Portugal, current champion of the Nations League, secured its qualification for the quarterfinals of the tournament this Sunday after beating Norway 2-1 at the Do Dragao stadium, in a match played again without Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Norwegians took the lead on the scoreboard in the 36th minute, when Kristoffer Ajer took advantage of a ball after a free kick and took a powerful shot that slipped into the corner of the goal defended by Diogo Costa.
The Portuguese response was immediate. Just two minutes later, Joao Cancelo equalized the match with a great volley from the edge of the area.
Portugal maintained control of the match for much of the second half and found the winning goal in the 79th minute. Joao Félix assisted Gonçalo Ramos, who scored to establish the final 2-1.
The team led by Jorge Jesus ended up playing with ten players after Francisco Conceiçao was sent off in the 86th minute. Norway took advantage of their numerical superiority to seek an equalizer in the final minutes, but Portugal resisted and sealed their qualification.
Cristiano Ronaldo, absent again
The match was marked by the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who returned to Saudi Arabia this Sunday after leaving the Portuguese concentration amid differences with coach Jorge Jesus.
The Portuguese coach had decided to leave his explanations about the situation until after the game against Norway.
Portugal thus closed this international window with four victories and remains the leader of group 4 of League A, six points ahead of Denmark, which defeated Wales 1-0. Norway currently occupies third position.
Before the break, the Norwegians had created danger mainly through Antonio Nusa, whose shot in the 26th minute forced Diogo Costa to intervene. Bruno Fernandes also came close to scoring for Portugal with a shot that demanded goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
After Cancelo’s equalizer, Portugal continued to dominate possession and found space until Ramos completed the comeback. With ten players on the field, the Portuguese resisted Norway’s final attacks to confirm their presence among the eight best in the competition.
