Wales fall to 1-0 defeat against Portugal as Bellamy concedes side had to 'suffer a lot'

Wales began their Nations League campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Portugal in Lisbon, but head coach Craig Bellamy insisted he was "beyond proud" of a badly depleted squad that refused to buckle under sustained pressure.

The decisive moment came in the first half when Joao Felix's deflected strike found its way past the Welsh goalkeeper, proving the difference between the two sides on a tense night in the Portuguese capital. Cristiano Ronaldo also had a goal ruled out for offside after the interval, while Wales finished the contest strongly, hitting the woodwork late on through Brennan Johnson.

Bellamy hails resilience amid injuries

Despite the result, Bellamy was impressed with how his team performed while being pinned back for long spells of the game. He was frank in his assessment of a difficult evening for his players.

"It was a difficult game for us. We had to suffer a lot," Bellamy said. "I think that's the longest we've been in a game without the ball.

"We could have done more with the ball, but I'm beyond proud as well.

"We have a lot of players who weren't here. That's OK; we can handle it.

"A lot of players who don't play week in, week out. So, for them to use the energy they were able to, we've got to have a big heart to be able to do that. They've always shown that, and they showed that again."

Struggling for results

The defeat extends a worrying run of form for Wales, who are now without a win in their last five matches in all competitions (D3 L2). They have lost five of their last 10 outings (W2 D3) — one more defeat than they suffered across their previous 25 matches (W11 D10 L4).

The 23 shots Wales faced against Portugal represents their highest total in a single game since conceding 25 against Turkiye in a Nations League fixture in November 2024, underlining just how much defending Bellamy's side were forced to do.

Group A4 pressure builds

The loss leaves Wales bottom of Group A4 after the opening matchday, with Norway and Denmark also drawn alongside them in a fiercely competitive pool. Wales are missing the likes of Harry Wilson, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor and Nathan Broadhead through injury, and face a quick turnaround before travelling to face Denmark away on Sunday.

Bellamy is determined to see an improved performance when his side steps out in Copenhagen, and pointed to the result as a platform to build on rather than a cause for despair.

"There's more for us, so that's something we always look at as a positive," he added. "How can we improve? How can we get better?"