Ronaldo scores again in Nations League win for perfect Portugal. Spain finds replacement for Rodri

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his record-extending 133rd international goal to keep Portugal perfect in the Nations League with a 3-1 win over Poland on Saturday, and Spain struck late to edge Denmark 1-0.

The 39-year-old superstar was there to put in the rebound after Rafael Leão's shot hit the post in the 37th minute. That made it 2-0 following Bernardo Silva's opener in Warsaw in the 26th.

After failing to find the net in his five appearances at this summer’s European Championship — with Portugal exiting in the quarterfinals — Ronaldo has scored in three straight Nations League matches, including in wins over Croatia — his 900th career goal — and Scotland last month.

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez replaced Ronaldo with Diogo Jota with just under half an hour to play.

Midfielder Piotr Zielinski halved the deficit in the 78th for the hosts, only for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek to score an own-goal with two minutes left.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski started alongside Karol Swiderski but the Polish attacking pair couldn’t find their way past the Portuguese defense.

“We worked very hard the last few days, preparing various solutions for this game, and we were able to show it on the pitch. I am really satisfied because we controlled this game," Martínez said. “Also, I am satisfied how Renato Veiga and Rúben Dias performed against one of the best in the world (in Lewandowski).”

Portugal leads Group A1 with nine points from three games. Second-place Croatia has six points after it came back to beat Scotland 2-1 in Zagreb with the visitors having an equalizer deep into second-half stoppage time ruled out by VAR. Poland has three points, and Scotland zero.

Scotland's Ryan Christie opened for the Scots and their under-fire manager Steve Clarke in the 33rd. Igor Matanovic leveled three minutes later and Andrej Kramaric completed the fightback in the 70th.

Scotland had the ball in the net right at the end with substitute Che Adams involved but VAR confirmed it was offside.

Martín Zubimendi helped Spain crack Denmark's defense as the holding midfielder starred in place of injured Rodri.

The Real Sociedad player unleashed a powerful volley in the 79th to smash a rebound from outside the area past Kasper Schmeichel, who got his hand on the ball but couldn’t keep it out.

Zubimendi had impressed in the final of Euro 2024 when he replaced Rodri for the second half of Spain’s 2-1 win over England. Rodri seriously injured his right knee and required surgery on his ACL while playing for Manchester City last month.

“Martín is a treasure," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “I suppose with his goal he will get more attention, but his play, the fact that he’s got a computer in his brain, means we are privileged to have him at a time when Rodri will be out for a while.”

Spain was also missing Nico Williams and Dani Olmo, two more players who excelled at the Euros, who are sidelined with minor injuries.

Spain, the defending Nations League champion, has seven points in Group A4 afer three games. Denmark has six points, and Serbia has four after beating the pointless Switzerland 2-0.

The Swiss didn’t help their cause with an own-goal by Nico Elvedi right before the interval.

Aleksandar Mitrovic doubled the lead for Serbia with a solo effort in the 61st, and Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic saved a penalty taken by Breel Embolo.

Kosovo won 2-1 at Lithuania in League C, while Romania thumped Cyprus 3-0, Northern Ireland drew 0-0 at Belarus, and Bulgaria was held 0-0 at home by Luxembourg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Switzerland's players leave the pitch after the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Switzerland at the Dubocica Stadium in Leskovac, Serbia, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Cyprus' Kostakis Artymatas, rear, and Romania's Nicolae Stanciu fight for the ball during the Nations League soccer match between Cyprus and the Romania at the AEK Arena in Larnaca, Cyprus, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Switzerland at the Dubocica Stadium in Leskovac, Serbia, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Serbia's Kosta Nedeljkovic fouls Switzerland's Dan Ndoye inside the penalty box during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Serbia and Switzerland at the Dubocica Stadium in Leskovac, Serbia, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Spain's Martín Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League group 4 soccer match between Spain and Denmark in Murcia, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Spain's Martín Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League group 4 soccer match between Spain and Denmark in Murcia, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Spain's Lamine Yamal, left, and Denmark's Victor Kristiansen battle for the ball during the UEFA Nations League group 4 soccer match between Spain and Denmark in Murcia, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Poland's Sebastian Walukiewicz, left, and Portugal's Rafael Leao vie for the ball during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Portugal at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Portugal's Bruno Fernandes, left, is congratulated after assisting Bernardo Silva for his side's opening goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Portugal at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, front, and Poland's Sebastian Szymanski compete for the ball during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Portugal at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Portugal's Rafael Leao (17) is congratulated after assisting Cristiano Ronaldo for his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Portugal at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Spain's Martín Zubimendi celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League group 4 soccer match between Spain and Denmark in Murcia, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo attempts a shot on goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Portugal at Narodowy stadium in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) — Tony Brazzale, a diving boat captain who has lived for 10 years in his Wellington home in southeastern Florida, wasn't worried about Hurricane Milton. The storm's center was forecast to make landfall on the opposite side of the peninsula and then cross the state well to the north of his family.

But on Wednesday afternoon as the hurricane began to pummel the state, he stood outside his house and watched as a tornado loomed in the sky. He took video on his phone. The pressure dropped, and his wife said her ears were popping. It was time to go inside.

The twister shattered windows in the home, tore off roof shingles, ripped a tree from the ground and left branches and other debris scattered in the yard. Two days later Brazzale was wearing safety goggles and using a chainsaw as he cleaned up the damage.

“The hurricane was a nonevent for us,” he said. “Had it not been for an F-3 tornado, the entire thing would have been a nonevent for us.”

It was one of dozens of tornadoes spawned by Milton that hit South Florida far from where the storm made landfall near Sarasota. One of them killed at least six people in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village near Fort Pierce, about an hour's drive north from Wellington.

Meteorologists believe there may have been at least 38 tornadoes associated with Milton. The National Weather Service is still reviewing preliminary reports, which could take weeks, but it issued 126 tornado warnings in the state the day the hurricane hit.

When the review is complete, the storm could crack the all-time top-10 list for most tornadoes caused by a hurricane.

The highest number of confirmed tornadoes from a hurricane were the 118 unleashed by Ivan in 2004, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Hurricane Beryl, which hit in July of this year and is still under review, generated at least 65 confirmed tornadoes and currently ranks fifth.

By comparison, Florida overall typically sees about 50 tornadoes a year on average, according to Matthew Elliot, a warning coordination meteorologist for the Storm Prediction Center.

In Wellington, 210 miles (340 kilometers) southeast of Tampa near West Palm Beach on the Atlantic Coast, sheriff's deputies spent Friday morning and afternoon helping residents clean up debris and move large trees that were obstructing roads.

Brazzale toiled to fix roof tiles and replace his shattered windows. Throughout his neighborhood, Pine Trace at Binks Forest, others were doing the same thing — cleaning up debris, putting tarps on damaged roofs and chain sawing fallen trees and branches.

The most important thing is that nobody died here, Brazzale said.

“It’s a significant pressure drop when one of those things goes over,” he said of the tornado. “You heard it. It was a freight train.”

Keller reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Isabella O'Malley in Philadelphia contributed.

Neighborhoods destroyed by tornadoes are seen in this aerial photo in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Fort Pierce, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Neighborhoods destroyed by tornadoes are seen in this aerial photo in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Fort Pierce, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The aftermath of a tornado that hit Wellington, Fla., ahead of Hurricane Milton is seen Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephany Matat)

Tony Brazzale removes part of a tree felled by a tornado from in front of his house in Wellington, Fla., Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephany Matat)