Portugal suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat at home against Denmark in the Nations League on Saturday, marking their first match without Cristiano Ronaldo following his international retirement. Rasmus Højlund starred with two goals in Braga, helping Denmark move into second place in Group A4 and close in on a quarter-final spot.
Nations League Group A4 Action
Denmark sit on nine points from five games, trailing Portugal by three points, though Portugal had already secured qualification for the last eight after winning their previous four group fixtures. A draw against third-placed Norway on Tuesday will secure Denmark’s advancement.
Prior to kick-off, Portugal honored Ronaldo, who announced his departure from international football the previous week, as players and mascots entered the pitch wearing his name and No 7 on their jerseys. Denmark controlled the match from the beginning, taking the lead just before halftime through Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s 43rd-minute penalty.
Højlund struck a volley four minutes into the second half and added a third seven minutes later by bypassing Rúben Dias and firing a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Home fans responded with boos and whistles when Joachim Andersen scored a fourth with a header, rendering Bernardo Silva’s late consolation goal largely meaningless.
Meanwhile, Wales fell to a 3-1 defeat against Norway in Oslo, damaging their chances of remaining in the top tier of the tournament. Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup scored quick goals early in the second half for Norway. Although substitute David Brooks reduced the deficit with 11 minutes remaining, Connor Roberts subsequently fouled Schjelderup in the box.
Erling Haaland scored from the resulting penalty to extend his Nations League goal record to 23, avenging Norway’s defeat in Cardiff last October. The result confirms that Wales will finish at the bottom of Group A4 regardless of their final match at home against Portugal on Tuesday. Even if Wales finish level on six points with Norway, an inferior head-to-head record means they could face a relegation playoff in March.
Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland Matches
Terry Devlin scored his first international goal to keep Northern Ireland at the summit of Group B2 following a 1-0 victory over Ukraine. The 23-year-old Portsmouth player broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with a long-range shot that left goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin static. Goalkeeper Pierce Charles later made a crucial save against Danylo Sikan to secure Northern Ireland’s fifth consecutive clean sheet, making them the only team in the competition yet to concede a goal.
The win returned Northern Ireland to the top of Group B2 after Hungary defeated Georgia 2-0, while Ukraine suffered three consecutive losses for the first time in six years. A draw in Budapest against Hungary on Tuesday will promote Michael O’Neill’s team to League A, though O’Neill must watch from the stands after receiving a late yellow card resulting in a suspension, alongside Jamie Donley.
In Linz, Sasa Kalajdzic scored the decisive goal to give Austria a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland at the Raiffeisen Arena. The outcome guaranteed Austria promotion to League A regardless of the final group results. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Irish side created opportunities but fell behind when Kalajdzic converted from close range in the 79th minute, leaving Ireland in third place ahead of a crucial home match against Kosovo.
