Portugal made it three straight wins in the UEFA Nations League after an exciting 4-2 victory against Denmark at Parken Stadium.
João Cancelo opened the scoring early on in Copenhagen but the hosts equalised in the 23rd minute when Mikkel Damsgaard curled an unstoppable strike past Diogo Costa.
The Seleção only needed two minutes to regain the lead, Bruno Fernandes releasing Gonçalo Ramos who raced clear and beat Mads Hermansen.
Denmark equalised in the 53rd minute with a near identical goal, Damsgaard turning provider for Rasmus Hojlund who held off Rúben Dias and dinked the ball over Costa.
Portugal took the lead for the third time in the 67th minute, Fernandes sending a cross to the back post where Vitinha headed home.
João Félix came off the bench and sealed the deal late on following a fantastic piece of play that started deep in Portugal’s half, Jorge Jesus’ side closing it out to go six points clear in the group.
Electric start
It was an open contest in the early stages with the first opportunity falling Denmark’s way. Joakim Maehle raced clear but was far too slow in releasing Adam Daghim who would have been through on goal.
Portugal took the lead in the 13th minute after Gonçalo Ramos’ shot came back off the post and stayed in play. Portugal kept it alive with João Cancelo playing a neat 1-2 with Ramos, getting behind the defence and dinking the ball over Mads Hermansen.
The Seleção continued to play some impressive football, Pedro Neto getting past Maehle and delivering a deep cross to Rafael Leão who forced a save from Hermansen. Leão then had another attempt diverted wide.
Denmark equalised in the 23rd minute after an overload down the left wing involving Mohammed Daramy and Maehle. Rúben Neves was caught chasing shadows, Maehle getting the ball to Mikkel Damsgaard who curled a sweet strike inside the post.
Portugal regained the lead less than two minutes later following some beautiful combination play between Gonçalo Ramos and Bruno Fernandes. Ramos raced clear, showcased his speed, kept his composure and beat Hermansen.
Nuno Mendes burst through the Danes’ defence and fired wide before Ramos had a great chance before the break. Leão pounced on a shocking pass by Hermansen, got past Joachim Andersen and sent a low cross to Ramos who was denied by the grateful goalkeeper.
Brian Riemer made a change at half-time, Gustav Isaksen coming on for Adam Daghim.
Danes fight back
Fernandes tested Hermansen shortly after the restart but it was Denmark who equalised in the 53rd minute. Damsgaard’s perfect pass released Rasmus Hojlund who showed speed and strength to hold off Rúben Dias and chip the ball over Diogo Costa.
The hosts were piling on the pressure, but it was temporarily relieved when Fernandes lobbed the ball over the Danes’ defence where Ramos volleyed a difficult chance of the bar.
Jorge Jesus already had substitutions prepared, the manager bringing on Diogo Dalot and Francisco Trincão for Cancelo and Leão.
Portugal close it out
Neves fired a fierce strike that Hermansen parried wide but Portugal maintained the pressure and made it 3-2 in the 67th minute. Fernandes was the architect, spotting Vitinha’s run and sending a cross to the back post where the midfielder headed the ball into the net.
Jesus was booked for going ballistic on the touchline, venturing way too far out of his zone to try and give instructions to Dalot.
Ramos’ shot was deflected wide so Riemer had to make a move and did just that in the 74th minute, crowd favourite Victor Froholdt coming on for Morten Hjulmand.
The substitutions kept coming, Noah Nartey replacing Maehle with João Neves and João Félix coming on for Pedro Neto and Ramos.
Rúben Neves was booked for a late challenge on Damsgaard who was soon replaced by Kasper Hogh.
Portugal put the result beyond doubt in the 87th minute. Rúben Neves’ pass from a deep position sent Dalot clear, he appeared to lose control but did well to square the ball to Félix who saw his shot deflect off Rasmus Kristensen and past Hermansen.
Tomás Araújo came on for Bruno Fernandes in added time as the Seleção continued their perfect start under Jorge Jesus.
No Ronaldo, no problem
Portugal are rapidly becoming box office after thrilling wins in Oslo and Copenhagen. Conceding three goals is far from ideal, but the quality of the opposition can’t be understated.
Denmark had lost just one of their previous 22 home games which included a 1-0 victory over the Seleção last year.
Bruno Fernandes was back in the team and back to his best, the captain providing two assists with precision passes. He operated in his favoured playmaker role after spending a lot of time on the left wing in the 1-0 win against Wales.
I asked Jesus for his thoughts about Fernandes' performance: "Bruno played a better 2nd half than he did in the 1st. During the interval I told him the team needed more from him.
"I ask and demand certain things from my players in that position and I felt they weren't happening in the game. That's why I said to Bruno, 'Bruno you have do do more of this, this and this beacuse if you don't do it in your position, our game won't work out so well.'
"And in the second half I believe, and you also certainly believe, he was much better, he was crucial. He played a remote-controlled pass for Vitinha's goal.
"And he was better; he was in that space that seems to belong to nobody, but for those players who know how to exploit it, it's very important. He was very good in the second half."
It was a significant match for Portugal following Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic exit from the squad. Jesus spoke to RTP after the victory: "What I liked most was the victory, obviously. This was our third game and I feel that the team is improving game after game.
"We are evolving with the analysis we do of the matches and, in the following game, the team usually performs better, both defensively and offensively. Winning 4-2 here isn't easy. Denmark is a big team, difficult to stop, they have technical quality and are very strong on set pieces. We were good again in that aspect defensively."
"I really liked the pressure, the way the team believes in defensive pressing. It's very difficult to play like that. Hjulmand congratulated me and said that the Portuguese team plays very well."
Pressed about his control of the squad, he said: "I don't have a group in my hand. I have a group that believes in the coach's ideas. They believe in my ideas and, because they have a lot of individual quality, things become easier. If that's having a group in my hand, then I do, because they go hand in hand with me and my ideas."
João Félix has scored in every game under Jesus and Gonçalo Ramos stepped up with another goal. It’s no surprise that the Seleção can flourish in attack with Ramos up front instead of Ronaldo.
Nobody will forget his hit a hat-trick in Portugal’s 6-1 win against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup. He was a starter as the Seleção smashed Luxembourg 9-0 at Estádio Algarve in the 2024 European Championship qualifiers and started again in a thumping 9-1 win against Armenia in a 2026 World Cup qualifer at Estádio do Dragão.
The victory takes Portugal six points clear in Group A following Norway’s 2-1 loss in Wales. Portugal host the Norwegian’s in Porto on Sunday when a victory could secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
Lineups
Denmark (4-2-3-1): Mads Hermansen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle (Noah Nartey 81’); Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Morten Hjulmand (Victor Froholdt 74’); Adam Daghim (Gustav Isaksen 46’) Mikkel Damsgaard (Kasper Hogh 85’), Mohammed Daramy; Rasmus Hojlund
Unused subs: Andreas Jungdal, Filip Jorgensen, Anton Gaaei, Lucas Hogsberg, Victor Nelson, Thomas Jorgensen, Mads Bidstrup, Andreas Skov Olsen
Manager: Brian Riemer
Portugal (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa, João Cancelo (Diogo Dalot 63’), Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Rúben Neves; Pedro Neto (João Neves 81’), Bruno Fernandes (Tomás Araújo 9X’), Rafael Leão (Francisco Trincão 63’); Gonçalo Ramos (João Félix 81’)
Unused subs: Rui Silva, Samuel Soares, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Tavares, João Palhinha, Bernardo Silva, Fábio Silva
Manager: Jorge Jesus
Goals:
[0-1] João Cancelo 13’
[1-1] Mikkel Damsgaard 23’
[1-2] Gonçalo Ramos 25’
[2-2] Rasmus Hojlund 53’
[2-3] Vitinha 67’
[2-4] João Félix 87’
