit disappointing.

7.45pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Portugal, in red, kick off from left to right. The Netherlands are in their away strip. This polarised blue away shirt pays homage to the team’s classic 1988 changed colours, while a deep royal blue geometric pattern celebrates ‘Total Football’—the pioneering style of play which earned them reverential status in the ‘70s.

7.41pm BST

There’s a wonderful atmosphere in Porto; this feels like a Proper Game. Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the Portugal team are belting out the national anthem as if the match depends on it.

7.27pm BST

“Ronaldo will score and Portugal will win 2-1,” says Mayokun Mesole. “He’s been doing this for years tonight will not be different.”

There isn’t a particle of my being that will be surprised if that does happen. Amazing to think that once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, he was seen by many as a big-game bottler.

7.24pm BST

“What’s a 4-D-2-formation?” asks Lars Bøgegaard.

It’s a diamond midfield. I can’t type 4-1-2-1-2; I get too many Full Metal Jacket flashbacks.

6.57pm BST

Pre-match reading

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Related: Nations League final: Ryan Babel impressed by mature Dutch youngsters

Related: Ronaldo’s final glory? Home triumph glimmers for an icon fighting off the dusk | Barney Ronay

6.40pm BST

Portugal (possible 4-D-2) Rui Patricio; Semedo, Dias, Fonte, Guerreiro; Danilo; Fernandes, Carvalho; B Silva; Guedes, Ronaldo.
Substitutes: Sa, Beto, Cancelo, Moutinho, Sousa, Jota, R Silva, Neves, Rui, Pizzi, Felix.

Netherlands (definite 4-3-3) Cillessen; Dumfries, de Ligt, van Dijk, Blind; De Roon, F de Jong, Wijnaldum; Bergwijn, Depay, Babel.
Substitutes: Vermeer, Bizot, Hateboer, Ake, Propper, Promes, van Aanholt, de Vrij, Strootman, Vilhena, L de Jong, van de Beek.

11.51am BST

It’s a question that philosophers will ponder until the end of time: what does it all mean? Why, truly, have we all been received the gift of the Nations League? I’ve no idea how much this inaugural Nations League final between Portugal and the Netherlands matters to those involved, or where it registers on the gloryometer, and that feels a little strange.

We know it won’t mean as much to the winners as Euro 2016 and Euro 88 respectively, but the evidence of the semi-finals are that it matters more than we thought it would when the idea was conceived. Winning it would certainly mean more to Portugal than the SkyDome Cup. Whichever side lifts the trophy tonight, it will be a good story. Portugal could win as hosts, something they failed to do at Euro 2004, and Cristiano Ronaldo could add to his already ludicrous list of honours. How many Nations Leagues have you won, “Lionel”?

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