Portugal players credit Jorge Jesus for tighter defence in Norway win

Portugal's players put the 2-1 win in Norway down to a tighter defence under Jorge Jesus. Goalkeeper Diogo Costa, winger Rafael Leão and midfielder Rúben Neves all said so after the Nations League game, which was Portugal's second of the campaign.

Costa, 27, who plays for FC Porto, was asked how the team had held Norway and Erling Haaland. "We expected a difficult game, a spectacular atmosphere," he said. "Norway have fans who lift the team's energy a lot. It was a physical game, full of duels, and in defence we managed to control theirs." He gave "much more credit" to the players in front of him. "The secret is running well," he said. "It depends on the team's good positioning, on the timings. Everyone running, each one knowing what he has to do."

He was careful about comparing Jesus with his club coach. "We still have little time to have these ideas firmly in place, it is a different way from how I play at FC Porto," Costa said. "Is it better? If we are winning, it is because it is being better. The important thing is to win, but we are giving more importance to the defensive side."

Neves, who came on in the 80th minute, described the sequence of the match. "We started very well, in control. After the goal we dropped a little, they created danger and in the second half they equalised," he said. "We made it 2-1 at the best moment for us, and then it was a matter of controlling things defensively. They had more of the ball afterwards but did not create as many chances. We showed that we are improving defensively."

The Al Hilal midfielder did not rank Norway as the hardest opponent in the group. "In 3 days there is another super difficult one," Neves said. "We played there recently and lost."

Leão, introduced in the 56th minute, said the coach had built the side quickly. "In a few days the coach managed to organise the team very well, and we arrived here with what we had prepared," he said. He then spoke about Jesus's effect on the defence. "The coach has now brought us a very strong defensive capacity."

Leão also spoke about João Félix, who, according to Record, was one of the players who started ahead of him. "I have affection for him and I am happy," Leão said. "He has taken a lot of criticism and is showing the quality he has. They say it is only in Saudi Arabia, but he makes the difference in Europe too. The coach knows him, he is in the position he likes most and he can make the difference."

If the defensive shape holds in the game 3 days later, this may suggest Jesus's ideas are taking root faster than Costa's remark about "little time" would imply.