A Red in tests, without Sergio Ramos —until minute 80— and Ansu Fati, first submitted and then resisted Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
In front of the test tube of Luis Enrique, who threw the bow to the debutants Campaña and Traoré, a Portuguese team that maintains the backbone that raised it both in the last European Championship and in the first edition of the League of Nations.
From a pleasant and recreational Spain in the first half, there was a more blurred Spain, only agitated in the final stretch by Traoré.
A team, the Spaniard, relieved with two local blows to the crossbar.
Of course, both with CR in the middle.
A Cristiano Ronaldo shaved by the bad staging of his team gave way to a CR that did not blow up Luis Enrique's team by a hair.
It was symptomatic that in Luis Enrique's starting bet there were seven players without militancy in LaLiga.
Six from the Premier - to which Rodri and Traoré would be added - and one from the Bundesliga (Dani Olmo).
England is today the first fishing ground in Spain.
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ESP
PortugalRui Patrício, Semedo, Pepe (Rúben Dias, min. 45), Raphael Guerreiro (Nelson Semedo, min. 67), Cancelo, Renato Sanches, Ruben Neves, Moutinho (William Carvalho, min. 45), Trincão (Diogo Jota, min. 78), André Silva (Bernardo Silva, min. 45) and Cristiano (João Félix, min. 72) Spain Arrizabalaga, Reguilón (Gayá, min. 45), Eric Garcia (Sergio Ramos, min. 81), Llorente, Sergi Roberto , Dani Ceballos (Campaign, min. 45), Canales (Rodrigo, min. 61), Busquets (Adama Traore, min. 61), Dani Olmo, Gerard Moreno and Rodrigo (Merino, min. 45)
GoalsYellow cardsReguilón (min. 43) and Semedo (min. 55)
With more than half a
foreign
team
, La Roja was deployed with a 4-3-3, with Rodrigo and Olmo at the ends, Gerard Moreno as the battering ram and two good-foot guards for Captain Busquets —Ceballos and Canales—.
Without delay, a harmonious Spain burst into Lisbon.
Even the
scholars
Eric García - a keen footballer to articulate the game from the trench - and Reguilón, so firm to defend as to venture to attack, tuned in.
Along that left corridor, with a constant stream of Canales and Dani Olmo, La Roja found its best vein towards Rui Patricio.
The Portuguese goal had an initial cut, with her team disfigured by the visitors.
And with Cristiano, whom no one plugged in, exasperated.
Abrasive the group of Luis Enrique, Portugal was the trifle for half an hour.
The three Spanish forwards were taking the chain out of the Portuguese.
Both Rodrigo and Dani Olmo started from the extreme to flow through the interior corridors.
A torment for the locals, with a tiring style, he runs without stitches.
It took 25 minutes for some Portuguese to take a look, even from a distance, at Kepa, whom Luis Enrique acted as a couch after granting him a title that is already being questioned at Chelsea.
Renato's shot went to a province on Mars.
Rushing the first act, finally some crumbs from CR, with an assist to Rafael Guerreiro, who finished off with a twisted foot, and a header.
However, Spain went to intermediate with much better feelings than its rival.
At halftime, Luis Enrique relieved Reguilón, injured, Ceballos and Rodrigo, and gave the field to Gayá, Merino and the newcomer Campaña.
The same board, but with Canales on Rodrigo's side.
The starters were still adjusted when Cristiano took a left-footed shot at the ball and almost splintered Kepa's crossbar.
The ball bounced off the goal line.
CR does not need to put a chorus.
He, on his own, is already a cannon.
The alert of the Portuguese genius anticipated a second, more balanced period.
Fernando Santos, local coach, made a move and went to a 4-2-3-1.
With Betic William Carvalho in the double pivot with Neves, Portugal was better shielded and had another nuisance.
Everything became more cumbersome for Spain.
Especially when CR was activated, already with Bernardo Silva as a partner.
To his thunder at the crossbar, the Portuguese captain added a geometric pass for Renato.
The same luck for the Red: the ball crushed the crossbar and bounced off by a finger.
A more natural Portugal.
A more authentic Cristiano Ronaldo until he gave the witness to the rojiblanco João Félix.
The 'Jamaican' Traoré
Luis Enrique hinted at another rookie, Adama Traoré, a first-rate hunky sprinter.
Born in Hospitalet, he could well have cradled in some Jamaican athletic track.
Santos wanted to stop him with Semedo.
In the first race, the Spanish international took the chain out of the ex-Azulgrana and his assistance to Dani Olmo was not a goal because Rui Patricio blocked the shot with his boots.
The best visiting occasion.
It was not Traoré's first victory over Semedo.
Nor did the scares for Kepa end.
When the game fell, a terminal header from Rubén Semedo was not caught by João Félix by a span.
Final point to a little Versailles match, but one that will serve as rennet for this Spain that Luis Enrique is trying to thread.
Footballers are in the basket.
It is up to the coach to consolidate a traveling group for now.
A search process that Portugal does not have today, where the first champions in its history know each other by heart.
