Portugal maintained their 100% record in the Nations League with a 2-1 home victory over Norway on Sunday, a result that sealed their place in the March quarter-finals. Portugal hope the win at the Estádio Do Dragão shifts attention further away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt exit from the squad last week.
Portugal were still under a cloud from Ronaldo’s dispute with coach Jorge Jesus. They had won without him in Denmark last Thursday after he walked out on the squad, and they continued their winning run on Sunday. Gonçalo Ramos scored the winner 11 minutes from time, ensuring a top-two finish in Group A4 and moving Portugal six points clear of second-placed Denmark, who won 1-0 at Wales.
Norway had taken the lead in the 36th minute when centre-back Kristoffer Ajer struck a dipping half-volley from the edge of the box. João Cancelo equalised two minutes later. Ramos then scored off his calf after João Félix had headed across goal for him. Portugal’s win was soured by a red card for Francisco Conceição four minutes from time; he gave the referee a cynical thumbs up after receiving a yellow card and was immediately shown a second.
Manchester City’s problems may have got worse after Erling Haaland limped off for Norway.
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 for a goalless draw at home to Germany in Thessaloniki. With captain Virgil van Dijk celebrating his 100th cap, the Netherlands went ahead when Teun Koopmeiners’s 31st-minute free-kick evaded everyone in the penalty area and crept into the corner.
Serbia were level within four minutes as Aleksa Terzic crossed for teenager Mihajlo Cvetkovic to rise over Koopmeiners and head in his first international goal. The Netherlands went back ahead in the 72nd minute when Denzel Dumfries’s low cross was turned back across goal by Tijjani Reijnders, sliding in at the far post, and tapped in by Joshua Zirkzee, who had received a late call-up to the Dutch squad last week.
Germany dominated away against Greece but Jürgen 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. Veteran Teddy Teuma came on as a second-half substitute to hand Malta a 1-0 home win over Andorra in Group D1.