Rasmus Hojlund emerged as the hero for Denmark, coming off the bench to secure a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final on Thursday.
The decisive moment came when Hojlund combined with fellow substitute Andreas Skov Olsen, giving Denmark the edge and compensating for Christian Eriksen’s missed penalty in the first half.
Denmark began the match with energy, as Mika Biereth pressured Diogo Costa into an early error, forcing the goalkeeper to recover and deflect the ball out for a corner.
Kasper Schmeichel then made a crucial save to deny Pedro Neto, but the best opportunity of the first half came in the 23rd minute when Renato Veiga was penalised for a handball in the box.
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Eriksen stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but his effort was poorly struck, allowing Costa to make a comfortable save to his right.
Biereth tested Costa again 10 minutes before halftime, meeting a bouncing cross with a half-turn shot, but the goalkeeper reacted swiftly to tip the ball wide.
Denmark maintained their intensity in the second half, with Gustav Isaksen’s powerful drive narrowly pushed wide by a diving Costa and Hojlund firing a low shot just past the far post.
The breakthrough finally came when Denmark executed a swift passing sequence, slicing through Portugal’s defence.
Hojlund, left unmarked in the centre, calmly directed Skov Olsen’s cross into the bottom-right corner, sealing the win and giving Denmark a valuable advantage heading into the second leg.
What’s next for both teams
Portugal were poor throughout, but they certainly have the quality to turn this tie around when the two sides lock horns again in Lisbon on Sunday night in the second leg tie.
Denmark, on the other hand, will be seeking to defend their win away.
