Portugal out to catch up with Norway
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
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Portugal will strip Norway of their three-point lead at the UEFA EURO 2012 Group H summit if they succeed in avenging their 1-0 defeat against Egil Olsen's men in September.
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Portugal have the opportunity to wipe out Norway's advantage at the top of UEFA EURO 2012 Group H when the sides meet in Lisbon.
• Egil Olsen's Norway got the better of Portugal at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo on 7 September when Erik Huseklepp pounced on an error by goalkeeper Eduardo after 21 minutes.
• That remains Portugal's only defeat in Group H, while Norway are unbeaten after four qualifiers, and lead the second-ranked Portuguese by three points.
• Portugal's record in nine games against Norway reads W6 D2 L1 (W3 D1 L0 at home).
• The first, and biggest, of those Portugal victories was a 4-0 friendly success on 12 June 1966.
• Portugal won both matches 2-1 when the nations met in the preliminary round of the 1968 UEFA European Championship, Eusébio scoring twice in the first meeting in Oslo on 8 June 1967.
• Portugal did the double again in qualifying for the 1980 UEFA European Championship, prevailing 1-0 in Oslo and 3-1 in Lisbon.
• Norway's two draws with Portugal came in friendlies in 1993 (1-1) and 1994 (0-0). The teams' last encounter prior to UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying was also a friendly, Portugal winning 1-0 in Oslo on 10 September 2003.