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.

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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)

BEIJING (AP) — Rescue workers in the freezing, high-altitude Tibet region in western China searched Wednesday for more survivors and victims of a strong earthquake that struck a day earlier near a holy city for Tibetan Buddhists, killing at least 126 people and leveling thousands of houses.

Tents, quilts and other relief items were being delivered to people whose homes were uninhabitable or unsafe. Temperatures fell well below freezing overnight in an area with an average altitude of about 4,200 meters (13,800 feet).

The confirmed death toll stood at 126 with another 188 injured as of Tuesday evening. The earthquake struck the city of Xigaze, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism. It was not immediately known whether he was in his Tashi Lhunpo Monastery at the time of the quake or how much damage the city sustained. The quake's distance from Xigaze, which sprawls across a high altitude plain, was about 25 kilometers (15 miles).

The Chinese government and followers of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's highest figure, have feuded over who should hold the position of Panchen Lama since a boy appointed by the Dalai Lama disappeared in the mid-1990s and a Chinese-backed candidate was approved for the position. The Dalai Lama, viewed by the Chinese government as a dangerous separatist, denounced the move and has refused to recognize the current Panchen Lama.

China's government says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were functionally independent for most of that time. China's People's Liberation Army invaded the territory in 1950 and the Dalai Lama fled to India nine years later during an uprising against Chinese rule, seen as eroding Tibet's unique Buddhist culture.

More than 500 aftershocks were recorded after the earthquake, which the U.S. Geological Survey said measured magnitude 7.1. China’s earthquake center recorded a magnitude of 6.8.

The quake was also about 75 kilometers (50 miles) from Mount Everest and the border with Nepal, where the shaking sent people running out of their homes in the capital.

The dead included at least 22 of the 222 residents of Gurum, the official Xinhua News Agency cited the village's Communist Party chief, Tsering Phuntsog, as saying. The victims included his 74-year-old mother, and several other of his relatives remained buried in the debris.

“Even young people couldn’t run out of the houses when the earthquake hit, let alone old people and children,” Tsering Phuntsog said.

More than 3,600 houses collapsed, according to a preliminary survey, and 30,000 residents have been relocated, Xinhua said, citing the city government in Xi, also known by its Tibetan spelling, Shigatse.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has 1,850 rescuers on the ground along with firefighters and others, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Tibet is generally closed to foreign journalists over reports about the ill treatment of the native population by Chinese authorities.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping ordered “all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties,” Xinhua reported. Communications in the area have also been restored, allowing smoother delivery of emergency goods, it said.

A candlelight vigil was planned in Dharamsala, India, home of the Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan population, on Wednesday night, and an announcement on the Dalai Lama’s website said he would lead a prayer ceremony in memory of the victims on Thursday.

Asked about the prayer ceremony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, “We are very clear about the separatist nature and political schemes of the Dalai Lama and remain highly vigilant.”

Guo expressed confidence that the people in the earthquake zone would be able to rebuild under “the strong leadership” of the Communist Party.

Bodeen reported from Taipei, Taiwan.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, first responders perform rescue work at a village in Changsuo Township of Dingri County in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 7, 2025 (Hu Zikui/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers conduct search and rescue for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Liu Yousheng/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers conduct search and rescue for survivors in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Jigme Dorje/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, medical workers treat injured people at the temporary tents set up at the People's Hospital in the aftermath of an earthquake in Dingri County in Xigaze, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Ding Ting/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers check on an injured resident in the aftermath of an earthquake in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, southwestern China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Liu Yousheng/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescuers transfer the injured at Zhacun Village of Dingri County in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua via AP)