Lisbon: Croatia and Portugal have both advanced to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League following a tightly contested match that ended in a 1-1 draw. Portugal's coach, Roberto Martinez, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance despite having rested several key players. According to Thai News Agency, the last match in UEFA Nations League League A Group 1 saw Croatia host Portugal. The Portuguese team took the lead with a goal from Joao Felix in the 33rd minute, but Croatia equalized in the 65th minute with a goal from Josko Gvardiol. Over six matches, Portugal emerged as group champions with 14 points, while Croatia secured the second position with 8 points, both teams progressing to the final eight. Post-match, Roberto Martinez explained his decision to rest key players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandez, citing the team's pre-qualified status as group winners. Martinez emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for all players to excel and fostering internal competition. Despite the lineup changes, Portugal maintained strong performance levels. The draw for the last eight teams is scheduled for November 22, with the first matches to take place on March 20 and 23 next year. In other UEFA Nations League results, Scotland defeated Poland 2-1, finishing third in Group 1 with 7 points, while Poland ended up fourth with 4 points. In League A Group 4, Serbia and Denmark played to a 0-0 draw, allowing Denmark to enter the quarter-finals with 8 points as Serbia finished third. Spain emerged victorious over Switzerland with a 3-2 win, securing the group with 16 points, leaving Switzerland at the bottom.
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