Denmark 1 – 0 Portugal
Portugal still has a strong chance to turn things around, especially with the second leg set to be played on their home turf.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and the Portuguese attack struggled to make an impact for most of the match. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa kept Portugal in the game with a series of brilliant saves, but in the end, he couldn’t prevent the inevitable. Substitute Rasmus Højlund made the difference, scoring the only goal to give Denmark a crucial home victory and a step toward the UEFA Nations League semi-finals.
Playing in Copenhagen on Thursday, the Danes secured a 1-0 win in the first leg of the quarter-finals. Costa’s heroics prevented a bigger defeat, leaving Portugal with a realistic chance of making a comeback in the second leg.
A Match of Missed Chances and Danish Dominance
Portugal’s struggles were evident not just on the pitch but also in the stats. Despite enjoying more possession, the inaugural Nations League champions managed just eight shots, only two of which were on target. In contrast, Denmark registered 23 shots, with nine hitting the target.
Right from the start, Portugal found themselves in trouble. In a bizarre moment, goalkeeper Costa’s clearance attempt struck Danish forward Mika Biereth and nearly rolled into the net. Costa reacted quickly, sliding in to clear the ball just in time.
Portugal had their first real chance in the 8th minute when Pedro Neto unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box, forcing Kasper Schmeichel into a diving save.
In the 23rd minute, Portugal faced another scare when a handball by Renato Veiga inside their box led to a penalty. Christian Eriksen stepped up, but Costa guessed correctly and dived to his right to make a brilliant save.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first notable effort came in the 34th minute with a header that missed the target. Denmark continued to press, and just two minutes later, Costa made another stunning stop, this time denying Biereth’s powerful strike. Moments later, Eriksen’s shot was cleared off the line by Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot.
Costa remained busy, making yet another save in the 55th minute to keep out a fierce shot from Gustav Isaksen.
Højlund Breaks the Deadlock
Rasmus Højlund, who came on as a substitute, nearly found the net in the 69th minute but sent his shot narrowly wide. However, he didn’t have to wait long to redeem himself.
In the 78th minute, Denmark strung together a well-worked passing move, and Højlund calmly slotted the ball past Costa with a composed finish, sealing the win for his team.
Even after conceding, Portugal failed to mount a serious response. Their three-match winning streak against Denmark came to an end with this defeat.
The second leg will be played in Portugal on Sunday, where they will have one last chance to turn the tie around.
