Title holders Portugal maintained their 100% record in the Nations League with a 2-1 home win over Norway on Sunday to seal a place in the March quarter-finals and shift the focus further away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt exit from the squad last week.
Goncalo Ramos netted 11 minutes from time to ensure Portugal secured a top-two finish in Group A4 as they moved six points ahead of second-placed Denmark, who won 1-0 at Wales.
The Netherlands took over at the top of Group A2, after beating Serbia 2-1 in Eindhoven, but only on goal difference from Greece, who held on grimly for a goalless draw at home to Germany in Thessaloniki.
Portugal were still under a cloud from Ronaldo’s dispute with coach Jorge Jesus, although they were triumphant without him in Denmark last Thursday after he walked out on the squad, and continued their winning ways in Porto on Sunday.
Norway took the lead in the 36th minute from centre-back Kristoffer Ajer, who hit a dipping half-volley from the edge of the box. But if that effort was sumptuous, Joao Cancelo’s thrashing effort to equalise two minutes later was even more awe-inspiring.
Ramos’ winner came off his calf after Joao Felix had headed across goal for him to score.
“You need a lot of technical quality to beat Norway,” said the Portugal coach.
“We won without putting in a performance like the one against Denmark, but the important thing was the victory and qualification. I had a lot of belief in this team, but perhaps I didn’t expect us to have four wins from our first four games,” Jorge Jesus added.
RED CARD SOURS PORTUGAL’S WIN
Portugal’s win was soured by a red card for Francisco Conceicao four minutes from time. He gave the referee a cynical thumbs up after receiving a yellow card and was immediately handed his marching orders.
Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward made several key saves to keep Denmark at bay in Cardiff, but then conceded a penalty with a foul on Gustav Isaksen, allowing Rasmus Hojlund to tuck away a 75th-minute penalty to win their tie.
The Netherlands, with captain Virgil van Dijk celebrating a 100th cap, went ahead against Serbia when Teun Koopmeiners’s 31st-minute freekick evaded all in the penalty area and crept into the corner.
But the visitors were level within four minutes as Aleksa Terzic crossed for teenager Mihajlo Cvetkovic to rise over Koopmeiners and head in his first international goal.
ZIRKZEE GRABS DUTCH WINNER
It took until the 72nd minute to go back ahead when Denzel Dumfries’ low cross was turned back across the goal by Tijjani Reijnders, sliding in at the far post, and tapped in by Joshua Zirkzee, who received a late call-up to the Dutch squad last week.
Germany dominated away against Greece, but Jurgen Klopp’s inexperienced side could not find the net, and they have won only one of their first four games under the new coach.
Austria needed a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at Kosovo but still have a three-point lead at the top of Group B3 after the Republic of Ireland and Israel drew 1-1 behind closed doors in the Serbian town of Backa Topola.
In Group D2, Abdulakh Khaybulayev’s first-half goal was enough to send Azerbaijan top of the standings with a 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Lithuania, while veteran Teddy Teuma came on as a second-half substitute to hand Malta a 1-0 home win over Andorra in Group D1.
(Reuters)
