Portugal looked even more formidable without Cristiano Ronaldo. Overcoming an early deficit with a brilliant comeback, the reigning champions defeated Norway to secure their spot in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.

Portugal fell behind to an early goal by Kristoffer Ajer. However, the hosts did not take long to recover from the setback, leveling the score just two minutes later with a dazzling strike from João Cancelo.

Later in the second half, Gonçalo Ramos sealed the victory for Jorge Jesus's side.

Playing in Porto on Sunday, Portugal claimed a 2-1 victory over Norway to secure their fourth consecutive win.

With a maximum of 12 points from four matches, the team booked their place in the last eight with two games to spare.

From the start, Portugal kept Norway under pressure with aggressive football. Along with dominating possession with over 55 percent, they fired 20 shots at the opponent's goal, seven of which were on target.

In contrast, Norway managed nine shots, three of which were on target.

Initially, however, Portugal struggled to find the back of the net. In the 22nd minute, a powerful long-range shot from outside the box by Cancelo was brilliantly saved by Norwegian goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

In the 31st minute, Selvik denied another long-range effort from Bruno Fernandes.

The script flipped in the 36th minute when Norway took the lead. Kristoffer Ajer controlled a ball delivered from a Martin Ødegaard free-kick and found the net with a brilliant shot. This marked the first time Portugal trailed in the current tournament.

Norway's joy, however, was short-lived. Cancelo restored parity just two minutes later.

Receiving a pass from Nuno Mendes, Cancelo unleashed a stunning shot from outside the box that gave Selvik no chance, bringing Portugal right back into the match.

The hosts did not ease up on their attacking pressure after the break, keeping the Norwegian defense busy with wave after wave of attacks.

In the 73rd minute, Rúben Neves squandered an easy goalscoring opportunity, missing the target despite receiving the ball with plenty of space right in front of the six-yard box.

Ultimately, Ramos delivered the winning goal for Portugal. In the 79th minute, receiving a superb through ball from Vitinha, João Félix passed it to the left, allowing Ramos to tap it easily into the net and send the Portuguese camp into celebration.

In Ronaldo's absence, the striker has earned a spot in the starting lineup for three consecutive matches, proving his worth by scoring in every single one of them.

Near the end of the match, Francisco Conceição created a bit of drama. With four minutes of regular time remaining, he received a yellow card for expressing dissent toward the referee's decision.

Moments later, after making a sarcastic gesture toward the referee, the Portuguese winger was shown a second yellow card and sent off.

Though the incident sparked brief tension on the pitch, the situation quickly normalized. With a numerical advantage, Norway failed to capitalize on any late chances to equalize.

In another match from the same group, Denmark defeated Wales 1-0. Denmark currently sits in second place with 6 points from four matches, while Norway and Wales occupy the next two spots with 3 points each.