Højlund double leads Denmark past Portugal as Wales finish bottom of Group A4

Denmark moved closer to the Nations League quarter-finals with a 4-1 victory over Portugal in Braga on Saturday, with Rasmus Højlund scoring twice. According to The Guardian’s match roundup, the result lifted Denmark into second place in Group A4, while Norway’s 3-1 home win over Wales confirmed that the Welsh team would finish bottom.

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Portugal had already secured a place in the last eight after winning their first four group matches. Their defeat left them on 12 points, three ahead of Denmark after five fixtures. Denmark now need a draw against third-placed Norway on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals, giving the meeting a direct bearing on the remaining qualification place.

The match in Braga was Portugal’s first since Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football. Before kick-off, the team and mascots wore shirts bearing his name and No 7 in tribute. On the pitch, however, Denmark took the lead through a Pierre-Emile Højbjerg penalty in the 43rd minute and extended their advantage soon after half-time.

Højlund volleyed in Denmark’s second four minutes after the restart. Seven minutes later, he beat Rúben Dias and scored again with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Joachim Andersen then headed in the visitors’ fourth goal before Bernardo Silva scored a late consolation for Portugal, whose unbeaten start to the group ended with a heavy home loss.

In Oslo, Norway established a two-goal lead through Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup, who scored within nine minutes of each other in the second half. Wales responded through substitute David Brooks with 11 minutes remaining, reducing the deficit to one goal and keeping the contest open heading into its final stages.

Norway then received a penalty after Connor Roberts fouled Schjelderup. Erling Haaland converted to make it 3-1, taking his Nations League scoring record to 23 goals, The Guardian reported. The victory also reversed the outcome of the teams’ October meeting in Cardiff, which Wales had won.

Wales host Portugal on Tuesday but cannot escape last place in the group. They could still finish level with Norway on six points, although their inferior head-to-head record rules out moving above them. The Guardian reported that Wales could now face a March playoff to avoid relegation to League B; their final group match cannot change their bottom-place finish.