Nations League: Ronaldo-less Portugal prosper while Klopp gets first win as Germany coach
Portugal pull away to 4-2 win in Denmark
Jürgen Klopp’s Germany beat Serbia 2-0
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Portugal maintained their perfect start to Nations League Group A4 as Jorge Jesus’s squad showed little signs of missing Cristiano Ronaldo with a 4-2 victory over Denmark in Copenhagen.
The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward and five-time Ballon d’Or winner left the camp before the match amid reports of a falling out with Jesus, his former club manager, having been left on the bench throughout a victory in Norway.
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João Cancelo gave Portugal a 13th-minute lead before Brentford midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard equalised.
Gonçalo Ramos swiftly put Portugal back in front after 25 minutes, with Napoli forward Rasmus Højlund levelling things up at 2-2 early in the second half following a swift counter.
Vitinha’s header, his first Portugal goal, and a late strike by João Félix made it three straight wins.
“A victory of the highest quality,” said Jesus. “This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard – and that cannot be overlooked. Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened.”
New Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp got his first win with a 2-0 Group A2 victory over Serbia in Munich. Bayern Munich midfielder Tom Bischof fired in his first senior international goal and Liverpool forward Florian Wirtz then added a second in the 61st minute.
Germany produced a disciplined and intensive game, illustrating the high-pressure soccer Klopp wants to instill in the team. “That’s going in my archive. We’ll make a video out of it now,” Klopp said. “That’s how we want to play.”
Jürgen Klopp (right) applauds fans alongside Tom Bischof, who scored his first international goal in the victory over Serbia
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Jürgen Klopp (right) applauds fans alongside Tom Bischof, who scored his first international goal in the victory over Serbia. Photograph: Angelika Warmuth/Reuters
Speaking to public broadcaster ZDF, he added: “The mix of football and attitude was top level today. I told the boys that this has to be our benchmark.”
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Wirtz said: “It was important to win again, just for the spirit in the team, and to send a signal out that we’re good football players and also a good football nation. Definitely a step in the right direction.”
In the same group, Tijjani Reijnders scored a late equaliser as the Netherlands fought back to draw 2-2 with Greece, who remain top. Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgos Masouras had the home side 2-0 up at the break.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk powered in a header from a corner on the hour. After Denzel Dumfries had seen his goal ruled out by VAR for offside, Reijnders lashed home a rebound in the 89th minute to secure a point.
In Group B3, Israel and Kosovo played out a goalless draw in Debrecen, Hungary. In Group D1, Malta and Gibraltar drew 1-1 while in Group D2, Azerbaijan were held to a goalless draw by Liechtenstein in Baku.
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