Felix and Ramos strikes send Portugal past Haaland's Norway despite no Ronaldo
Portugal beat Norway 2-1 in Oslo on Sunday, Joao Felix's opener and Goncalo Ramos's second-half winner either side of Erling Haaland's equaliser proving enough despite Cristiano Ronaldo going unused throughout the Nations League clash.
Felix gave Jorge Jesus's side the lead in the 17th minute, finishing a slick move involving Nuno Mendes and Pedro Neto with a disguised effort that beat Nyland at his near post, despite Norway enjoying the better of general possession throughout the opening half.
Haaland levelled five minutes into the second half, tapping in from close range after Patrick Berg headed on Martin Odegaard's free kick, capping a spell in which the hosts had looked the sharper side without troubling Diogo Costa enough in the first period.
Portugal restored their lead almost immediately. Ramos struck in the 54th minute after Nyland played straight into his path from a goal kick, allowing the forward to advance and chip calmly over the exposed keeper, undoing Norway's momentum just as it was building.
Nyland then handed Ramos a glorious chance to complete his brace three minutes later, but the striker somehow scuffed the finish wide of an open goal. The goalkeeper survived a similar scare four minutes after that, when a second Ramos effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
Norway pushed for a leveller in the closing stages but could not find a way past a well-organised Portugal defence, with Costa untroubled in the second half despite the hosts carving out a handful of half-chances through Odegaard and substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Ronaldo remained an unused substitute, only the second time since the 2022 World Cup that he has started a Portugal match on the bench, with Jesus explaining beforehand to ESPN why he had left the veteran out.
"Ronaldo played nearly 70 minutes in the Wales match, and I felt he could not start two consecutive matches today," Jesus said.
The result lifts Portugal to six points from two Nations League matches, while Norway, who beat Denmark 3-2 in their opening game, remain on three points, their evening summed up by Nyland's costly errors overshadowing a display in which Haaland otherwise looked as dangerous as ever.
Portugal next host Denmark on October 2, with Norway travelling to face Wales on the same date.