Live Blog: Norway vs. Portugal | UEFA Nations League
Haaland against CR7. Norway and Portugal both enter this early battle for the top spot in Group A of the Nations League after opening the competition with victories. Oslo hosts a matchup between a Norwegian side coming off an impressive run at the World Cup and the reigning Nations League champion.
⏱️ Halftime | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
HALFTIME IN OSLO! Portugal heads into the break with the lead thanks to João Félix, who now has two goals in this edition of the UEFA Nations League.
The Portuguese were the better side for much of the first half and controlled long stretches through possession, although Norway responded late in the half and looked dangerous whenever it managed to find Erling Haaland.
The Android had opportunities to equalize, but an outstanding Diogo Costa and a goal-saving intervention from Rúben Dias kept him off the scoresheet.
PORTUGAL TAKES A NARROW LEAD INTO THE BREAK!
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 40 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
NORWAY HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE IN OSLO. The Vikings are now controlling possession and beginning to establish themselves in the Portuguese half as they search for an equalizer before halftime.
Portugal, meanwhile, remains very well organized defensively, closing down the spaces and waiting for the right moment to regain possession and break quickly on the counterattack.
The momentum has shifted in these final minutes of the half: Norway has the ball, but the Portuguese defense is holding firm.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 34 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
ERLING HAALAND AGAIN!!! AND ANOTHER GREAT SAVE FROM DIOGO COSTA!!!
Antonio Nusa bursts down the wing, creates some space and delivers a great cross into the heart of the box. Erling Braut Haaland rises to meet it and powers a header toward goal looking for the equalizer.
BUT DIOGO COSTA IS READY! The Portuguese goalkeeper reacts with a GREAT SAVE and once again denies the Android.
Norway finally finds Haaland again, but Costa keeps Portugal in front.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 31 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
FRANCISCO CONCEIÇÃO GOES FOR IT!!! The Portuguese winger finds space outside the box and tries his luck from distance, sending his effort VERY CLOSE to Ørjan Nyland’s goal.
Portugal continues to look like the better side in this first half. The Portuguese are controlling possession, finding spaces to shoot and, for now, managing the lead given to them by João Félix.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 30 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
PORTUGAL IS CONTROLLING THE MATCH THROUGH POSSESSION. The Portuguese side is moving the ball around and trying to dictate the tempo after taking the lead through João Félix.
However, whenever Norway wins possession back, there is space behind the Portuguese defense, and the Vikings look dangerous when they attack at speed.
The problem for the hosts has been the final pass. Since Erling Haaland’s earlier opportunity, Norway has not managed to create another clear chance to put the Android in position to finish.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 23 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
WHAT A SAVE FROM RÚBEN DIAS!!! ERLING HAALAND ALMOST HAD THE EQUALIZER!!!
Martin Ødegaard sends a dangerous cross into the box and Diogo Costa gets to it, but the goalkeeper leaves a rebound behind. The ball falls to Haaland, who looks ready to put it into the back of the net.
BUT HERE COMES RÚBEN DIAS! The Android’s Manchester City teammate throws himself into a GOAL-SAVING SLIDING CHALLENGE and denies him at the last moment.
WHAT A HUGE INTERVENTION FROM DIAS TO KEEP PORTUGAL IN FRONT!
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 17 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
GOOOOOOOOOOOAL FOR PORTUGAL!!! GOOOOOOOOAL FROM JOÃO FÉLIX!!! THE PORTUGUESE STRIKE IN OSLO!!!
João Félix receives the ball on the edge of the box, sets himself and unleashes a GREAT STRIKE that finds the back of the Norway net.
WHAT A START TO THE NATIONS LEAGUE FOR FÉLIX! The Portuguese attacker delivers again and now has TWO GOALS in this edition of the tournament.
Portugal lands the first blow and silences Oslo.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-1 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 13 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
THE FIRST CHANCE FOR ERLING HAALAND!!! Norway slips a ball into the box and THE ANDROID is there to fire toward goal looking for the opener.
BUT DIOGO COSTA IS THERE! The Portugal goalkeeper reacts well and pushes the shot behind for a corner.
The first clear chance of the match and the first warning from Haaland in Oslo.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-0 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 10 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
THE MATCH REMAINS TIGHT IN OSLO. Portugal is beginning to see a little more of the ball, using long passing sequences to search for spaces and work its way toward the Norway box.
The Vikings, meanwhile, are looking to use their speed whenever they regain possession and find room to break forward.
So far, both approaches have canceled each other out. Portugal is showing more patience on the ball, while Norway is waiting for opportunities to accelerate, but there are still no clear-cut chances.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-0 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 5 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
FIVE MINUTES PLAYED IN OSLO AND NOTHING TO SEPARATE THE TWO SIDES SO FAR. Norway is looking to cause problems with the speed of its attack, while Portugal has already tried to threaten with a quick break.
Neither team has managed to take control yet. Possession is evenly shared, with plenty of battles in midfield but no clear chances in front of goal.
An even start in Oslo.
🇳🇴 Norway 0-0 Portugal 🇵🇹
⏱️ Min 1 | 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹
WE’RE UNDERWAY IN OSLO! The ball is rolling between Norway and Portugal in Matchday 2 of the UEFA Nations League.
The hosts will look to make home advantage count and take the initiative from the start, while the Portuguese side goes in search of its second victory of the tournament with Cristiano Ronaldo waiting for his opportunity from the bench.
WE’RE UNDERWAY IN OSLO!
🇳🇴 Norway 0-0 Portugal 🇵🇹
Preview | Norway 🇳🇴 🆚 🇵🇹 Portugal
EVERYTHING IS READY IN OSLO! Norway and Portugal are preparing for their second match of this UEFA Nations League campaign.
The big news comes from the Portuguese starting XI: Cristiano Ronaldo DOES NOT START. The captain begins the match on the bench, meaning Portugal will have to find other attacking solutions while waiting for the right moment to turn to CR7.
Norway, meanwhile, has home-field advantage and will look to make it count against one of Europe’s strongest national teams.
EVERYTHING IS SET IN OSLO FOR THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THIS NATIONS LEAGUE CAMPAIGN!
🇳🇴 Norway vs Portugal 🇵🇹
Haaland Returns to Oslo After a Perfect Start
Norway needed only one match to show that its debut in League A will be about much more than simply competing.
The team coached by Ståle Solbakken defeated Denmark 3-2 on Thursday at this same Ullevaal Stadion. Oscar Bobb opened the scoring before Haaland struck twice to decide a match the Danes had managed to level at 2-2.
The Manchester City striker’s second goal, scored in the 74th minute, ultimately proved to be the winner.
The performance took Haaland to 57 goals in 50 international appearances, according to UEFA’s official statistics, while he already has two goals from his first appearance in this edition of the Nations League.
But Norway is no longer entirely dependent on its star striker. Martin Ødegaard remains responsible for organizing the team, while Antonio Nusa, Bobb, Sander Berge and Fredrik Aursnes are part of a generation that reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Norway Lineup
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal Defend Their Crown
On the other side is a national team that knows this competition extremely well.
Portugal is the reigning UEFA Nations League champion and began its title defense with a 1-0 victory over Wales in Lisbon. João Félix scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute after receiving a pass from Nuno Mendes.
It was also Jorge Jesus’ first official match as Portugal head coach after taking charge following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo started against Wales and remains in the squad for the match in Oslo. At 41, the captain has 143 goals in 229 international appearances according to UEFA’s records, along with 15 career goals in the Nations League.
Around the forward is a squad loaded with talent, including: Vitinha, João Neves, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, João Félix and Nuno Mendes.
Portugal Lineup
Haaland vs. Cristiano Ronaldo Takes Center Stage
There are plenty of storylines surrounding the match, but it is impossible to ignore the two strikers.
Haaland, 26, arrives after scoring twice in the opening round. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, remains the captain of a Portuguese team beginning a new era without giving up its ambition of defending the title.
They represent two completely different generations and two of international soccer’s great goalscorers going head-to-head.
The match also finds Norway enjoying one of the best periods in its recent history. After returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, the Norwegians reached the quarterfinals this summer and eliminated Brazil before falling to England. UEFA records victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil, followed by a 2-1 defeat to the English.
Portugal, meanwhile, also reached the World Cup quarterfinals, where it was eliminated by Spain after overcoming Croatia in the previous round.
Portugal Holds a Commanding Head-to-Head Advantage
History clearly favors the Portuguese.
According to UEFA’s official match dossier, Portugal and Norway have met 11 times. The Portuguese have recorded eight victories and two draws, while suffering only one defeat.
Norway’s only victory came on September 7, 2010, when the Norwegians earned a 1-0 win during qualifying for Euro 2012.
Their most recent meeting came in May 2016 and ended with a 3-0 victory for Portugal.
Ten years later, they meet again under very different circumstances: both teams have three points, and the winner can take sole possession of first place in Group A4.
They will not have to wait long for another meeting. The return fixture is scheduled for October 4 in Portugal.
Match Information
Match: Norway vs. Portugal
Competition: 2026/27 UEFA Nations League
League: League A
Group: A4
Matchday: 2
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 2:45 PM ET / 11:45 AM PT / 8:45 PM in Oslo
Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo
- Norway and Portugal enter Matchday 2 with three points after defeating Denmark and Wales, respectively.
- Erling Haaland opened his Nations League campaign with a brace and has 57 goals in 50 international appearances according to UEFA.
- Portugal leads the all-time series with eight victories in 11 meetings, while Norway has defeated the Portuguese only once.
