LISBON, Portugal (AP) – With enthusiasts back in the stands, Portugal and Spain tied 0-0 in a Wednesday match.
Some 2500 enthusiasts attended the match, which helped the Portuguese government and football officials assess the option of taking enthusiasts to stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Portuguese federation filled 5% of the capacity of Lisbon’s José Alvalade stadium, the fans were scattered around the stadium and had to do it with each other.
Around 5,000 enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the national team’s League of Nations match against Sweden at the same stadium next Wednesday, representing 10% of the site’s capacity.
The last European Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Seville in September in Budapest UEFA’s first clash with the fans amid the pandemic.
There was a lot of anticipation around the duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and the teenage sensation of Barcelona Ansu Fati, but the 17-year-old Spaniard remained on the bench last month, Fati has become the youngest player to score for Spain in the League of Nations fit in opposition to Ukraine.
Ronaldo, 35, had one of the goal chances of the match in the 53rd minute, beating the bar with a hard left-hander from within the area, and also failed with a close-range headbutt just before halftime.
In ’67, Ronaldo fired a shot through Renato Sanchez, who also hit the crossbar. Ronaldo and Sanchez’s shots bounced to the line of purpose after hitting the wood.
Atletico Madrid striker Joel Félix, who replaced Ronaldo at 73, came close to giving the homeers victory in the off-off time, sniffed a shot in front of the goal.
Spanish coach Luis Enrique gave Adama Traoré his selection deyet on the bench in the 62nd minute. Wolverhampton’s striker had been called up for matches against Germany and Ukraine but failed to play after giving positive for COVID-19.
Prior to the match, the Portuguese and Spanish football federations signed an agreement to their joint candidacy for the 2030 World Cup, building non-unusual methods and cooperation agreements between nations.
Spain receives Switzerland on Saturday and travels to Ukraine on Tuesday in the League of Nations, Portugal travels to France on Sunday in the League of Nations and then receives Sweden on Wednesday.
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