Goncalo Ramos began up entrance rather than Cristiano Ronaldo. Photograph: AFP
COPEHAGEN:
Portugal put the controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to 1 aspect as they edged Denmark 4-2 within the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.
Joao Felix made the win protected late within the second half after the hosts had twice fought again to degree.
With the pre-match build-up dominated by five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo’s sudden departure from the workforce’s coaching camp on Wednesday, coach Jorge Jesus stated earlier than kick-off that he simply wished his aspect “to concentrate on the match”.
His workforce confirmed no indicators of being distracted by the furore attributable to the 41-year-old’s walk-out after Jesus introduced Ronaldo wouldn’t begin the match towards Denmark.
“A victory of the very best high quality; this Portugal workforce scored 4 targets and put in a efficiency which, in my view, was of a really excessive normal,” Jesus advised his post-match press convention.
“I nonetheless suppose precisely the identical method: there are gamers with standing. That a lot is crystal clear.
“However I am going to say it once more: the principles are the identical for everybody. That is a technique I’ve adopted all through my teaching profession and I am going to proceed to observe.”
Ronaldo, Portugal’s file goalscorer, had already spent all of Sunday’s 2-1 Nations League win in Norway on the bench, having captained the aspect within the 1-0 house victory over Wales final Thursday.
“Following the nationwide workforce coach’s press convention, and after having a dialog with the Portuguese Soccer Federation president, I made a decision to depart the nationwide workforce’s coaching camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
“In the end, I’ll inform the reality to all of the Portuguese folks about my causes for leaving the nationwide workforce, to which I’ve all the time been devoted.”
On the pitch, Joao Cancelo opened the scoring for Portugal inside 13 minutes, earlier than Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a leveller 10 minutes later.
Goncalo Ramos repaid Jesus’s religion in beginning him once more up entrance by restoring his nation’s lead two minutes later with a cute near-post end.
Rasmus Hojlund equalised for Denmark early within the second interval, however Paris Saint-Germain lynchpin Vitinha nodded the guests again in entrance within the 57th minute.
Substitute Felix then tucked house on the finish of a swift counter-attack with three minutes remaining to offer new boss Jesus a 3rd win from his first three matches.
“That is extra vital than the rest that has occurred,” Jesus added, earlier than waiting for a house sport towards Norway on Sunday. “So that’s what I wish to concentrate on: the match, the subsequent match.”