Cristiano Ronaldo late strike for Portugal breaks Scotland hearts in UEFA Nations League

A stomp towards the delirious crowd followed by an impish grin and the I-remain-the-man pout of celebration: on 88 minutes Cristiano Ronaldo saluted his 901st goal after sliding home and shred the narrative of a point won bravely by Scotland.

Until then, Steve Clarke appeared heading to replenish the goodwill he had been draining from the tartan army.

His team, hemmed-in throughout, broke the contest open via Scott McTominay and held the lead at the break. But Angus Gunn’s hands resembled plasticine when Bruno Fernandes squared the contest though the No 1’s late saves from João Félix were payback, while his left and right post also saved two other Ronaldo attempts.

The bigger picture verdict is that Clarke’s players still believe but he has to drill them to be more proactive and utilise the truism about attacking being the best defence.

The reverse means a failure to win a record eighth consecutive competitive international that cannot be brushed off by Clarke, this the anniversary of Scotland’s last – a 3-0 win over Cyprus.

Clarke, perhaps surprisingly, retained the same XI that went down 3-2 to Poland on Thursday. The thinking here seemed clear: the manager wanted to reward those who hauled back a 2-0 deficit at Hampden. But this forgot how Grant Hanley’s late lunge conceded the 97th-penalty which handed the Poles victory and illuminated a fragility that might need addressing.

Glass half-full, you could say Clarke wanted the same group to right these wrongs, so, his position being scrutinised, this was brave and inside seven minutes a reward was reaped.

Scotland had previously threatened via two Billy Gilmour corners from the left. Now, from this same wing and in open play Kenny McLean swung the ball over and McTominay bent and headed past Diogo Costa to send the travelling tartan army into raptures with a tenth strike in 17 appearances.

Deserved, but Roberto Martínez’s men, before and after, were a serial menace. A Fernandes-Bernardo Silva combination set up Diogo Jota who fluffed a shot. Then, twice, Rafael Leão burst down his left flank and had Gunn concerned in the visitors’ goal.

Portugal came in endless red waves. A Pedro Neto cross needed Scott McKenna’s head to thwart Fernandes. From the resulting corner, on the left, the ball went back to Fernandes who slipped Neto in behind and his ball this time begged to be finished by Antonio Silva but the defender missed.

Scotland were on the rack. They had retreated far too deep as Leão again showed when darting in and shooting and seeing Gunn, impressively, dive right and push the ball out as it headed inside the post.

Portugal’s blur of chances would fill a compendium. If Scotland could douse Leão they might stem these. The wide man skated forward, squared to Jota whose shooting boots misfired again. Leão was a one-man riot scattering Clarke’s men. When the No 17 dinked the ball to Antonio Silva the centre-back spooned over and, once more, the Scots could breathe.

Far better was a flowing back-to-front move that beat the Portuguese squeeze near Gunn’s goal and ended in an overhit John McGinn delivery. But, this did not ease the pressure, as Gunn admired the foray, then saved his team once more, thwarting a Jota flying header. The benched Ronaldo surely cursed being rested as he would back himself to register from any of the spurned chances. As the period closed a Fernandes blast was blocked by McKenna, then Leão, to more chagrin, steered wide.

Martínez acted, removing João Palhina and Neto for Rúben Neves and Ronaldo, who took up his beloved No 9 berth, Jota moving to the wide right forward position.

As a confirmed great of advancing years Ronaldo has entered a zone that has him grinning indulgently when missing an opening when the better option is to pass, as he did when slashing wide.

Moments later, though, Fernandes was on target with an equaliser Gunn flapped at and turned inadvertently home, the No 8’s left-foot finish a speculative affair from outside the area the goalkeeper should have saved.

This was a test of mental fortitude now for Clarke’s cadre. Could they hang on or even prosper further? They had become squashed, lacking the skill and wit to hog the ball and send Portugal back towards their territory.

When they finally did, a Gilmour run into the home area took him to the turf but Maurizio Mariani was correct in not being interested as the referee ruled that Neves took the ball first, as he had. Moments later, the official was right a second time when waving away another penalty shout for handball from a Ryan Christie blast.

Ronaldo’s match-winner came from a sweet Nuno Mendes cross and means more questions for Clarke.