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Spain ............... 1

Portugal .......... 1

ADRID - Goals by strikers Alvaro Morata and Ricardo Horta led to a 1-1 draw between Spain and Portugal in their Nations League opener at Estadio Benito Villamarin last night.

Morata put Spain ahead from close range in the league A group two match following a fine passing movement involving midfielders Gavi and Pablo Sarabia in the 25th minute. Substitute Horta equalised for Portugal eight minutes from time, leaving the Spanish defence behind as he latched on to a precise cross from defender Joao Cancelo inside the area and placed a shot into the middle of Unai Simon’s goal.

It was the fourth consecutive draw in games between Spain, runners-up in the last Nations League, and Portugal, champions in its inaugural edition. Their last two friendly meetings finished goalless.

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Elsewhere, Striker Erling Haaland’s superb first-half volley gave Norway a surprising 1-0 win away to Serbia as they got their Nations League Group B4 campaign underway yesterday, but they needed goalkeeping heroics from Orjan Nyland to secure the win.

The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute as Martin Odegaard sliced open the defence with a beautiful pass to Marcus Pedersen who crossed for Haaland to deftly volley home from close range with the only shot on target in the first half.

In other action an early Jan Kuchta strike and a second-half own goal gave the Czech Republic a 2-1 win over Switzerland in an entertaining Nations League group match in which both sides created plenty of chances.

Meanwhile, Emil Forsberg’s firsthalf penalty and a superb solo goal by Dejan Kulusevski got Sweden off to a winning start in their Nations League campaign as they beat Slovenia 2-0 in a feisty group B4 clash in Ljubljana last night. Sweden next face a home game against Norway on Sunday. Slovenia next travel to Belgrade to play Serbia.