Renato Veiga and Pedro Neto started for Portugal in their UEFA Nations League fixture at home to Poland.

Veiga was one of the hosts’ brighter performers during a low-key first half in Porto, making one vital block to keep the game goalless.

Portugal livened up after the interval and took the lead on 59 minutes with their first shot on target, a diving header from Rafael Leao. The floodgates opened as a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and Bruno Fernandes long-ranger extended the Portuguese lead.

With seven minutes remaining, Ronaldo slipped Neto through in an inside right position and he blasted his shot past former Chelsea goalkeeper Marcin Bulka at his near post (pictured top).

Ronaldo added another through a bicycle kick before Poland grabbed a late consolation. Joao Felix came off the bench for the closing stages, with Neto withdrawn after his goal. Veiga completed the 90 minutes.

With that win, Portugal have secured top spot in Nations League A Group 1.

The same goes for Spain, who defeated Denmark 2-1 in Copenhagen to guarantee first place in Nations League A Group 4. Marc Cucurella played the full game and Robert Sanchez was an unused substitute. Cucurella lined up at left-back for the European champions, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Ayoze Perez 15 minutes into each half rendering Gustav Isaksen’s effort late on a mere consolation.

Portugal travel to Croatia on Monday, the same evening Spain host Switzerland.

The Swiss drew 1-1 with Serbia tonight, with Djordje Petrovic making a couple of superb saves in the Serbian goal. Aleksandar Mitrovic missed a penalty for the visitors with the game goalless before Petrovic produced the save of the night.

Switzerland did take the lead late on but there was still time for Serbia to level through Aleksa Terzic. Serbia are in third place and could leapfrog Denmark with victory over them next week.

In the first leg of a qualifying play-off for next summer’s Under-21 European Championships, Lucas Bergstrom excelled for Finland in a 5-1 victory over Norway in Tampere.

The Finns raced into a two-goal lead inside four minutes, but they were their only shots on target until the contest reached the final quarter-hour.

In the interim, Bergstrom had to be at his best to repel seven Norwegian shots, making one particularly impressive save in the 37th minute.

Norway did pull a goal back before the break, but Finland dug deep in the second half, aided by several Bergstrom saves, and then struck three times in seven minutes late on to take control of the tie. The second leg is in Stavanger on Tuesday evening.

Elsewhere at Under-21 level, Cesare Casadei scored for Italy as they drew a friendly with France 2-2.

Giuseppe Ambrosino’s backheel teed up Casadei who couldn’t miss for his third goal in 11 appearances for Italy’s Under-21s.

Ambrosino scored the second to double the Italians’ advantage, but France fought back with two goals in seven minutes midway through the second half. Casadei, deployed in a midfield three, created a couple of further chances for Italy to win it, but in the end both teams had to settle for a draw.

Malo Gusto was not involved for France having withdrawn from their squad earlier in the week. Italy next play against Ukraine on Tuesday.

Bashir Humphreys played the entirety of England Under-21s’ goalless draw with Spain in Cadiz and was named the Player of the Match.

The defender, on loan at Burnley this term, played at left centre-back and saw Jadon Philogene of Aston Villa miss best England’s best chance before the break.

James Beadle in the England goal was the busier keeper in wet conditions, and Spain struck the woodwork twice late on in a repeat of last year’s final at that age group. England now take on Netherlands in another friendly on Monday.

Landon Emenalo played the final 16 minutes for England Under-17s in a 1-1 draw with Belgium. Both goals had been scored by the time Emenalo entered the fray, with Belgium winning a subsequent penalty shoot-out. The teams meet again on Monday.