Published September 27, 2026 · By the Goalorithm model desk
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Match report
Portugal beat Norway 1-2 in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday, September 27, having led 0-1 at half-time. The match ended a 2-1 win for Portugal over Norway, with Norway scoring one goal and Portugal two goals.
The scoreline gives Portugal the win, while the possession figures show that Norway had the larger share of the ball. Those are different measures of the match: possession records control of the ball, while the result records which side scored more. Here, the advantage in possession did not coincide with the outcome. The match was played at Ullevaal Stadion.
The numbers
Norway had 57% possession and Portugal 43%. Norway's recorded shot total was 0; Portugal's was 1. The shots-on-target figures were 0 for Norway and 0 for Portugal. Together, those figures describe a game in which the possession share and the shooting totals tell distinct parts of the story.
Portugal won despite having less possession and without recording a shot on target. Norway's greater possession share came alongside no recorded shot and no shot on target. The numbers do not make possession a measure of attacking threat: they show how much of the ball each side had, and separately record the shots and attempts on target. Portugal's win is the decisive measure in the result, while the possession split offers a contrast rather than an explanation of how each goal was scored. The match produced three goals overall.