Portugal Secures Nations League Quarterfinal Spot with Perfect Record

Porto, Oct 5: Title holder Portugal maintained its 100 per cent record in the Nations League with a 2-1 home win over Norway on Sunday night to seal a place in the March quarterfinals and shift the focus further away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt exit from the squad last week.

Goncalo Ramos netted 11 minutes from time to ensure Portugal secured a top-two finish in Group A4 as it moved six points ahead of second-placed Denmark, who won 1-0 at Wales.

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 grimly for a goalless draw at home to Germany in Thessaloniki.

Portugal was still under a cloud from Ronaldo’s dispute with coach Jorge Jesus, although it was triumphant without him in Denmark last Thursday after he walked out on the squad, and continued its winning ways in Porto on Sunday.

Norway took the lead in the 36th minute from centre-back Kristoffer Ajer, who hit a dipping half-volley from the edge of the box. But if that effort was sumptuous, Joao Cancelo’s thrashing effort to equalise two minutes later was even more awe-inspiring.

Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward made several key saves to keep Denmark at bay in Cardiff, but then conceded a penalty with a foul on Gustav Isaksen, allowing Rasmus Hojlund to tuck away a 75th-minute penalty to win the tie.

The Netherlands, with captain Virgil van Dijk celebrating a 100th cap, went ahead against Serbia when Teun Koopmeiners’s 31st-minute freekick evaded all in the penalty area and crept into the corner.

Austria needed a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at Kosovo but still has 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, while veteran Teddy Teuma came on as a second-half substitute to hand Malta a 1-0 home win over Andorra in Group D1. Agencies

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