Scotland vs Portugal Nations League Highlights: Ronaldo Held At Hampden

Scotland earned their first point of their UEFA Nations League campaign with a goalless draw to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at Hampden Park.

Scotland held firm at home with just 33% possession to claim a point in Glasgow, marking Portugal‘s first dropped points in Group A so far.

The hosts set out to avoid a fifth straight defeat and Steve Clarke‘s men did just that, successfully absorbing the pressure of Ronaldo, Rafael Leao and Bruno Fernandes, who will leave Scotland as frustrated men.

Scotland have won just once in their last 15 appearances in what can only be described as a drab spell for the country, notwithstanding an encouraging experience at the recent European Championships in Germany.

By avoiding defeat tonight, Scotland have managed to dodge what would have been their worst losing run in history – but despite the lack of results, they have gone close against a number of formidable opponents.

They opened the Nations League campaign with a 3-2 loss against Poland, which was followed by 2-1 defeats to Portugal and Croatia – pushing their opponents to the wire in every encounter.

WATCH: Scotland 0-0 Portugal Nations League Highlights

Scott McTominay came close to firing the hosts in front inside the first five minutes, meeting Andy Robertson’s whipped cross but the Napoli midfielder’s headed effort was tame and straight at Diogo Costa.

Shortly after the half-hour mark, the Hampden crowd came close to witnessing a vintage Cristiano Ronaldo moment as his spectacular overhead kick trickled wide of the post – looking less and less like a 39-year-old each time he steps out onto the field.

Portugal enjoyed a dominant spell of possession throughout but Ronaldo and Francisco Conceicao were left rueing missed chances that could’ve and should’ve been put away.

Manchester United skipper Fernandes hit the post from a corner around the hour mark but it was Scotland who began to turn up the heat after that, but McTominay was unable to convert a number of promising opportunities.

Craig Gordon made a huge save to deny Fernandes on the stroke of added time from Leao’s clever pull back, but his powerful first-time effort was well saved by the Hearts stopper.

Scotland held on through the dying embers to claim a valuable point, their first of the Nations League campaign – which should set them up nicely for next month’s fixtures against Croatia and Poland.