The Portugal national football team sustained a 4-1 loss to Denmark at the Estádio Municipal de Braga on Saturday in their first match since the international retirement of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The defeat hinders the squad's progress during the fifth round of the UEFA Nations League, though the team has already secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
Before kickoff, Portugal players honored Ronaldo by wearing jerseys featuring his iconic number 7 during the pre-match ceremony and national anthem, as reported by L’essentiel. The match served as the first outing for the Seleção in the post-Ronaldo era, a transition period following his departure from international football after reported disagreements with manager Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old retired just days prior to this fixture.
Earlier that day, the L’Équipe channel broadcast a replay of Serbia against Germany at 4:35 p.m., followed by live coverage of the Norway versus Wales match at 6:00 p.m. The Portugal-Denmark clash, integrated into the multiplex offered by L’Équipe and available on the L’Équipe Live Foot platform, kicked off at 8:45 p.m. on November 14.
The match remained relatively balanced during the first half until a late breakthrough for the visitors. Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg opened the scoring for Denmark by converting a penalty in the 43rd minute, awarded following a handball by Portugal defender Rúben Dias, according to Foot Mercato. Prior to this, Denmark had created opportunities through Gustav Isaksen in the 34th minute and Rasmus Højlund in the 39th minute.
Denmark accelerated their offensive production immediately after the interval. Rasmus Højlund extended the lead to 2-0 in the 50th minute after connecting with a cross from Mikkel Damsgaard. Seven minutes later, Højlund added his second goal of the night, maneuvering past Renato Veiga to beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa from the edge of the penalty area, L’essentiel noted.
Following the third goal, the hosts made several changes at the hour mark, introducing Trincão, João Palhinha, and Carlos Forbs. The entry of Forbs, who wore Ronaldo’s number 7, failed to alter the match’s dynamic as the Portuguese midfield remained unable to seize control.
Joachim Andersen further widened the gap in the 70th minute, scoring with a header from a free-kick. Bernardo Silva managed to score a consolation goal for Portugal in stoppage time, converting a rebound after the Danish goalkeeper pushed away an initial strike from João Neves. Despite the result, Portugal entered the match with a strong campaign record, having previously defeated Wales 1-0, Norway 2-1, Denmark 4-2, and Norway 2-1.
Gonçalo Ramos, who was titularised in pointe of the attack as the replacement for Ronaldo, was described as transparent during the match as the team failed to establish control in the game. Bruno Fernandes took over the captaincy for the evening as the most capped player on the pitch.
Other European Nations League results from the same evening saw Austria defeat Ireland 1-0, keeping them at the top of their group.
Elsewhere, Sweden secured a victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in a 3-2 match where the Bosnians responded after halftime with goals from Armin Gigović in the 48th minute and Sead Kolašinac in the 62nd minute to secure a playoff spot. Portugal remains at the top of their group with a three-point cushion over Denmark.
Earlier coverage: Portugal Suffers Heavy Defeat to Denmark in First Nations League Match Post-Ronaldo Era
- Portugal Suffers Heavy Defeat to Denmark in First Nations League Match Post-Ronaldo Era
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