LISBON — Alvaro Morata’s late goal gave Spain a 1-0 win over Portugal and the final berth in the UEFA Nations League finals on Tuesday, while the Czech Republic were relegated from the elite after a defeat in Switzerland.
Portugal, the first Nations League winners of 2019, needed just one point at Braga to top Group A2 but fell back to second when Morata found Nico Williams’ header in the 88th minute.
“When we had to get up, we did. When we lost we had to give everything we had on the pitch and we did,” Morata told TVE.
Spain will join the Netherlands, Italy and Croatia in the final scheduled for June next year.
Switzerland, who beat Spain 2-1 in Zaragoza on Saturday, were indebted to goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who saved a second-half penalty to secure victory over the Czechs.
Remo Freuler and Breel Embolo scored less than a minute into the first half in St. Gallen, but Patrik Schick equalized before the break.
Schick saw Sommer save his penalty in the second half as the Swiss won 2-1 and condemned the Czech Republic to relegation to League B.
