Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence

COPENHAGEN: Portugal managed to edge Denmark 4-2 in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, despite the controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the team. Joao Felix sealed the victory late in the second half after Portugal had fought back to level the score. The pre-match buzz was largely centered around Ronaldo's sudden withdrawal from the training camp, with coach Jorge Jesus assuring his players to focus solely on the match.

Jesus was pleased with his team's performance, describing it as "a victory of the highest quality" and emphasizing that the rules apply equally to everyone. Ronaldo, Portugal's all-time top scorer, had been on the bench for the previous matches against Norway and Wales. He explained on Instagram that he walked out of the training camp to communicate his reasons for leaving the national team, which he had always dedicated himself to.

Portugal's Joao Cancelo opened the scoring in the 13th minute, followed by Mikkel Damsgaard's equalizer in the 13th minute. Ramos restored Portugal's lead in the 19th minute with a chic finish. Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund leveled the score in the 34th minute, but Portugal regained the lead through Vitinha in the 57th minute. Substitute Joao Felix completed the win in the 87th minute, giving coach Jesus his third win in his first three matches.

Jesus remained focused on the upcoming match against Norway, indicating that this win is of paramount importance.