Portugal answered the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo with a sharp, four-goal display in Copenhagen, beating Denmark 4-2 on Thursday night as Vitinha marked a personal milestone and Gonçalo Ramos again found the net for his country.
Portugal recover control in Copenhagen
- Ronaldo left the Portugal camp on Wednesday, but Jorge Jesus’ side showed little disruption when they took the field in Denmark.
- Vitinha tested Mads Hermansen early, with the Danish goalkeeper turning away his eighth-minute effort.
- Portugal took the lead five minutes later. João Cancelo linked up with Ramos before lifting a delicate finish over Hermansen in the 13th minute.
- Denmark hit back on 23 minutes through Mikkel Damsgaard, whose curling strike brought the home crowd back into the contest.
- The level score lasted only two minutes. Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Ramos restored Portugal’s advantage in the 25th minute.
Denmark had spent long periods without the ball but remained dangerous whenever they broke forward. Their efficiency was underlined by the fact they registered only three shots on target across the match.
Vitinha scores first international goal
- Damsgaard created Denmark’s second equaliser after the break, setting up Rasmus Højlund in the 53rd minute. The striker finished with a chipped effort similar to Cancelo’s earlier goal.
- Højlund celebrated with Ronaldo’s familiar gesture, but Portugal regained their composure and pulled away.
- Vitinha struck in the 67th minute for his first senior Portugal goal, giving the visitors breathing room after another turbulent spell.
- João Félix completed the scoring in the 87th minute, sealing a 4-2 victory for the visitors.
The result continues Portugal’s productive international run. They had beaten Norway 2-1 four days earlier and Wales 1-0 a week before the trip to Denmark.
With Cancelo, Ramos, Vitinha and Félix all on the scoresheet, Portugal showed the depth of their attacking options even without Ronaldo. Jesus’ side left Copenhagen with another win, balance in possession and a growing sense that their forward line can produce from several different places.
