Portugal 5-2 Denmark (aet, 5-3 agg): Trincao leads hosts to Nations League semi-finals

The Selecao were staring at elimination when a Christian Eriksen goal put Denmark 3-2 up on aggregate with 14 minutes of the 90 to play, but Sporting CP forward Francisco Trincao came off the bench to force extra time.

Trincao then inched Portugal ahead at the start of extra time, and Goncalo Ramos scored their clinching goal as they teed up a last-four meeting with Germany.

Portugal almost hit the front within three minutes of kick-off as Cristiano Ronaldo won a penalty, but their captain's atrociously tame attempt was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.

However, Joachim Andersen steered a header into his own net late in the first half to ensure Portugal went into the break level at 1-1 on aggregate.

Rasmus Kristensen put Denmark back in the driving seat in the 56th minute as his header nestled in the bottom-right corner, but Ronaldo atoned for his earlier miss with a timely finish after a Bruno Fernandes attempt struck the post in the 72nd minute.

Denmark responded swiftly, making it 3-2 on aggregate just four minutes later as Manchester United duo Patrick Dorgu and Eriksen combined for the latter to tap in.

But the decisive moments came from Trincao, who proved the hero with two lovely finishes into opposite corners of the net, either side of the 90-minute whistle.

With Portugal now ahead on aggregate, Diogo Jota had a goal ruled out for offside in the 105th minute, but Ramos added some gloss with a simple shot into an open net five minutes before time.

120+3' TERMINA A PARTIDA! Mas que vitória nos Quartos de Final da Liga das Nações! #FazHistória | #PORDEN #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/YC3RqyQ3Pv

— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) March 23, 2025

Portugal's first goal ended a run of 202 minutes without netting in the Nations League, their longest since going 188 minutes without scoring from June to September 2022, but the hosts required the help of an opposition player in Andersen to do so.

Portugal certainly created plenty of chances, finishing the match with an impressive total of 3.33 expected goals (xG) to Denmark's 1.98.

Wow, what a night of Nations League football #NationsLeague

— UEFA EURO (@UEFAEURO) March 23, 2025

But Denmark rallied well each time the hosts struck, and some poor finishing kept them frustrated until substitutes Trincao and Ramos struck late to secure the win.

Even Ronaldo, whose one goal came from a game-high six shots worth 1.64 xG, was unable to get Portugal in the ascendency before Trincao was sent on by Roberto Martinez in the 81st minute.