LIVESCORES MATCH REPORT
Portugal 2-1 Norway: Ramos winner sends Nations League holders into quarter-finals
Portugal made it four wins from four in UEFA Nations League Group A4, beating Norway 2-1 to secure a quarter-final place with two league-phase matches still to play.
Portugal completed the first four matches of their 2026/27 UEFA Nations League campaign with a perfect record after a 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday night. The result moved the defending champions to 12 points in League A Group 4 and guaranteed them a place in the quarter-finals with two group matches still to play.
Norway struck first in Porto. Kristoffer Ajer opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a dipping half-volley from the edge of the penalty area, but Portugal answered almost immediately. João Cancelo equalised two minutes later, leaving the match level at 1-1 going into the break.
The decisive moment arrived late in the second half. Gonçalo Ramos scored Portugal's winner in the 79th minute after João Félix headed the ball across goal, giving the hosts the goal they needed to protect their unbeaten group record. Portugal then finished the match with 10 men after Francisco Conceição was sent off late on.
What the result does to Group A4
The standings are now much clearer. Portugal have 12 points from four wins, while Denmark sit second on six points after their 1-0 victory away to Wales on the same night. Norway are on three points, level with Wales, which means the battle behind Portugal remains open even though the group leaders have already secured a top-two finish.
That qualification matters because UEFA's format sends the winners and runners-up from each League A group into the March 2027 quarter-finals. Portugal can therefore use their remaining league-phase matches to chase first place and strengthen an already dominant position rather than worrying about qualification itself.
Why this was an important win for Portugal
The match also came at a complicated moment for the Portuguese camp. Reuters reported that Cristiano Ronaldo had left the squad earlier in the international window following a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus. Portugal had already won in Denmark without him, and the victory over Norway extended that run while keeping attention on the team's results rather than the off-field situation.
For Norway, the defeat was a second loss to Portugal in this Nations League campaign. They had also gone down 2-1 at home on 27 September. That leaves Norway with significant work to do in November if they are to climb into the top two and reach the knockout stage.
What happens next
The Nations League league phase resumes in November. UEFA has scheduled Matchday 5 for 12-14 November and Matchday 6 for 15-17 November, with the competition's quarter-finals set for 25-30 March 2027.
Portugal's position means the pressure now shifts largely to Denmark, Norway and Wales. For Norway in particular, the remaining fixtures are no longer about simply staying in touch with Portugal; they are about recovering enough points to challenge Denmark for the second quarter-final place. Portugal, meanwhile, have already done the most important part of the job: four matches, four wins and qualification secured.