Portugal maintains its victorious course without Cristiano Ronaldo
According to Sports.
Context
Portugal, as defending Nations League champions, demonstrated resilience by winning without their star, Cristiano Ronaldo. The performance of players like Gonçalo Ramos and João Cancelo was fundamental to the team's success, highlighting the depth of the Portuguese squad.
Why this matters
Portugal's victory in the Nations League is crucial for its confidence and its progress in the competition, especially after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure. With this victory, the national team guaranteed their presence in the semi-finals, which reinforces their position as one of the favorites to retain the title.
Main conclusions
- Portugal maintains its victorious course without Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Portugal secured a 2-1 victory over Norway in the Nations League, continuing their winning streak without Cristiano Ronaldo, while Erling Haaland's injury raises concerns for Norway.
- Portugal continues winning ways without Cristiano Ronaldo as Erling Haaland limps off - Yahoo Sports.
The defending champions from Portugal maintained their 100% record in the Nations League by beating Norway 2-1 at the Estádio do Dragão, thus sealing their presence in the semi-finals scheduled for March. This result also diverted attention from Cristiano Ronaldo's controversial departure from the squad, which occurred last week. However, the highlight of the match was the concern generated by the injury to striker Erling Haaland, who asked to be substituted in the 67th minute of the game, leaving the field visibly limping.
Portugal's victory, however, was overshadowed by a red card shown to Francisco Conceição, who four minutes before the final whistle received a second yellow card after making a gesture of disdain towards the referee. The winning goal was scored by Gonçalo Ramos, who sealed the national team's triumph 11 minutes from the end. This goal ensured that Portugal finished second in group A4, six points ahead of Denmark, who beat Wales 1-0.
The match began with Norway surprising by scoring first, with Kristoffer Ajer finishing with a mid-range shot that left goalkeeper Diogo Costa unresponsive. However, Portugal's response was almost immediate, with João Cancelo equalizing with a powerful strike two minutes later. The winning goal came after a header from João Félix, who set up Gonçalo Ramos, allowing him to score the decisive goal with his leg.
In other group games, the Netherlands rose to the top of group A2 after beating Serbia 2-1. The first goal of the match was scored by Teun Koopmeiners from a free kick, but Serbia quickly equalized with a header from Mihajlo Cvetkovic. The Netherlands' victory was secured by a goal from Joshua Zirkzee, who took advantage of an assist from Denzel Dumfries.
Germany, on the other hand, were unable to convert their possession into goals and only managed one victory in four games under new coach Jürgen Klopp. Austria, despite needing a late goal to draw 1-1 with Kosovo, still top group B3, while Northern Ireland and Israel drew 1-1.
With this victory, Portugal continues to show that its team is strong, even without Ronaldo, and is already preparing for the challenges that lie ahead in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where they aim to be among the best teams in the world.
What happens next
With qualification for the semi-finals assured, Portugal will focus on preparing for the next challenge in March. The situation of Erling Haaland, who left injured, will be closely monitored, as his absence could have an impact on Norway in the upcoming Nations League matches.
Frequently asked questions
What was the result of the game between Portugal and Norway?
Portugal beat Norway 2-1.
How was the classification of group A4 after the game?
Portugal finished second in group A4, six points ahead of Denmark.
Who scored Portugal's goals against Norway?
Portugal's goals were scored by João Cancelo and Gonçalo Ramos.
What is Portugal's next game in the Nations League?
Portugal guaranteed its presence in the semi-finals scheduled for March.
What happened to Erling Haaland during the game?
Erling Haaland asked to be substituted in the 67th minute due to injury.