In video: Portugal after Cristiano beat Denmark on home soil
The post-Cristiano Ronaldo era faced its first real test on Thursday evening, and Portugal passed it. Despite the fallout from a crisis that had rocked their camp, they ground out a thrilling 4-2 win over hosts Denmark at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, in the third round of the UEFA Nations League group stage.
Pressure had been mounting on Portugal since Wednesday, when historic captain Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly walked out of the camp. His dispute with manager Jorge Jesus over not featuring against Norway was well known, and now the side had to prove that life goes on without "the Don".
This emphatic result tightened Portugal's grip on top spot with a perfect record: 9 points from 3 victories, moving them a big step closer to qualifying for the next round of the Nations League.
Denmark sit second on goal difference despite a tally of -1 (6 scored and 7 conceded), ahead of third-placed Norway, with Wales propping up the table.
The game started at a fast tempo. Early Portuguese pressure brought the goal they wanted when Joao Cancelo put the visitors ahead, but the Danish response did not take long. Mikkel Damsgaard levelled after a wonderful piece of play from the impressive Mohamed Daramy.
Denmark barely had time to enjoy the equaliser. Goncalo Ramos, Ronaldo's direct replacement in the starting line-up, restored Portugal's lead to end a thrilling first half with a deserved advantage. The visitors enjoyed relative superiority in possession and threat, despite timid Danish efforts through Liao and Cancelo.
Portugal nearly killed the game off at the start of the second half. Bruno Fernandes carved out a clear chance that the Denmark goalkeeper saved superbly, and the punishment came swiftly from the other side.
Rasmus Hojlund levelled it from an organised counter-attack, finishing an exquisite assist from Damsgaard before celebrating in Cristiano Ronaldo's famous "Siiiu" style. The moment set the Parken stands alight and sent a provocative message to the Portuguese.
The equaliser took the match into dangerous territory. Denmark pushed with all their might for a goal to take the lead and squandered a clear chance through substitute Gustav Isaksen, while Portugal leaned on their swift counter-attacks led by Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao.
Just as Denmark looked closer to scoring, Vitinha settled matters. A swift counter-attack saw Bruno waste a well-placed cross, but Vitinha himself returned to give Portugal a two-goal cushion. That strike completely changed the shape of the match.
Looking to secure the result, the coaching staff brought on Trincao to crank up the attacking pressure and make life more dangerous for the hosts.
Ramos nearly added a fourth with a powerful shot that struck the defence. The Denmark back line visibly struggled in the final quarter of an hour against the Portuguese surge, and the match ended as a precious win that proved Portugal can still win without their legend.
The final minutes turned into a real epic. Denmark laid a suffocating siege on the Portuguese in their own areas, chasing an equaliser with a big attacking surge to salvage at least a point.
Under that pressure, Portugal reached for their most lethal weapon: lightning counter-attacks through the midfield pair of Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes, which unsettled the Denmark defence.
Tension ran high. Mohamed Daramy picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Bruno Fernandes as he tried to intercept a pass, before Portugal escaped disaster. Ruben Neves flew into a violent challenge that required a VAR review, yet the referee settled for a yellow card without even being called to the pitchside monitor. Portugal had dodged a red that would have turned the tables.
To absorb the Danes' enthusiasm and revitalise their attack, the coaching staff made a double change, Joao Neves and Joao Felix replacing Pedro Neto and Goncalo Ramos.
The switch worked its magic. In the 87th minute, from a textbook counter-attack, substitute Joao Felix stamped his name on Portugal's fourth goal to kill the game off and make it 4-2.
Felix's strike was the coup de grace that ended Denmark's uprising. Despite all the noise around Ronaldo's departure and the camp crisis with Jesus, Portugal showed the depth and quality to turn adversity into a great victory in the heart of the Parken Stadium. The post-"Don" era had begun with an emphatic and thrilling win.
