Gonçalo Ramos is helping Portugal to forget all about Cristiano Ronaldo, while Greece frustrated Jürgen Klopp and Germany in the Nations League.
Ramos fired Portugal to a 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday to keep the Portuguese perfect in Group A4 with four wins from four games.
Ronaldo was involved in Portugal's opening Nations League game, where he was replaced by Ramos in a 1-0 win over Wales, and hasn't played since. The veteran left the squad after
watching the second game from the substitutes’ bench – a 2-1 win in Norway – and Portugal showed no ill effects from his departure with a 4-2 win in Denmark and the latest 2-1 win over Norway.
Kristoffer Ajer opened the scoring Sunday with a brilliant half volley inside the far corner from the edge of the penalty area after taking down Martin Ødegaard’s free kick to set up the shot in the 36th minute.
A seemingly inspired João Cancelo responded in similar fashion at the other end two minutes later.
Ramos got the winner from close range in the 79th after a move involving Vitinha and João Félix, and Portugal survived Francisco Conceição’s late sending off with his second yellow card.
Erling Haaland failed to score for the second consecutive game. He has 65 goals in 59 appearances.
Greece, which celebrated its first win over Germany last week, almost did it again. It held Klopp’s team 0-0 in Thessaloniki.
Germany dominated with more possession, more passes and more goal chances, but both teams couldn't score.
Klopp tried reinvigorating his attack with Nick Woltemade and Cologne star Said El Mala for Jonathan Burkardt and Lennart Karl for the last half hour, but Georgios Masouras had the best chance late for the hosts.
Of Klopp’s four games in charge, Germany has only won one.
Joshua Zirkzee fired the Netherlands to a 2-1 win at home over Serbia in the other Group A2 game.
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