Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored the winning goal, as Portugal secured a 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo on September 27, 2026, marking their second consecutive win in the UEFA Nations League. Portugal's team, managed by Jorge Jesus, responded positively after their World Cup last-16 loss to Spain, having previously defeated Wales 1-0 in Group A4 on September 24.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, was named among the substitutes for the first time since a Nations League match against Scotland in September 2024 and did not play as the coach aims to manage his playing time during the international break. Norway, who reached the World Cup quarterfinals, missed several scoring opportunities following their opening 3-2 win over Denmark.
The first significant chance of the match fell to Erling Haaland, whose volley was saved by Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Portugal took the lead in the 17th minute when Joao Felix scored from the edge of the box. Haaland had a chance to equalize but was denied by a block from Ruben Dias after Costa spilled the ball.
Haaland managed to score six minutes into the second half, converting a header from Patrick Berg. However, Portugal regained the lead immediately when goalkeeper Orjan Nyland misplayed a pass, allowing Ramos to chip the ball into the net. Rafael Leao nearly extended the lead with a shot that hit the crossbar, and a subsequent goal by Ramos was ruled offside after a VAR review.
In the closing minutes, Norway pushed for an equalizer, even sending Nyland forward, but were unable to score. Ramos commented on the victory, stating, "It’s a great win on a difficult away trip. It’s been a great start [for new boss Jorge Jesus]. We’re working together and taking the manager’s ideas on board well. From here on, it’s all about improving and ironing out the kinks. We want to win every game. We’re always focused on victory in every match."