Portugal trailed for the first time under Jesus and still qualified. Ramos won it, and Conceição was sent off

Portugal beat Norway 2-1 at the Estádio do Dragão on Sunday and reached the Nations League quarter-finals with two Group A4 games to spare. Gonçalo Ramos scored the winner on 79 minutes, and Portugal finished with ten men after Francisco Conceição was shown a second yellow card. It was their fourth win in four games under Jorge Jesus.

The result settles qualification. Portugal have 12 points. Denmark, who beat Wales 1-0 at the same kick-off, have six, so they can reach 12 at most, and Wales and Norway have three each. The last eight are played in March 2027. Jesus said that, in theory, Portugal still need one more point to be sure of first place.

Ajer and Cancelo answer each other

Portugal had the better of the first half without scoring, and Norway went ahead on 36 minutes. Martin Ødegaard's free-kick reached Kristoffer Ajer, who took it down on his chest and half-volleyed it into the far top corner from the edge of the area. Two minutes later João Cancelo levelled with a half-volley of his own, from a long throw by Nuno Mendes. It was the first time Portugal had trailed in Jesus's four games in charge.

Norway's bench protested the throw. Assistant coach Kent Bergersen told TV 2 at half-time that Mendes appeared to throw with one arm and with only one foot on the ground. The goal stood.

Haaland goes off, Ramos finishes it

Erling Haaland was quiet in the second half and went off on 67 minutes for Jørgen Strand Larsen, to applause from the Porto crowd. Norwegian outlets reported that he held his groin before the change. We have not seen a diagnosis from Norway or Manchester City.

Portugal scored the winner 12 minutes later. Vitinha lofted a pass to João Félix, whose cut-back Ramos bundled in from close range. He has now scored in three consecutive Portugal games: in Oslo, in Copenhagen and in Porto.

Ten men, and a mistaken red card

Conceição was shown two yellow cards within seconds for dissent on 86 minutes. He had gone down under a challenge from Leo Østigård, appealed for a penalty and was waved away. Referee Maurizio Mariani then showed Bruno Fernandes a red card by mistake and corrected it to yellow. Fernandes had been held back in Oslo because of pain, and played on Sunday into stoppage time.

Jesus said the dismissal cost Portugal a likely third goal, because Norway's side had been broken by then.

Jesus on Ronaldo

Jesus was asked again about Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the squad's camp in Copenhagen on 30 September. Speaking to RTP Notícias after the match, he said everything was open and that Ronaldo should decide.

It was a misunderstanding and it will be easy to resolve.

Jorge Jesus, to RTP Notícias after the match

Jesus told Sport TV he had not spoken to Ronaldo since he left, and that a new call-up would be a shared decision. Cancelo, speaking to RTP, called Ronaldo the captain and the best player Portugal has had, and said everyone had done a great job, Ronaldo included. Ronaldo said on 30 September that he would explain his reasons in due course. We have not seen a further statement from him or the federation.

For Norway it was a third straight competitive defeat, the first such run since 2016, according to VG. They are on three points, level with Wales and behind them on head-to-head. Portugal play Denmark and Wales in November.