Defending champions Portugal preserved their perfect Nations League record with a 2-1 victory at home to Norway on Sunday, securing a spot in the March quarter-finals. The visitors also suffered a possible injury concern when Manchester City striker Erling Haaland left the field limping.
Portugal will hope the result at the Estádio Do Dragão helps move attention away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s sudden departure from the squad last week. Gonçalo Ramos struck with 11 minutes remaining to guarantee a top-two finish in Group A4, putting his team six points clear of second-placed Denmark following their 1-0 win in Wales.
The hosts arrived in Porto with Ronaldo’s disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus still hanging over the team. However, after winning in Denmark last Thursday following the forward’s exit from the camp, they extended their successful run on Sunday.
Norway opened the scoring in the 36th minute through central defender Kristoffer Ajer, whose dipping half-volley flew in from the edge of the penalty area. João Cancelo responded only two minutes later with an even more spectacular strike to bring Portugal level.
Ramos claimed the decisive goal when João Félix headed the ball across the face of goal and the finish went in off the striker’s calf.
Portugal’s celebrations were slightly dampened when Francisco Conceição was sent off with four minutes remaining. After being booked, he sarcastically gave the referee a thumbs-up and immediately received a second yellow card.
After the match, Jesus said Ronaldo would be welcome to rejoin the squad if that was his decision: “If he wants to come back, he will return to the national side. We can speak before the next squad announcement, but the choice belongs to Cris.”
The Netherlands moved to the summit of Group A2 after defeating Serbia 2-1 in Eindhoven. They lead only on goal difference ahead of Greece, who battled to a scoreless home draw against Germany in Thessaloniki.
On the occasion of captain Virgil van Dijk’s 100th international appearance, the Netherlands broke the deadlock in the 31st minute when Teun Koopmeiners’s free-kick passed everyone inside the area and found the corner. Serbia responded four minutes later, with Aleksa Terzic supplying a cross that teenager Mihajlo Cvetkovic headed beyond Koopmeiners for his first senior international goal.
The Dutch regained the lead in the 72nd minute. Denzel Dumfries delivered a low cross that Tijjani Reijnders, sliding in at the far post, redirected across goal for Joshua Zirkzee to convert. The striker had been added to the Netherlands squad at short notice the previous week.
Germany controlled much of their away match against Greece, but Jürgen Klopp’s inexperienced team failed to score. They have now recorded only one victory in their opening four fixtures under the new coach.
Austria scored a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw away to Kosovo, retaining a three-point advantage at the top of Group B3. Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland and Israel also drew 1-1 in a behind-closed-doors fixture held in the Serbian town of Backa Topola.
In Group D2, Abdulakh Khaybulayev scored the only goal before half-time as Azerbaijan defeated previously unbeaten Lithuania 1-0 to move to the top of the table. In Group D1, experienced midfielder Teddy Teuma entered as a second-half substitute and secured a 1-0 home victory for Malta against Andorra.
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