In Oslo’s cool evening air, Portugal found an unlikely early match-winner while two of football’s most recognisable strikers watched from the benches. João Félix struck first against Norway at Ullevaal Stadion, continuing a sharp start to the Nations League for the Al Nassr forward.
Key takeaways
- João Félix gave Portugal the lead shortly after the opening 15 minutes in Oslo.
- Nuno Mendes launched the counterattack by carrying the ball past three Norway players.
- Pedro Neto supplied Félix from the left side of the move.
- Félix finished calmly from the edge of the area, placing his effort beyond Filip Jorgensen.
- Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo began the match among the substitutes.
- The Portugal attacker had also scored the only goal in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon.
Félix provides the cutting edge
The breakthrough came from a fast Portuguese escape rather than a sustained spell of possession. Mendes drove forward from deep, beating three opponents before moving the ball on to Neto. The winger then linked with Félix, whose first touch set him up just outside the penalty area.
There was little panic in the finish. Félix used the inside of his foot to guide a precise low strike away from Jorgensen’s reach, giving Portugal a deserved advantage in the Norwegian capital.
It was another important intervention from the former Atlético Madrid and Barcelona player, who is now playing his club football in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. His goal against Norway followed his decisive contribution at Lisbon’s Alvalade Stadium, where he settled Portugal’s meeting with Wales by scoring in a 1-0 victory on Thursday.
A changing attacking order
Portugal’s opening Nations League fixtures have placed Félix at the centre of the attacking picture. With Ronaldo awaiting his chance from the bench in Oslo, the 25-year-old again supplied the defining moment, adding to a productive spell that has made him Portugal’s most reliable scorer at the start of the campaign.
For Norway, Haaland’s presence among the replacements underlined the unusual shape of the contest: two elite centre-forwards waiting on the sidelines, while Félix seized the attention on the pitch with a finish of composure and quality.
