Portugal maintained their perfect start to Nations League Group A4 as Jorge Jesus’s squad showed little signs of missing Cristiano Ronaldo with a 4-2 victory over Denmark in Copenhagen.
The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward and five-time Ballon d’Or winner left the camp ahead of the match amid reports of a falling out with Jesus, his former club boss, having been left on the bench throughout a victory in Norway.
João Cancelo gave Portugal a 13th-minute lead before Brentford midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard equalised.
Gonçalo Ramos swiftly put Portugal back in front after 25 minutes, with Napoli forward Rasmus Højlund levelling things up at 2-2 early in the second half following a swift counter.
Vitinha’s header, his first Portugal goal, and a late strike by João Félix made it three straight wins.
“A victory of the highest quality,” said Jesus. “This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard – and that cannot be overlooked. Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened.”
New Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp got his first win with a 2-0 Group A2 victory over Serbia in Munich. Bayern Munich midfielder Tom Bischof fired in his first senior international goal and Liverpool forward Florian Wirtz then added a second in the 61st minute.
Germany produced a disciplined and intensive game, illustrating the high-pressure soccer Klopp wants to instill in the team. “That’s going in my archive. We’ll make a video out of it now,” Klopp said. “That’s how we want to play.”
Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF, he added: “The mix of football and attitude was top level today. I told the boys that this has to be our benchmark.”
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Wirtz said: “It was important to win again, just for the spirit in the team, and to send a signal out that we’re good football players and also a good football nation. Definitely a step in the right direction.”
In the same group, Tijjani Reijnders scored a late equaliser as the Netherlands fought back to draw 2-2 with Greece, who remain top. Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgos Masouras had the home side 2-0 up at the break.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk powered in a header from a corner on the hour. After Denzel Dumfries had seen his goal ruled out by VAR for offside, Reijnders lashed home a rebound in the 89th minute to secure a point.
In Group B3, Israel and Kosovo played out a goalless draw in Debrecen, Hungary. In Group D1, Malta and Gibraltar drew 1-1 while in Group D2, Azerbaijan were held to a goalless draw by Liechtenstein in Baku.
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