PORTOL: Portugal made sure the absence of top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, resting the day after after Real Madrid's Champions League triumph, went unnoticed as they thrashed Norway 3-0 in a Euro 2016 warm-up on Sunday.
Ronaldo would have been impressed with the finishing of his international team mates as Ricardo Quaresma and Raphael Guerreiro netted spectacular goals before Eder added a clinical third at the Dragao stadium.
The Portuguese started in an adventurous 4-3-3 formation and it soon paid off as 32-year old winger Quaresma fired them ahead against Norway, who failed to make the Euros, with a viciously swerving shot from the edge of the area in the 13th minute.
Giving his markers a roasting all night with dazzling footwork before he was substituted on the hour, the unsettled and often inconsistent Quaresma rolled back the years to show why he was once regarded as one of Europe's hot prospects.
It was then Guerreiro's turn to impress as the 22-year old left back curled in a delightful free kick in the 65th minute, with Norway goalkeeper Rune Jarstein clutching thin air.
Portugal continued to press and their towering striker Eder made it 3-0 five mintues later, sweeping home a perfect low cross from the right by midfielder Joao Mario.
The performance set a perfect stage for Portugal's visit to Wembley on Thursday, when they meet England in their final warm-up for next month's European Championship in France.
The Norwegians missed two gilt-edged chances as Joshua King was denied by goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and Veton Berisha hit the bar when the visitors were trailing 1-0.
Portugal are strong favourites to advance to the Euro 2016 knockout stages from Group F which also includes Austria, Hungary and Iceland.
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