Norway and Portugal arrive in Sunday’s Group 4 meeting with three points apiece, but both sides were made to work harder than expected in their opening League A fixtures.
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Portugal began the campaign with a 1-0 win over Wales, in Jorge Jesus’s first match in charge. The reigning champions controlled much of the contest without finding fluency in front of goal, registering 23 attempts but putting only five on target.
Cristiano Ronaldo endured a difficult evening. One of his efforts was ruled out for offside and he also missed a chance in the 49th minute, reflecting a wasteful Portuguese display despite the eventual victory.
Norway, meanwhile, opened with a dramatic 3-2 success against Denmark, ending a wait for a victory over their Scandinavian neighbours that had stretched back to 2002.
The Norwegians raced into a 2-0 lead inside 18 minutes after an impressive first-half start. Denmark recovered to level the score by the 60th minute, before Erling Haaland completed his brace to settle the match for Norway soon afterwards.
The result gave Norway another indication of their progress in recent years, although their record against Portugal remains limited. They have beaten Sunday’s opponents only once, winning 1-0 in 2010.
The next appointment in France
Norway host Portugal on Sunday in the second round of Group 4. Victory would put the home side in position to move top of the group, while Portugal can take another step towards first place after their narrow opening win.
