Nations League roundup: Haaland limps off in Norway’s loss to Portugal

Erling Haaland may have added to Manchester City’s problems. Photograph: Luis Vieira/APView image in fullscreenErling Haaland may have added to Manchester City’s problems. Photograph: Luis Vieira/APNations League roundup: Haaland limps off in Norway’s loss to PortugalPortugal victory seals place in quarter-finals

Title-holders Portugal maintained their 100% record in the Nations League with a 2-1 home win over Norway on Sunday to seal a place in ⁠the March quarter-finals, while Manchester City’s problems may have got worse after Erling Haaland limped off for the visitors.

Portugal hope their victory at the Estádio Do Dragão shifts the focus further away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s abrupt exit from the squad last week. Gonçalo Ramos netted 11 minutes from time to ensure they secured a top-two ⁠finish in Group A4 as ⁠they moved six points ​ahead of second-placed Denmark, who won 1-0 at Wales.

The home side in Porto were still under a cloud from Ronaldo’s dispute with coach Jorge Jesus, although they were triumphant without him in Denmark ⁠last Thursday after he walked out on the squad, and continued their winning ways on Sunday.

Read moreNorway took the lead in ​the 36th minute from centre-back Kristoffer Ajer, who hit a ‌dipping half-volley from the edge of ‌the box. But if that effort was sumptuous, João Cancelo’s thrashing effort to equalise two minutes later was even more awe-inspiring.

Ramos’s ‌winner came off his calf after João Félix had headed across goal for him to score.

View image in fullscreenGonçalo Ramos knocks down the corner flag in delight after scoring. Photograph: SPP/ShutterstockPortugal’s win was soured by a red card for Francisco Conceição four minutes from time. He gave the referee a cynical thumbs up after receiving a yellow card and was immediately shown a second.

The Netherlands took over at the top of Group A2, after beating Serbia 2-1 in Eindhoven, but only on goal difference from ⁠Greece, who held on grimly for a goalless draw at home to Germany in Thessaloniki.

With their captain Virgil van Dijk celebrating a 100th cap, the Netherlands went ahead against Serbia when Teun Koopmeiners’s 31st-minute free-kick evaded all in the penalty area and ​crept into the corner. However, the visitors were level within four minutes as Aleksa Terzic crossed for teenager Mihajlo Cvetkovic to rise over Koopmeiners and head in his first international goal.

It took until the 72nd minute to go back ahead when Denzel Dumfries’s low cross was turned back across the goal by Tijjani Reijnders, sliding in at the far post, and tapped in by Joshua Zirkzee, who ⁠received a late call-up to the Dutch squad last week.

Germany dominated away against Greece, but Jürgen ​Klopp’s inexperienced side could not find the net, ​and they have won only one of ​their first four games under the new coach.

Austria needed a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at Kosovo ​but still have a three-point ‌lead at the top ​of Group B3 after the ​Republic of Ireland and Israel drew 1-1 behind closed doors in the Serbian town of Backa Topola.

In Group D2, Abdulakh Khaybulayev’s first-half goal was enough to send Azerbaijan top of the standings with a 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Lithuania, while veteran Teddy Teuma came on as a second-half substitute to hand Malta a 1-0 home win over Andorra in Group D1.