28 September 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Defending champions Portugal secured a second consecutive victory in the UEFA Nations League by beating Norway 2-1 in Oslo, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring the decisive goal after coming into the starting XI in place of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The result gave Portugal six points from their opening two Group A4 matches under new head coach Jorge Jesus, following their 1-0 win over Wales earlier in the week.
João Félix Puts Portugal Ahead
Portugal took the lead in the 17th minute through João Félix.
The forward received the ball on the edge of the area and produced a composed finish into the bottom corner, giving Portugal an early advantage in Oslo.
Norway had chances to respond before half-time, with Erling Haaland coming close on several occasions.
Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa made important saves, while defender Rúben Dias produced a crucial block to deny Haaland after Costa had initially parried the ball.
Haaland Brings Norway Level
Norway eventually found an equaliser six minutes into the second half.
Haaland finished from close range after Martin Ødegaard’s set-piece delivery was headed across the goal by Patrick Berg. The goal took Haaland’s international tally to 65 goals in 57 appearances for Norway.
The equaliser briefly gave Norway momentum, but Portugal responded almost immediately.
Ramos Takes Advantage of Goalkeeping Error
Just three minutes after Haaland’s equaliser, Gonçalo Ramos restored Portugal’s lead.
Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland made a costly error by passing the ball directly to Ramos. The Portuguese forward reacted quickly and calmly chipped the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
Ramos later appeared to score another goal after beating Nyland to a long pass, but a VAR review ruled the effort out for a narrow offside.
Ronaldo Starts on the Bench
One of the major talking points before and during the match was Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from the starting XI.
The 41-year-old Portugal captain was named among the substitutes and remained on the bench throughout the match. It was the first time since September 2024 that Ronaldo had been named as a substitute for Portugal without subsequently entering the game.
Ramos therefore received the opportunity to lead the attack and responded with the winning goal.
Diogo Costa Helps Portugal Hold On
Norway continued pushing for an equaliser during the closing stages, but Portugal’s defence and goalkeeper Costa held firm.
Costa had already made several important saves during the match, including efforts from Haaland, while Portugal also survived late pressure as Norway committed players forward.
Norway goalkeeper Nyland even moved forward during the final stages in an attempt to help his side find a second goal, but Portugal held on.
Portugal Top Group A4
The victory gives Portugal six points from two matches in Nations League Group A4.
The defending champions had already defeated Wales 1-0 in their opening game, while Norway entered the match after a 3-2 victory over Denmark.
Portugal’s next Nations League fixture is against Denmark on October 1 in Copenhagen.
New Era Under Jorge Jesus
The two victories mark a positive start for Jorge Jesus in his first Nations League campaign as Portugal coach.
The team has responded with back-to-back wins following their disappointing World Cup last-16 defeat to Spain, and the Norway result also showed Portugal’s ability to win despite facing sustained pressure away from home.
Ramos Makes His Opportunity Count
With Ronaldo rested, Ramos was handed a major opportunity to lead Portugal’s attack.
His decisive goal ensured that the change in the starting lineup did not prevent Portugal from maintaining their perfect start to the Nations League title defence.