OffsAIde
·4 October 2026
Joao Cancelo answers Kristoffer Ajer with long-range half-volley in Nations League

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Yahoo sportsOffsAIde
·4 October 2026

Kristoffer Ajer and Joao Cancelo traded spectacular long-range half-volleys as Portugal met Norway in the Nations League.
After a quiet opening half-hour, Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer, 28, broke the deadlock with an audacious outside-of-the-foot half-volley from a wide left position near the edge of the area. The ball flew with power and precision, nestling inside Diogo Costa's right side-netting.
Exactly two minutes 37 seconds later, Portugal full-back Joao Cancelo replied in kind. From a long Nuno Mendes throw-in, he let it bounce then drove a right-footed effort from the edge of the D into the top left corner past Brest goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
Cancelo's strike pulled the Seleção level before the interval.
The first half, short on chances early on, turned into a highlight reel for two defenders determined to make their mark.
Source: L'Équipe
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