Portugal lost 1-4 to Denmark in Braga, and Rasmus Højlund was the reason the game got away from them so quickly. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg put Denmark ahead from the spot in the 43rd minute, then Højlund struck in the 49th and 57th to turn a difficult night for the hosts into a heavy defeat. By the time Joachim Andersen added the fourth, the match was long gone.

Hojlund's burst settled the match

This was the kind of away performance that leaves very little room for excuses. Denmark were already in front through Højbjerg's penalty before half-time, and Højlund finished the job straight after the restart.

There is a small dispute over the exact timing of his first goal after the break. Some reports put it in the 50th minute, but the verified event log has it in the 49th, and that is the stronger reading here. His second arrived in the 57th, eight minutes later, and Portugal never recovered.

Højlund's output in this competition is becoming hard to ignore. He has 5 Nations League goals in 5 appearances this season, and this brace came in 73 minutes. Denmark did not rely on one player alone, though. Højbjerg finished with 1 goal and 1 assist, which fits the shape of the game: he started the scoring and helped drive the opening phase of Denmark's control.

Quoted in Portuguese by A Bola, Højlund said: "The Napoli forward had already put the ball in the back of the net before the 1-0, but the goal was disallowed for offside. That was not the case in the second half: first, he met Damsgaard's cross with a good first-time finish, catching the Portuguese defence off guard, in the 50th minute."

Even allowing for that timing discrepancy, the broader point stands. Denmark found space after the interval and punished Portugal far too easily.

Portugal's tribute night fell apart on the pitch

Before kick-off, Portugal's players wore a shirt bearing the number 7 in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo. It gave the night some obvious emotion, but the football turned against them before the interval ended.

Quoted in Portuguese by A Bola, Højbjerg said: "From the spot, the Danish captain opened the scoring, but Diogo Costa guessed the side and was centimetres away from making the save." Diogo Costa nearly kept Portugal level, but nearly was no help once Denmark started finishing chances cleanly.

Andersen made it 4-0 in the 75th minute, which removed any doubt about the result. Bernardo Silva scored in stoppage time, but it was only a consolation by then.

The final score from Portugal vs Denmark was fully deserved. Denmark were cleaner in both boxes and far more decisive once the first goal went in. Højlund ended the night with a match rating rounded to 9.0, and Portugal finished it chasing damage limitation in Braga.

FAQ

Why did Denmark beat Portugal so comfortably in Braga?

Denmark took control just before half-time and then blew the game open after the break. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg scored a 43rd-minute penalty, Rasmus Højlund added goals in the 49th and 57th minutes, and Joachim Andersen made it 4-0 in the 75th. Portugal only replied through Bernardo Silva in stoppage time.

How well is Rasmus Højlund playing for Denmark in the Nations League?

Very well. Højlund scored twice in the 4-1 win over Portugal and now has 5 Nations League goals in 5 appearances this season. He was also Denmark's standout performer on the night, with his display rounded to a 9.0 match rating.

Did the Ronaldo tribute change the result against Denmark?

Portugal's players wore number 7 shirts before kick-off in tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, but there is no basis to claim the tribute changed the result. What is clear is that Denmark punished Portugal on the pitch, scoring once before the break and three more times before Bernardo Silva's late consolation.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →