Portugal were a goal down at half-time of their own making, a man down by the end of it, and still came out on top. A 2-1 win over Norway at the Estadio do Dragao came courtesy of Joao Cancelo's quick reply and a close-range finish from Goncalo Ramos, and it came on a night when the headlines before kick-off were all about someone who was not even in the squad.
Norway strike first, Portugal reply within two minutes
Norway did not play like a team that was going to be overrun. Martin Odegaard created the chance and Kristoffer Ajer finished it, putting the visitors in front in the 36th minute. Portugal were by far the busier side, so for a short while the scoreline looked like a punishment for not taking their chances.
It lasted two minutes. Nuno Mendes found Cancelo in the 38th minute and the full-back finished to level the match. Erling Haaland started up front for Norway, but the visitors saw far less of the ball than the home side from then on.
Ramos settles it after a VAR check
Portugal kept the pressure on after the break. Joao Felix set it up and Ramos scored from very close range with his left foot in the 79th minute. VAR took a look before the goal was confirmed. The numbers back up how one-sided things were. Portugal had 20 shots to Norway's seven, seven of them on target against three, and 60.8 per cent of possession. They touched the ball 35 times in the Norway box compared with 15 the other way. Norway's goalkeeper made five saves, Portugal's two.
The finish was not entirely comfortable. Francisco Conceicao picked up a second yellow card in the 86th minute and was sent off, and Bruno Fernandes, the captain, was booked two minutes after that. Norway pushed for a leveller in stoppage time. Ajer drew a close miss from a tight angle on the right in the first minute of added time, and Andreas Schjelderup shot wide from distance after a corner a couple of minutes later. Neither was enough.
The Ronaldo shadow and what comes next
Cristiano Ronaldo left the Portugal squad this week after finding out he would not start, and the row over it has dominated the build-up. Fernandes said earlier this week that Ronaldo remains the country's greatest symbol, and the team then did what teams in that spot often try to do, which is let the football answer the noise. It did, though only after trailing at the break.
The win matters in Group A4, which also contains Wales and Denmark. Wales, who lost to Denmark on the same night, face both Norway and Portugal next month, so Norway will have another chance to find their way back into the conversation. Portugal will hope Conceicao's red card is the only price they pay for a night that was far more tense than the statistics suggest.
Match facts: Portugal 2-1 Norway, UEFA Nations League League A Group 4, Estadio do Dragao, Sunday 4 October 2026. Norway: Ajer (36th minute, assist Odegaard). Portugal: Cancelo (38th, assist Nuno Mendes), Ramos (79th, assist Felix, after VAR check). Francisco Conceicao sent off (second yellow, 86th). Shots 20-7, on target 7-3, possession 60.8%-39.2%.
0 Comments