Erling Haaland found the net once more for his country, yet it proved a bitter evening for Norway as Portugal kept their perfect start to the Nations League campaign intact.
The visitors drew first blood through Joao Felix, who has now netted in both of his outings this term. Norway’s response arrived shortly after the interval, when Haaland poked home from close range. It marked his 65th strike at international level and took his personal tally in this tournament to 22, further cementing his status as its leading marksman.
The celebrations were short lived. Only three minutes later, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland made a shocking error, rolling a pass directly into the path of Goncalo Ramos. The forward showed composure and class, lifting a delicate finish over the keeper to restore the lead at 2-1.
Nyland’s afternoon did not get much better. Ramos dragged another attempt off target after Rafael Leao’s deflected effort struck the woodwork. Later, the striker thought he had added a third, but the video assistant referee ruled the goal out for offside, once again following a loose moment from the Norwegian custodian.
Off the pitch, plenty of attention surrounded Cristiano Ronaldo, who never left the substitutes’ bench. The 41 year old remains 21 goals short of his dream of reaching 1,000 in his career, and that chase will have to pause for now. Portugal also lacked the services of Bruno Fernandes, the Manchester United skipper, who missed out through injury.
For Norway, this was a game of what might have been. Haaland delivered when it mattered, but defensive lapses and a costly goalkeeping mistake undid their efforts. Portugal, meanwhile, showed the ruthlessness of a side with genuine ambitions, collecting maximum points from two matches.
The Norwegians will need to regroup quickly and tighten up at the back if they hope to challenge in this group.
