Portugal stay perfect without Ronaldo in Nations League

AP:

Gonçalo Ramos is helping Portugal to forget all about Cristiano Ronaldo, while Greece took more points off Jürgen Klopp and Germany in the Nations League yesterday.

Ramos fired Portugal to a 2-1 win over Norway to keep the Portuguese perfect in Group A4 with four wins – enough to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Ronaldo was involved in Portugal’s opening Nations League game, where he was replaced by Ramos in a 1-0 win over Wales, and hasn’t played since. The veteran left the squad after watching the second game from the substitutes’ bench – a 2-1 win in Norway – and Portugal showed no ill effects from his departure with a 4-2 win in Denmark and the latest 2-1 win over Norway.

Kristoffer Ajer opened the scoring with a brilliant half-volley inside the far corner from the edge of the penalty area after taking down Martin Ødegaard’s free kick to set up the shot in the 36th minute.

A seemingly inspired João Cancelo responded in similar fashion at the other end two minutes later.

Ramos got the winner from close range in the 79th after a move involving Vitinha and João Félix, and Portugal survived Francisco Conceição’s late sending off with his second yellow card.

Erling Haaland failed to score for the second consecutive game. He has 65 goals in 59 appearances.

A late penalty from Rasmus Højlund was enough for Denmark to beat Wales 1-0 in the other group game.

The Danes are second in Group A4 after two wins, while Wales and Norway have a win each.

GREECE BLUNT GERMANY’S ATTACK

Greece, who celebrated their first win over Germany last week, almost did it again. Ivan Jovanović’s team held Klopp’s side 0-0 in Thessaloniki.

Germany dominated with more possession, more passes and more goal chances, but neither team could score.

Klopp tried reinvigorating his attack with Nick Woltemade and Cologne star Said El Mala for Jonathan Burkardt and Lennart Karl for the last half-hour, but Georgios Masouras had the best chance late for the hosts.

Of Klopp’s four games in charge, Germany has only won one.

Joshua Zirkzee fired the Netherlands to a 2-1 win at home over Serbia in the other Group A2 game.

The Netherlands and Greece both have eight points, followed by Germany on five and Serbia with none.

IRELAND AND ISRAEL

Both teams wore black armbands as Ireland and Israel drew 1-1 in a bad-tempered match in Backa Topola, Serbia.

The Ireland players again bowed their heads during the playing of the Israel national anthem, just as they had in their first game last week to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Football Association of Ireland resisted pressure to boycott both games, leaving the players to bear the brunt of it at home, where people have a strong affinity with Palestinians. The Irish players ultimately took a vote to fulfil the fixtures.

The Israel players wore black armbands for those killed in the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.