Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for 30 days and fined 255 euros ($286) for walking out on the national team during the recent international break. The punishment handed down by the Portugal Football Federation (FPF) on Monday (October 19) is the minimum stipulated suspension for the actions under the federation's regulations. Ronaldo's suspension is counted from the day of his walking out, October 1, which means he has already served 19 days of his suspension, which will be completed on October 30. Portugal will next play an international match on November 14 against Denmark before facing Wales on November 17, and Ronaldo will be available for selection for both.<h2>Why Ronaldo Was Suspended by Portugal</h2>The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star walked out from the national team camp after falling out with national team manager Jorge Jesus. The footballer was unhappy after being asked to warm up as a substitute against Norway in September in the Nations League and then not being given any playing time. He then left the squad after learning that he would not play against Denmark on October 1.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/researchers-name-newly-discovered-andean-plant-after-argentina-legend-lionel-messi-1792392706264">Researchers name newly discovered Andean plant after Argentina legend Messi</a>In a statement issued after the incident, Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking his word, but showed remorse toward the supporters and reaffirmed his commitment to playing for Portugal.Ronaldo, who has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award five times, is Portugal's highest goalscorer (146) and has played the most matches (234) of any player in international football.<h2>How Did Portugal Perform Without Ronaldo?</h2>Ronaldo's absence didn't affect Portugal too much, as they won all four matches without him and qualified for the Nations League quarterfinals with two matches left.After the announcement of the suspension, Ronaldo did not directly react to it but posted a picture of himself preparing to train with his Saudi club, Al Nassr, with the caption, "Putting in the work".

Cristiano Ronaldo received a 30-day suspension and a €255 ($286) fine from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after walking out on the national team on October 1 following a dispute over playing time with manager Jorge Jesus.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for 30 days and fined 255 euros ($286) for walking out on the national team during the recent international break. The punishment handed down by the Portugal Football Federation (FPF) on Monday (October 19) is the minimum stipulated suspension for the actions under the federation's regulations. Ronaldo's suspension is counted from the day of his walking out, October 1, which means he has already served 19 days of his suspension, which will be completed on October 30. Portugal will next play an international match on November 14 against Denmark before facing Wales on November 17, and Ronaldo will be available for selection for both. Why Ronaldo Was Suspended by Portugal The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star walked out from the national team camp after falling out with national team manager Jorge Jesus. The footballer was unhappy after being asked to warm up as a substitute against Norway in September in the Nations League and then not being given any playing time. He then left the squad after learning that he would not play against Denmark on October 1. Also Read - Researchers name newly discovered Andean plant after Argentina legend Messi In a statement issued after the incident, Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking his word, but showed remorse toward the supporters and reaffirmed his commitment to playing for Portugal. Ronaldo, who has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award five times, is Portugal's highest goalscorer (146) and has played the most matches (234) of any player in international football. How Did Portugal Perform Without Ronaldo? Ronaldo's absence didn't affect Portugal too much, as they won all four matches without him and qualified for the Nations League quarterfinals with two matches left. After the announcement of the suspension, Ronaldo did not directly react to it but posted a picture of himself preparing to train with his Saudi club, Al Nassr, with the caption, "Putting in the work".

Cristiano Ronaldo received a 30-day suspension and a €255 ($286) fine from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) after walking out on the national team on October 1 following a dispute over playing time with manager Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo handed 30-day suspension for walking out on Portugal national team

Spain fought back against Croatia to win 2-1 in Split on Tuesday and remain perfect in Nations League Group A3 while Harry Kane continued his hot form as England beat the Czech Republic 3-0 to stay second. The victory in Split preserved Spain's long unbeaten run and ensured they will finish in the top two in the four-team group and advance to the quarter-finals. England stayed three points behind Spain with a home win and will advance to the last four if they do not lose their next game at home to Croatia by eight or more goals.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-nations-league-france-come-from-behind-to-thrash-belgium-italy-continue-resurgence-1791252043621">Nations League: France thrash Belgium; Italy continue resurgence</a>In their previous match, Croatia capitulated 7-0 to England up the Dalmatian coast at Rijeka. Because of a ban brought on by persistent fan racism, that crowd was made up of 6,000 children under the age of 14.In a very different atmosphere, Croatia gave a spikier performance and took the lead after 17 minutes. Unai Simon dived to save a low drive from Igor Matanovic but only pushed the ball into the air. Ivan Perisic, a former teammate of Kane at Tottenham, nodded the ball home.While Spain dominated first-half possession, Croatia created the most dangerous chances and Matanovic could have doubled the lead.Spain's pressure told after 61 minutes, Dani Olmo collected a poor clearance and rolled the ball to substitute Mikel Merino who had space to pick his spot.Perisic had earned a yellow card for an excited lunge soon after scoring. That turned into a costly sending off when he was booked again after 79 minutes for a push on Marc Cucurella.With a minute of normal time left, Merino found space in the box to turn and drive home &nbsp;the winner."Another game in which it was my turn to score from the bench," Merino told TVE, adding: "I'll go out there with the best possible attitude even while frustrated about not being able to play more... but this team is a family and that always shows."<h2>'Perfect night'</h2>The win stretched Spain's unbeaten run to 42 games. The one blemish in that run for the European and World Champions was a penalty shootout loss to Portugal after the last Nations League final had ended in a draw."There are days like today when the &nbsp;streak can become complicated," said Merino.England lost their opener at home to Spain, when Kane missed a penalty that would have salvaged a draw, but have since won three games. Their veteran striker scored once away to the Czechs and twice in Croatia.On Tuesday, as he equalled the England appearance record held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton with a 125th cap, Kane stretched his national scoring record to 91 with another double."Perfect night for me personally and also for the team," Kane told ITV on the pitch. "An extremely proud evening."England were presented with their opener after 27 minutes when Vladimir Coufal, perhaps imagining an attacker behind him, smashed an England cross into his own net.Kane finished off a quick, clever England attack by wrong-footing the goalkeeper from close range after 40 minutes. He hit the crossbar early in the second half and then headed home a corner after 57 minutes."You saw some fantastic football from us tonight," said Kane."As a striker you're just licking your lips and waiting for your opportunities."Kane received praise from team-mate Jude Bellingham."He's playing at a level where it's pretty unmatched, when you look across the world," &nbsp;said the Real Madrid star."He's scoring goals for fun, he's still dropping in deep and delivering those passes in behind and wide and contributing in so many areas of the pitch."In League B, Ryan Christie coolly flicked the ball between his legs to score a 31st-minute opener for Scotland at home to Slovenia but Aljosa Matko and Danijel Sturm hit back after half time to give the visitors a 2-1 win.Leaders Switzerland ensured they will finish in the top two after they beat North Macedonia 3-0 in Lucerne, Fabian Rieder gave the hosts a first-half lead and Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye added late goals.

 England stayed three points behind Spain with a home win and will advance to the last four if they do not lose their next game at home to Croatia by eight or more goals.

Spain fought back against Croatia to win 2-1 in Split on Tuesday and remain perfect in Nations League Group A3 while Harry Kane continued his hot form as England beat the Czech Republic 3-0 to stay second. The victory in Split preserved Spain's long unbeaten run and ensured they will finish in the top two in the four-team group and advance to the quarter-finals. England stayed three points behind Spain with a home win and will advance to the last four if they do not lose their next game at home to Croatia by eight or more goals. Also Read - Nations League: France thrash Belgium; Italy continue resurgence In their previous match, Croatia capitulated 7-0 to England up the Dalmatian coast at Rijeka. Because of a ban brought on by persistent fan racism, that crowd was made up of 6,000 children under the age of 14. In a very different atmosphere, Croatia gave a spikier performance and took the lead after 17 minutes. Unai Simon dived to save a low drive from Igor Matanovic but only pushed the ball into the air. Ivan Perisic, a former teammate of Kane at Tottenham, nodded the ball home. While Spain dominated first-half possession, Croatia created the most dangerous chances and Matanovic could have doubled the lead. Spain's pressure told after 61 minutes, Dani Olmo collected a poor clearance and rolled the ball to substitute Mikel Merino who had space to pick his spot. Perisic had earned a yellow card for an excited lunge soon after scoring. That turned into a costly sending off when he was booked again after 79 minutes for a push on Marc Cucurella. With a minute of normal time left, Merino found space in the box to turn and drive home the winner. "Another game in which it was my turn to score from the bench," Merino told TVE, adding: "I'll go out there with the best possible attitude even while frustrated about not being able to play more... but this team is a family and that always shows." 'Perfect night' The win stretched Spain's unbeaten run to 42 games. The one blemish in that run for the European and World Champions was a penalty shootout loss to Portugal after the last Nations League final had ended in a draw. "There are days like today when the streak can become complicated," said Merino. England lost their opener at home to Spain, when Kane missed a penalty that would have salvaged a draw, but have since won three games. Their veteran striker scored once away to the Czechs and twice in Croatia. On Tuesday, as he equalled the England appearance record held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton with a 125th cap, Kane stretched his national scoring record to 91 with another double. "Perfect night for me personally and also for the team," Kane told ITV on the pitch. "An extremely proud evening." England were presented with their opener after 27 minutes when Vladimir Coufal, perhaps imagining an attacker behind him, smashed an England cross into his own net. Kane finished off a quick, clever England attack by wrong-footing the goalkeeper from close range after 40 minutes. He hit the crossbar early in the second half and then headed home a corner after 57 minutes. "You saw some fantastic football from us tonight," said Kane. "As a striker you're just licking your lips and waiting for your opportunities." Kane received praise from team-mate Jude Bellingham. "He's playing at a level where it's pretty unmatched, when you look across the world," said the Real Madrid star. "He's scoring goals for fun, he's still dropping in deep and delivering those passes in behind and wide and contributing in so many areas of the pitch." In League B, Ryan Christie coolly flicked the ball between his legs to score a 31st-minute opener for Scotland at home to Slovenia but Aljosa Matko and Danijel Sturm hit back after half time to give the visitors a 2-1 win. Leaders Switzerland ensured they will finish in the top two after they beat North Macedonia 3-0 in Lucerne, Fabian Rieder gave the hosts a first-half lead and Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye added late goals.

&nbsp;England stayed three points behind Spain with a home win and will advance to the last four if they do not lose their next game at home to Croatia by eight or more goals.

UEFA Nations League: Spain overcome Croatia, Kane continues hot form as England beat Czechia

Michael Olise starred as France stormed back from behind to thrash Belgium 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League on Monday, while Italy continued their resurgence with victory over Turkey. Dodi Lukebakio's first-half strike had Belgium on track for a first competitive victory over France since 1981, but Zinedine Zidane turned to his star-studded bench and the hosts produced a devastating late surge. Les Bleus struck four times in the final 13 minutes to keep Zidane's unbeaten record as coach intact as France edged closer to a place in the quarter-finals.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bellingham-only-has-one-nations-league-goal-so-why-does-roy-keane-think-england-star-can-become-one-of-the-greatest-of-all-time-1791189907788">Bellingham only has one Nations League goal, so why does Roy Keane think England star can become one of the 'greatest of all time'</a>Desire Doue equalised with a low shot from the edge of the box before Olise pulled the ball back for Rayan Cherki to put France ahead as the floodgates opened, with substitutes accounting for all of the hosts' goals.Olise put the game to bed with a scruffy third goal before he grabbed another in stoppage time to round off a breathtaking turnaround."I think we played well at the end. The first half was difficult.. but we kept going and we're happy," Olise told TF1.The Bayern Munich winger has been France's most influential player in the early stages of Zidane's reign, netting four times in his last three matches despite starting only once."It's a team effort. He (Zidane) brings his own ideas and we follow him. We've done well in these four games and we'll keep going," said Olise.France hold a three-point lead over Italy in Group A1, with Belgium another point behind.Zidane's team will complete their group campaign with games away to Italy and at home to Turkey next month.Italy, who are rebuilding under Roberto Mancini, moved up into second place courtesy of a 3-1 win over Turkey in Bologna.Gianluca Scamacca drilled Italy ahead only for Aral Simsir to level just after the hour. The Azzurri, who thrashed Turkey 4-1 last week in Bursa, secured another win at home with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito."There was fatigue all around, and we struggled a bit. But we did well to score, and then to score again right after they equalised," said Mancini.The 61-year-old, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, is back for a second spell in charge of a nation who have failed to qualify for the last three World Cups."We have to keep playing. We're currently in second place, and we'll likely have to fight to secure that spot in Belgium," added Mancini.Northern Ireland remain top of Group B2 but had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Georgia after Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saved a late Isaac Price penalty in Belfast.Hungary are a point adrift following a 2-1 win over Ukraine in a match played in Slovakia.Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres scored for the seventh Nations League game in a row to give Sweden a 1-0 win in Romania. Graham Potter's side sit two points clear in Group B4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who beat Poland 1-0.Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards scored a stoppage-time winner as Cyprus edged Latvia 2-1 in Group C2, while leaders Montenegro and Armenia drew 0-0.

Desire Doue equalised with a low shot from the edge of the box before Olise pulled the ball back for Rayan Cherki to put France ahead as the floodgates opened, with substitutes accounting for all of the hosts' goals.

Michael Olise starred as France stormed back from behind to thrash Belgium 4-1 in the UEFA Nations League on Monday, while Italy continued their resurgence with victory over Turkey. Dodi Lukebakio's first-half strike had Belgium on track for a first competitive victory over France since 1981, but Zinedine Zidane turned to his star-studded bench and the hosts produced a devastating late surge. Les Bleus struck four times in the final 13 minutes to keep Zidane's unbeaten record as coach intact as France edged closer to a place in the quarter-finals. Also Read - Bellingham only has one Nations League goal, so why does Roy Keane think England star can become one of the 'greatest of all time' Desire Doue equalised with a low shot from the edge of the box before Olise pulled the ball back for Rayan Cherki to put France ahead as the floodgates opened, with substitutes accounting for all of the hosts' goals. Olise put the game to bed with a scruffy third goal before he grabbed another in stoppage time to round off a breathtaking turnaround. "I think we played well at the end. The first half was difficult.. but we kept going and we're happy," Olise told TF1. The Bayern Munich winger has been France's most influential player in the early stages of Zidane's reign, netting four times in his last three matches despite starting only once. "It's a team effort. He (Zidane) brings his own ideas and we follow him. We've done well in these four games and we'll keep going," said Olise. France hold a three-point lead over Italy in Group A1, with Belgium another point behind. Zidane's team will complete their group campaign with games away to Italy and at home to Turkey next month. Italy, who are rebuilding under Roberto Mancini, moved up into second place courtesy of a 3-1 win over Turkey in Bologna. Gianluca Scamacca drilled Italy ahead only for Aral Simsir to level just after the hour. The Azzurri, who thrashed Turkey 4-1 last week in Bursa, secured another win at home with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito. "There was fatigue all around, and we struggled a bit. But we did well to score, and then to score again right after they equalised," said Mancini. The 61-year-old, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, is back for a second spell in charge of a nation who have failed to qualify for the last three World Cups. "We have to keep playing. We're currently in second place, and we'll likely have to fight to secure that spot in Belgium," added Mancini. Northern Ireland remain top of Group B2 but had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Georgia after Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saved a late Isaac Price penalty in Belfast. Hungary are a point adrift following a 2-1 win over Ukraine in a match played in Slovakia. Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres scored for the seventh Nations League game in a row to give Sweden a 1-0 win in Romania. Graham Potter's side sit two points clear in Group B4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who beat Poland 1-0. Former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards scored a stoppage-time winner as Cyprus edged Latvia 2-1 in Group C2, while leaders Montenegro and Armenia drew 0-0.

Desire Doue equalised with a low shot from the edge of the box before Olise pulled the ball back for Rayan Cherki to put France ahead as the floodgates opened, with substitutes accounting for all of the hosts' goals.

UEFA Nations League: France come from behind to thrash Belgium; Italy continue resurgence

Portugal became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the Nations League when they beat Norway 2-1 on Sunday, but Jurgen Klopp's Germany were frustrated by Greece. The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp on Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench. Goncalo Ramos secured victory in the 86th minute after Joao Cancelo's powerful finish had levelled Kristoffer Ajer's stunning opener from outside the penalty area for World Cup quarter-finalists Norway.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/djokovic-beats-zverev-china-open-semis-medvedev-1791135764461">Novak Djokovic downs Zverev to book China Open semifinal against Medvedev</a>After the game, Jesus said he was prepared to allow 41-year-old Ronaldo to return to the national team -- but that it would have to be the player's decision."If he wants to, he'll return to the national team... we can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who's going to decide," Jesus told reporters.Jurgen Klopp's Germany failed to break down a resolute Greek side in a goalless stalemate in Thessaloniki.Germany had the ball in the net through Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jonathan Burkardt in the first half but his effort was disallowed.Klopp's record as new German boss now reads: lost one, won one, drawn one.The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 thanks to Joshua Zirkzee's winner to move top of their Nations League group.The Manchester United forward was a second-half substitute in Eindhoven and applied the decisive touch with a tap-in from Tijjani Reijnders' cross.The match also marked Virgil van Dijk's 100th international appearance.New Netherlands coach Xavi is unbeaten after four games, with two wins and two draws.Israel's players wore black armbands in their 1-1 draw against Ireland to commemorate the victims of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, after Irish players had worn them in the previous match in Hungary to protest the war in Gaza.The simple black armbands worn by the Israelis were inscribed with the numbers "7.10" to mark the date of the attack.Just as in last week's first match which Ireland won 3-0, the Irish players again bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem and the teams refused to shake hands before the match in the small Serbian town of Backa Topola.The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had refused to host Israel on Irish soil for security reasons, following boycott calls.On Sunday, Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot after 39 minutes after Dor Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne.But Peretz stabbed in an equaliser two minutes after half-time, sending in from close range after a shot deflected off Ireland defender Liam Scales and into his path.The result complicates Ireland's qualification task as they now lie third in Group 3 of League B behind Austria and Kosovo. Israel are bottom with two points.Wales lost again, as Rasmus Hojlund slotted in a 75th minute penalty to earn Denmark a 1-0 win in Cardiff.Welsh goalkeeper Danny Ward had kept the Danes at bay with a string of saves but he conceded the penalty when he fouled Denmark midfielder Gustav Isaksen.

The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp on Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench.

Portugal became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the Nations League when they beat Norway 2-1 on Sunday, but Jurgen Klopp's Germany were frustrated by Greece. The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp on Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench. Goncalo Ramos secured victory in the 86th minute after Joao Cancelo's powerful finish had levelled Kristoffer Ajer's stunning opener from outside the penalty area for World Cup quarter-finalists Norway. Also Read - Novak Djokovic downs Zverev to book China Open semifinal against Medvedev After the game, Jesus said he was prepared to allow 41-year-old Ronaldo to return to the national team -- but that it would have to be the player's decision. "If he wants to, he'll return to the national team... we can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who's going to decide," Jesus told reporters. Jurgen Klopp's Germany failed to break down a resolute Greek side in a goalless stalemate in Thessaloniki. Germany had the ball in the net through Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jonathan Burkardt in the first half but his effort was disallowed. Klopp's record as new German boss now reads: lost one, won one, drawn one. The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 thanks to Joshua Zirkzee's winner to move top of their Nations League group. The Manchester United forward was a second-half substitute in Eindhoven and applied the decisive touch with a tap-in from Tijjani Reijnders' cross. The match also marked Virgil van Dijk's 100th international appearance. New Netherlands coach Xavi is unbeaten after four games, with two wins and two draws. Israel's players wore black armbands in their 1-1 draw against Ireland to commemorate the victims of Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, after Irish players had worn them in the previous match in Hungary to protest the war in Gaza. The simple black armbands worn by the Israelis were inscribed with the numbers "7.10" to mark the date of the attack. Just as in last week's first match which Ireland won 3-0, the Irish players again bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem and the teams refused to shake hands before the match in the small Serbian town of Backa Topola. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had refused to host Israel on Irish soil for security reasons, following boycott calls. On Sunday, Troy Parrott put Ireland ahead from the penalty spot after 39 minutes after Dor Peretz fouled Jimmy Dunne. But Peretz stabbed in an equaliser two minutes after half-time, sending in from close range after a shot deflected off Ireland defender Liam Scales and into his path. The result complicates Ireland's qualification task as they now lie third in Group 3 of League B behind Austria and Kosovo. Israel are bottom with two points. Wales lost again, as Rasmus Hojlund slotted in a 75th minute penalty to earn Denmark a 1-0 win in Cardiff. Welsh goalkeeper Danny Ward had kept the Danes at bay with a string of saves but he conceded the penalty when he fouled Denmark midfielder Gustav Isaksen.

The Portuguese showed they did not need Cristiano Ronaldo, who walked out of the camp on Wednesday when coach Jorge Jesus relegated him to the bench.

Nations League: Portugal, without Ronaldo, move to quarter-finals; Germany held back by Greece

Portugal shrugged off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and turned on the style to win 4-2 in Denmark in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, while Germany beat Serbia 2-0 to give Jurgen Klopp his first win as coach. The controversy surrounding Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal squad on Wednesday overshadowed the match in Copenhagen, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's future in international football now in serious doubt.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-india-player-lenny-rondrigues-says-football-players-players-need-more-tournaments-1790850058158">Ex-India player Lenny Rodrigues says football players 'need more tournaments'</a>Coach Jorge Jesus said before kick-off that he just wanted his side "to focus on the match", and they did not appear distracted as they scored some superb goals to win the Group A4 clash at the Parken Stadium.AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos scored Portugal's winner in Norway on Sunday after being preferred to Ronaldo in attack, and here he set up Joao Cancelo for Portugal's early opener before getting their second goal on 25 minutes.Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a fine goal in between for Denmark, and Rasmus Hojlund scored their second equaliser shortly after half-time.However, Vitinha headed in a superb Bruno Fernandes cross to put Portugal back in front midway through the second half, and Joao Felix -- a club colleague of Ronaldo's at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia -- finished off a superb move to seal Portugal's victory."A victory of the highest quality," said Jesus. "This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard – and that cannot be overlooked."Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened."Wales beat Norway 2-1 in the same group in Cardiff, despite Fulham's Oscar Bobb giving the visitors an early lead.Goals by Daniel James and Neco Williams turned the game around for Wales, while Norway had Torbjorn Heggem sent off at the start of the second half.Portugal, who are the defending Nations League champions, are top of the group with the maximum nine points from three games before entertaining Norway in Porto on Sunday.Klopp's first two matches in charge of Germany had ended in a draw in the Netherlands and a defeat at home to Greece, but it was third time lucky as his side saw off Serbia in Munich.Bayern Munich's Tom Bischof, playing at home, opened the scoring late in the first half and Liverpool's Florian Wirtz sealed the win with a brilliantly-taken goal just past the hour mark."The mix of football and attitude was top level today. I told the boys that this has to be our benchmark," Klopp told public broadcaster ZDF.<h2>Protests at Ireland game</h2>Germany's next game is away in Greece, who top Group A2 with seven points from three outings after a 2-2 draw at home to the Netherlands in Thessaloniki on Thursday.The home side were two ahead at half-time with goals by Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgos Masouras, but skipper Virgil van Dijk pulled one back just before the hour.Substitute Tijjani Reijnders then grabbed an 89th-minute leveller for Xavi Hernandez's Dutch side, who are second in the group on five points and complete this international window at home to pointless Serbia in Eindhoven on Sunday.Elsewhere, Troy Parrott scored twice, including a stunning solo effort, as Ireland drew 2-2 at home with Austria in a game briefly interrupted on two occasions by protests.Parrott, of Real Betis, opened the scoring in style after 12 minutes of the Group B3 encounter in Dublin, before tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch by those protesting Ireland's games against Israel, forcing a break in play.Later in the first half a man carrying a Palestinian flag got on the pitch before being stopped by security.Parrott scored again from the penalty spot to double Ireland's lead by the interval, but second-half goals by Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch earned Austria a draw.Ralf Rangnick's team top the section with seven points, three more than both Ireland and Kosovo, who drew 0-0 with Israel in a game played in Hungary.Friday sees Zinedine Zidane's homecoming as he leads France out on home soil for the first time in their match with Italy.

Portugal Coach Jorge Jesus said before kick-off that he just wanted his side "to focus on the match", and they did not appear distracted as they scored some superb goals to win the Group A4 clash at the Parken Stadium.

Portugal shrugged off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and turned on the style to win 4-2 in Denmark in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, while Germany beat Serbia 2-0 to give Jurgen Klopp his first win as coach. The controversy surrounding Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal squad on Wednesday overshadowed the match in Copenhagen, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's future in international football now in serious doubt. Also Read - Ex-India player Lenny Rodrigues says football players 'need more tournaments' Coach Jorge Jesus said before kick-off that he just wanted his side "to focus on the match", and they did not appear distracted as they scored some superb goals to win the Group A4 clash at the Parken Stadium. AC Milan striker Goncalo Ramos scored Portugal's winner in Norway on Sunday after being preferred to Ronaldo in attack, and here he set up Joao Cancelo for Portugal's early opener before getting their second goal on 25 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a fine goal in between for Denmark, and Rasmus Hojlund scored their second equaliser shortly after half-time. However, Vitinha headed in a superb Bruno Fernandes cross to put Portugal back in front midway through the second half, and Joao Felix -- a club colleague of Ronaldo's at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia -- finished off a superb move to seal Portugal's victory. "A victory of the highest quality," said Jesus. "This Portugal team scored four goals and put in a performance which, in my opinion, was of a very high standard – and that cannot be overlooked. "Of course, this is more important than anything else that has happened." Wales beat Norway 2-1 in the same group in Cardiff, despite Fulham's Oscar Bobb giving the visitors an early lead. Goals by Daniel James and Neco Williams turned the game around for Wales, while Norway had Torbjorn Heggem sent off at the start of the second half. Portugal, who are the defending Nations League champions, are top of the group with the maximum nine points from three games before entertaining Norway in Porto on Sunday. Klopp's first two matches in charge of Germany had ended in a draw in the Netherlands and a defeat at home to Greece, but it was third time lucky as his side saw off Serbia in Munich. Bayern Munich's Tom Bischof, playing at home, opened the scoring late in the first half and Liverpool's Florian Wirtz sealed the win with a brilliantly-taken goal just past the hour mark. "The mix of football and attitude was top level today. I told the boys that this has to be our benchmark," Klopp told public broadcaster ZDF. Protests at Ireland game Germany's next game is away in Greece, who top Group A2 with seven points from three outings after a 2-2 draw at home to the Netherlands in Thessaloniki on Thursday. The home side were two ahead at half-time with goals by Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgos Masouras, but skipper Virgil van Dijk pulled one back just before the hour. Substitute Tijjani Reijnders then grabbed an 89th-minute leveller for Xavi Hernandez's Dutch side, who are second in the group on five points and complete this international window at home to pointless Serbia in Eindhoven on Sunday. Elsewhere, Troy Parrott scored twice, including a stunning solo effort, as Ireland drew 2-2 at home with Austria in a game briefly interrupted on two occasions by protests. Parrott, of Real Betis, opened the scoring in style after 12 minutes of the Group B3 encounter in Dublin, before tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch by those protesting Ireland's games against Israel, forcing a break in play. Later in the first half a man carrying a Palestinian flag got on the pitch before being stopped by security. Parrott scored again from the penalty spot to double Ireland's lead by the interval, but second-half goals by Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch earned Austria a draw. Ralf Rangnick's team top the section with seven points, three more than both Ireland and Kosovo, who drew 0-0 with Israel in a game played in Hungary. Friday sees Zinedine Zidane's homecoming as he leads France out on home soil for the first time in their match with Italy.

Portugal Coach Jorge Jesus said before kick-off that he just wanted his side "to focus on the match", and they did not appear distracted as they scored some superb goals to win the Group A4 clash at the Parken Stadium.

Nations League: Portugal brush aside Ronaldo's absence for win; Klopp gets first victory as Germany coach

Lamine Yamal netted a brace as world champions Spain continued their winning start to the UEFA Nations League with a 4-1 success in Seville against Croatia on Tuesday, while Harry Kane scored as England won in the Czech Republic. The match at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan was Spain's first home outing since lifting the World Cup in New York in July. La Roja captain Rodri was handed the trophy by 2010 winner and Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, before presenting it to the ecstatic crowd.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wayne-rooney-man-utd-man-city-115-charges-stripped-titles-medals-1790693841695">Rooney insists Manchester United 'don't deserve' retrospective titles if Man City are stripped</a>"We were very excited to bring the trophy here," Yamal said. "To be able to win the game and bring it home is great."Spain's supporters did not have long to wait before their side provided further excitement in Andalusia as Yamal fired them into the lead inside 75 seconds.Dion Beljo nodded in Ivan Perisic's cross to briefly level the scores shortly before the half-hour, but Atletico defender Marc Pubill popped up at the other end three minutes later to head in a Yamal centre and restore the hosts' lead.After also scoring early in Spain's 3-2 win at Wembley against England last week to kickstart their Nations League campaign, Yamal brought his tally in the 2026/27 edition of the tournament to three as he put Spain two clear of Croatia in the 63rd minute with a precise finish at Dominik Livakovic's near post."Lamine is keen to keep developing and show the world the sort of footballer he is," Luis de la Fuente said of the 19-year-old star."We've enjoyed his magic in the service of the team. In the future, he'll be much more recognised for what he does and for his contribution to the team's play," the coach added of Yamal, who is among the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or.Nico Williams then put gloss on the result for Spain with a crisp step-over and finish with one minute remaining on the clock.With two wins from two, Spain lead Group A3 on six points, while Croatia sit third on three points, behind second-placed England on goal difference.<h2>'Deserved victory'</h2>In Prague, Thomas Tuchel's England got their first win of the group with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Czech Republic thanks to second-half goals from Anthony Gordon and Kane.The home team kept England at bay in the first half at the Fortuna Arena despite being a man down after Pavel Sulc was sent off for a high challenge on Elliot Anderson in the 23rd minute."We played very professional, second half we stepped up... Deserved victory," Tuchel told ITV."Strange to get an early red card, not the best for the team and spectators. It's an awkward one but we kept going, got a win and that's what counts."Barcelona winger Gordon broke the deadlock shortly after the break with a header from a cross served by Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made his first England start in almost two years.It was Gordon's third goal in three games for England, including one against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final defeat and another against Spain.Kane, who also scored against Spain, gave England breathing space in the 69th minute, smashing the ball past Czech 'keeper Matej Kovar after it fell to him inside the box.England will travel to Rijeka to take on Croatia on Saturday, while Spain welcome the Czechs to Oviedo."The next match is important for us against a direct opponent and we want to win," Tuchel said to the BBC.Elsewhere, Scotland paid for an early red card at Hampden Park against Switzerland as the visitors ran out 3-0 winners in Group B1.Slovenia sit second in that pool after downing North Macedonia 2-0 in Ljubljana.

The match at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan was Spain's first home outing since lifting the World Cup in New York in July. La Roja captain Rodri was handed the trophy by 2010 winner and Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, before presenting it to the ecstatic crowd.

Lamine Yamal netted a brace as world champions Spain continued their winning start to the UEFA Nations League with a 4-1 success in Seville against Croatia on Tuesday, while Harry Kane scored as England won in the Czech Republic. The match at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan was Spain's first home outing since lifting the World Cup in New York in July. La Roja captain Rodri was handed the trophy by 2010 winner and Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, before presenting it to the ecstatic crowd. Also Read - Rooney insists Manchester United 'don't deserve' retrospective titles if Man City are stripped "We were very excited to bring the trophy here," Yamal said. "To be able to win the game and bring it home is great." Spain's supporters did not have long to wait before their side provided further excitement in Andalusia as Yamal fired them into the lead inside 75 seconds. Dion Beljo nodded in Ivan Perisic's cross to briefly level the scores shortly before the half-hour, but Atletico defender Marc Pubill popped up at the other end three minutes later to head in a Yamal centre and restore the hosts' lead. After also scoring early in Spain's 3-2 win at Wembley against England last week to kickstart their Nations League campaign, Yamal brought his tally in the 2026/27 edition of the tournament to three as he put Spain two clear of Croatia in the 63rd minute with a precise finish at Dominik Livakovic's near post. "Lamine is keen to keep developing and show the world the sort of footballer he is," Luis de la Fuente said of the 19-year-old star. "We've enjoyed his magic in the service of the team. In the future, he'll be much more recognised for what he does and for his contribution to the team's play," the coach added of Yamal, who is among the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or. Nico Williams then put gloss on the result for Spain with a crisp step-over and finish with one minute remaining on the clock. With two wins from two, Spain lead Group A3 on six points, while Croatia sit third on three points, behind second-placed England on goal difference. 'Deserved victory' In Prague, Thomas Tuchel's England got their first win of the group with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Czech Republic thanks to second-half goals from Anthony Gordon and Kane. The home team kept England at bay in the first half at the Fortuna Arena despite being a man down after Pavel Sulc was sent off for a high challenge on Elliot Anderson in the 23rd minute. "We played very professional, second half we stepped up... Deserved victory," Tuchel told ITV. "Strange to get an early red card, not the best for the team and spectators. It's an awkward one but we kept going, got a win and that's what counts." Barcelona winger Gordon broke the deadlock shortly after the break with a header from a cross served by Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made his first England start in almost two years. It was Gordon's third goal in three games for England, including one against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final defeat and another against Spain. Kane, who also scored against Spain, gave England breathing space in the 69th minute, smashing the ball past Czech 'keeper Matej Kovar after it fell to him inside the box. England will travel to Rijeka to take on Croatia on Saturday, while Spain welcome the Czechs to Oviedo. "The next match is important for us against a direct opponent and we want to win," Tuchel said to the BBC. Elsewhere, Scotland paid for an early red card at Hampden Park against Switzerland as the visitors ran out 3-0 winners in Group B1. Slovenia sit second in that pool after downing North Macedonia 2-0 in Ljubljana.

The match at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan was Spain's first home outing since lifting the World Cup in New York in July. La Roja captain Rodri was handed the trophy by 2010 winner and Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, before presenting it to the ecstatic crowd.

Nations League: Yamal brace powers Spain to win over Croatia, Kane guides England to win against Czech Republic

Italy crushed Turkey 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1, as leaders France struck late to win 1-0 in Belgium on Monday. In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tale-of-two-goats-ronaldo-benched-in-portugal-win-as-messi-s-stunning-free-kick-can-t-save-inter-miami-1790581563312">Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning goal can't save Inter Miami</a>"He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," France coach Zinedine Zidane told broadcaster TF1.Olise's goal gave Zidane a second victory to start his long-awaited debut as France coach.Roberto Mancini's return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium.His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Turkey."The players all put in an excellent performance today. It was a tough match and we approached it in the right way, staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game," Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle.The hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth.Twice Altay Bayindir struggled to reach low cross-shots from the right.After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post.From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net.After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio's Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.Intricate Italian passing around the penalty area repeatedly found a player free on the right of box.<h2>'To my grandmother'</h2>When Brentford's Kayode again ran into that space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir.Turkey gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net.The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham's Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito dived to nod home the rebound.After the game the Inter Milan striker's thoughts turned to family."I dedicate today's goal to my grandmother, who is going through a difficult time," said Pio Esposito who was playing alongside older brother Sebastiano of Sassuolo who was making his Italy debut."Sharing the pitch with him was incredibly moving; I tried to support him before the match without putting too much pressure on him. Let's hope we get to wear these colours together many more times."Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz then curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City's Donnarumma, was offside.Monday's slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella.Montella led Turkey to the quarter finals at Euro 2024 but his side finished bottom of their group at the summer's World Cup.<h2>'Fresh and ready'</h2>For their next match Italy visit the Stade de France on Friday."We'll try to recover our strength and be ready for the match in Paris," Mancini told Italian media. "I'm confident. We've got plenty of young players who are fresh and ready."Zidane, who was without injured captain Kylian Mbappe, made nine changes from his opening win over Turkey, was thinking along the same lines."We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane, adding he was happy with his team."We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave."

Italy beat Turkey 4-1 with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode, and Esposito, easing pressure on Roberto Mancini. Meanwhile, Michael Olise scored late to give Zinedine Zidane’s France a 1-0 win in Belgium.

Italy crushed Turkey 4-1 in the Bursa rain to drag themselves into contention in Nations League Group A1, as leaders France struck late to win 1-0 in Belgium on Monday. In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post. Also Read - Ronaldo benched in Portugal win as Messi's stunning goal can't save Inter Miami "He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," France coach Zinedine Zidane told broadcaster TF1. Olise's goal gave Zidane a second victory to start his long-awaited debut as France coach. Roberto Mancini's return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium. His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Turkey. "The players all put in an excellent performance today. It was a tough match and we approached it in the right way, staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game," Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle. The hosts quickly slid three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth. Twice Altay Bayindir struggled to reach low cross-shots from the right. After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post. From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre back lunged to fire into the roof of the net. After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio's Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home. Intricate Italian passing around the penalty area repeatedly found a player free on the right of box. 'To my grandmother' When Brentford's Kayode again ran into that space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir. Turkey gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz who gleefully drilled into an empty net. The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham's Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito dived to nod home the rebound. After the game the Inter Milan striker's thoughts turned to family. "I dedicate today's goal to my grandmother, who is going through a difficult time," said Pio Esposito who was playing alongside older brother Sebastiano of Sassuolo who was making his Italy debut. "Sharing the pitch with him was incredibly moving; I tried to support him before the match without putting too much pressure on him. Let's hope we get to wear these colours together many more times." Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz then curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Man City's Donnarumma, was offside. Monday's slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella. Montella led Turkey to the quarter finals at Euro 2024 but his side finished bottom of their group at the summer's World Cup. 'Fresh and ready' For their next match Italy visit the Stade de France on Friday. "We'll try to recover our strength and be ready for the match in Paris," Mancini told Italian media. "I'm confident. We've got plenty of young players who are fresh and ready." Zidane, who was without injured captain Kylian Mbappe, made nine changes from his opening win over Turkey, was thinking along the same lines. "We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane, adding he was happy with his team. "We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave."

Italy beat Turkey 4-1 with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi, Kayode, and Esposito, easing pressure on Roberto Mancini. Meanwhile, Michael Olise scored late to give Zinedine Zidane’s France a 1-0 win in Belgium.

UEFA Nations League: Italy crush Turkey, France beat Belgium with late winner

Mikel Oyarzabal gave world champions Spain a 3-2 victory over error-prone England in the Nations League on Saturday as Luka Modric helped Croatia beat the Czech Republic 2-1. Oyarzabal struck 16 minutes from time in an entertaining back-and-forth contest in which England captain Harry Kane missed a penalty. Victory at Wembley in Nations League A, Group 3 extended Spain's unbeaten run to 39 matches and prolonged England's difficulties against the world's top teams.&nbsp;"This team is very ambitious and doesn't want to stop winning," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told Teledeporte. "There were moments where we had to suffer and counter the talent of England's players, but I think we've seen a Spain which is reinventing itself."&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rodri-defends-manchester-city-114-premier-league-charges-1790391806550">‘I believe in the club’s innocence’: Rodri reacts as Man City found guilty of 114 Premier League charges</a>&nbsp;Oyarzabal was also the match-winner two years ago when Spain beat England in the European Championship final.&nbsp;"I think it was a bit of a missed chance," England goalscorer Anthony Gordon told ITV Sport. "I thought it was a great game to watch and to play in, some of the attacking play was at the highest level.&nbsp;“But I think in a game like that mistakes cost you.”<h2>Costly penalty miss&nbsp;</h2>Lamine Yamal gave Spain the lead inside two minutes after a horror error from Marc Guehi, who played a blind pass which the Barcelona forward intercepted before shooting into the corner.&nbsp;Spain largely controlled the first period in a game of contrasting styles but England turned things around just before half-time. Jude Bellingham teed up another Barca winger in Gordon to finish crisply beyond Unai Simon. And then Harry Kane headed home a Nico O'Reilly chip five minutes before the interval.&nbsp;Kane had a chance to put daylight between the hosts and the world champions 10 minutes into the second period after Rodri was harshly judged to have brought down Bellingham in the box after a VAR review.&nbsp;But Kane slipped as he went to take the penalty and crashed his strike against the bar.&nbsp;Gordon said he thought England would have gone on to win if that had gone in.&nbsp;"I think it puts us in a great position to go and get more" if Kane scores, he said. "We were hungry for more. We came out for the throat, for the kill, and we did that.&nbsp;"Penalties happen. He never really misses so we'll let him off with that one."&nbsp;England were made to pay after another defensive howler as O'Reilly gave the ball away and Dani Olmo teed up Alex Baena to finish brilliantly.&nbsp;And Mikel Oyarzabal compounded England's misery by dinking the ball over James Trafford after combining with Baena 16 minutes from time.&nbsp;Croatia captain Modric showed no signs of slowing down even at 41 as he gave Croatia the lead in Prague just after half-time.&nbsp;Adam Karabec equalised seven minutes later for the hosts but Croatia substitute Mario Pasalic netted the winner 13 minutes for time for the visitors.

Mikel Oyarzabal struck late as Spain beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the Nations League after Harry Kane missed a crucial penalty. Plus, Luka Modric scores in Croatia's 2-1 win over Czechia.

Mikel Oyarzabal gave world champions Spain a 3-2 victory over error-prone England in the Nations League on Saturday as Luka Modric helped Croatia beat the Czech Republic 2-1. Oyarzabal struck 16 minutes from time in an entertaining back-and-forth contest in which England captain Harry Kane missed a penalty. Victory at Wembley in Nations League A, Group 3 extended Spain's unbeaten run to 39 matches and prolonged England's difficulties against the world's top teams. "This team is very ambitious and doesn't want to stop winning," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told Teledeporte. "There were moments where we had to suffer and counter the talent of England's players, but I think we've seen a Spain which is reinventing itself." Also read| ‘I believe in the club’s innocence’: Rodri reacts as Man City found guilty of 114 Premier League charges Oyarzabal was also the match-winner two years ago when Spain beat England in the European Championship final. "I think it was a bit of a missed chance," England goalscorer Anthony Gordon told ITV Sport. "I thought it was a great game to watch and to play in, some of the attacking play was at the highest level. “But I think in a game like that mistakes cost you.” Costly penalty miss Lamine Yamal gave Spain the lead inside two minutes after a horror error from Marc Guehi, who played a blind pass which the Barcelona forward intercepted before shooting into the corner. Spain largely controlled the first period in a game of contrasting styles but England turned things around just before half-time. Jude Bellingham teed up another Barca winger in Gordon to finish crisply beyond Unai Simon. And then Harry Kane headed home a Nico O'Reilly chip five minutes before the interval. Kane had a chance to put daylight between the hosts and the world champions 10 minutes into the second period after Rodri was harshly judged to have brought down Bellingham in the box after a VAR review. But Kane slipped as he went to take the penalty and crashed his strike against the bar. Gordon said he thought England would have gone on to win if that had gone in. "I think it puts us in a great position to go and get more" if Kane scores, he said. "We were hungry for more. We came out for the throat, for the kill, and we did that. "Penalties happen. He never really misses so we'll let him off with that one." England were made to pay after another defensive howler as O'Reilly gave the ball away and Dani Olmo teed up Alex Baena to finish brilliantly. And Mikel Oyarzabal compounded England's misery by dinking the ball over James Trafford after combining with Baena 16 minutes from time. Croatia captain Modric showed no signs of slowing down even at 41 as he gave Croatia the lead in Prague just after half-time. Adam Karabec equalised seven minutes later for the hosts but Croatia substitute Mario Pasalic netted the winner 13 minutes for time for the visitors.

Mikel Oyarzabal struck late as Spain beat England 3-2 at Wembley in the Nations League after Harry Kane missed a crucial penalty. Plus, Luka Modric scores in Croatia's 2-1 win over Czechia.

Nations League: Spain sink England at Wembley; Modric shines for Croatia

Jurgen Klopp was denied a winning start to his reign as Germany coach when Cody Gakpo scored a late equaliser to earn the Netherlands a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Nations League clash on Thursday, while reigning champions Portugal saw off Wales. Erling Haaland picked up where he left off for Norway at the World Cup with two more goals for his country in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Scandinavian rivals Denmark.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-seema-breaks-16-year-drought-for-india-in-women-s-10-000m-with-historic-bronze-1790260746130">Seema breaks 16-year drought for India in women’s 10,000m with historic bronze</a>Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp has vowed to reinvigorate Germany after replacing Julian Nagelsmann following the country's third successive early World Cup exit.Klopp returned to the dugout in Amsterdam for the first time since leaving Liverpool in 2024, facing a Netherlands side led by ex-Barcelona and Spain star Xavi Hernandez, who succeeded Ronald Koeman as coach.Germany's night got off to a rocky start when they lost Jamal Musiala to injury in the warm-up. Kai Havertz also limped off but Klopp seemed on course for his first win at international level thanks to Felix Nmecha's goal on 32 minutes.Netherlands players remonstrated furiously with the referee and their opponents as play continued with Dutch forward Brian Brobbey down injured, before Nmecha fired home a loose ball from close range.However, Gakpo thumped in a terrific volley in added time from a cross by debutant Ruben van Bommel -- son of former Dutch midfielder and new Belgium coach Mark van Bommel -- to thwart Klopp and Germany."There's a long list of things that went well. We got off to a great start, then had real trouble for 10 minutes," Klopp told German broadcaster RTL."I'm very pleased with many individual performances, and with the passion, too. But we can play better football -- most definitely."<h2>Frustrating night for Ronaldo</h2>Cristiano Ronaldo, who is refusing to set a date for his international retirement at the age of 41, missed a handful of chances and had a goal ruled out for offside as Portugal beat Wales 1-0 in Lisbon.Joao Felix's deflected 25-yard drive gave new Portugal coach Jorge Jesus his first win in charge."It was a very good game from our side," Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes told BBC Sport."We controlled the game and had a lot of chances to score more, but we were not capable of it. We wanted the three points and we got that."In Oslo, Norway surged two ahead against Denmark through strikes from Oscar Bobb and Haaland.The Danes, who had to watch from home this summer as Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals, hit back as Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a free-kick and Rasmus Hojlund nodded them level on the hour.Haaland grabbed the winner for Norway by lashing in his 64th international goal in just 56 appearances following a cut-back from captain Martin Odegaard."That felt good. It's great to beat our neighbours and start with a win," Odegaard told Norway's TV2."There's plenty we can do better, but even when we were pushed back, we found a way to take back the lead."Norway will stay in the capital to face Portugal in their second Group A4 fixture on Sunday.Greece came from behind to surprise Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade to send them top of Group A2, above Germany and the Netherlands.Andrija Zivkovic gave the hosts an early lead, but Arsenal winger Christos Tzolis equalised before substitute Tasos Douvikas struck deep into stoppage time.In Group B3, Kosovo edged the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in Pristina courtesy of a late goal from Vedat Muriqi.Austria also made a winning start after taking advantage of Sayed Abu Farchi's red card to beat Israel 3-1 in Linz.Abu Farchi was sent off for a second booking after he celebrated his equaliser by using the corner flag to make a gun-firing gesture.

Jurgen Klopp’s Germany reign began with a 1-1 Nations League draw against the Netherlands after Cody Gakpo's late equalizer. Portugal beat Wales 1-0, while Norway edged Denmark 3-2 via Erling Haaland.

Jurgen Klopp was denied a winning start to his reign as Germany coach when Cody Gakpo scored a late equaliser to earn the Netherlands a 1-1 draw in their UEFA Nations League clash on Thursday, while reigning champions Portugal saw off Wales. Erling Haaland picked up where he left off for Norway at the World Cup with two more goals for his country in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Scandinavian rivals Denmark. Also Read - Seema breaks 16-year drought for India in women’s 10,000m with historic bronze Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss Klopp has vowed to reinvigorate Germany after replacing Julian Nagelsmann following the country's third successive early World Cup exit. Klopp returned to the dugout in Amsterdam for the first time since leaving Liverpool in 2024, facing a Netherlands side led by ex-Barcelona and Spain star Xavi Hernandez, who succeeded Ronald Koeman as coach. Germany's night got off to a rocky start when they lost Jamal Musiala to injury in the warm-up. Kai Havertz also limped off but Klopp seemed on course for his first win at international level thanks to Felix Nmecha's goal on 32 minutes. Netherlands players remonstrated furiously with the referee and their opponents as play continued with Dutch forward Brian Brobbey down injured, before Nmecha fired home a loose ball from close range. However, Gakpo thumped in a terrific volley in added time from a cross by debutant Ruben van Bommel -- son of former Dutch midfielder and new Belgium coach Mark van Bommel -- to thwart Klopp and Germany. "There's a long list of things that went well. We got off to a great start, then had real trouble for 10 minutes," Klopp told German broadcaster RTL. "I'm very pleased with many individual performances, and with the passion, too. But we can play better football -- most definitely." Frustrating night for Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo, who is refusing to set a date for his international retirement at the age of 41, missed a handful of chances and had a goal ruled out for offside as Portugal beat Wales 1-0 in Lisbon. Joao Felix's deflected 25-yard drive gave new Portugal coach Jorge Jesus his first win in charge. "It was a very good game from our side," Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes told BBC Sport. "We controlled the game and had a lot of chances to score more, but we were not capable of it. We wanted the three points and we got that." In Oslo, Norway surged two ahead against Denmark through strikes from Oscar Bobb and Haaland. The Danes, who had to watch from home this summer as Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals, hit back as Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a free-kick and Rasmus Hojlund nodded them level on the hour. Haaland grabbed the winner for Norway by lashing in his 64th international goal in just 56 appearances following a cut-back from captain Martin Odegaard. "That felt good. It's great to beat our neighbours and start with a win," Odegaard told Norway's TV2. "There's plenty we can do better, but even when we were pushed back, we found a way to take back the lead." Norway will stay in the capital to face Portugal in their second Group A4 fixture on Sunday. Greece came from behind to surprise Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade to send them top of Group A2, above Germany and the Netherlands. Andrija Zivkovic gave the hosts an early lead, but Arsenal winger Christos Tzolis equalised before substitute Tasos Douvikas struck deep into stoppage time. In Group B3, Kosovo edged the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in Pristina courtesy of a late goal from Vedat Muriqi. Austria also made a winning start after taking advantage of Sayed Abu Farchi's red card to beat Israel 3-1 in Linz. Abu Farchi was sent off for a second booking after he celebrated his equaliser by using the corner flag to make a gun-firing gesture.

Jurgen Klopp’s Germany reign began with a 1-1 Nations League draw against the Netherlands after Cody Gakpo's late equalizer. Portugal beat Wales 1-0, while Norway edged Denmark 3-2 via Erling Haaland.

Nations League: Germany draw on Klopp debut; Portugal, Norway win

Five England players, including Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, have withdrawn from the squad for the upcoming Nations League matches. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, Newcastle defender Tino Livramento and Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are the other players unavailable due to injuries. Everton’s James Garner and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White have been called up as replacements.&nbsp;England will face world champions Spain on Sep 26 before travelling to Czechia on Sep 29. They will then visit Croatia on Oct 3 and host Czechia on Oct 6.&nbsp;The Football Association confirmed on Monday afternoon that Garner and Gibbs-White will join the squad at St George’s Park on Tuesday.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/had-to-cut-weight-alone-mma-fighter-varun-sanyal-opens-up-on-withdrawal-1789997871159">'Had to cut weight alone….': MMA fighter Varun Sanyal opens up on withdrawal</a>&nbsp;Palmer was recalled by England manager Thomas Tuchel after missing out on this summer’s FIFA World Cup. However, after playing the full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Brentford on Friday, the 24-year-old withdrew from the squad for the four-match international break. Sky Sports reported that Palmer is dealing with a muscle injury.&nbsp;Palmer last played for England in their 1-0 friendly defeat to Japan in March.&nbsp;Also Read- <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wasim-akram-slams-razaullah-welcome-pakistan-england-whitewash-1789995523919">‘We have accepted mediocrity’: Akram slams Razaullah’s welcome amid series loss</a>&nbsp;The FA did not provide details about the injuries suffered by the other players. Livramento missed Newcastle’s win over Hull on Saturday, while Rashford and Mainoo were taken off before full-time in Manchester United’s draw against Fulham on Sunday.&nbsp;Rice played the full match in Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Saturday.

England will begin its Nations League campaign against reigning world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

Five England players, including Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, have withdrawn from the squad for the upcoming Nations League matches. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, Newcastle defender Tino Livramento and Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are the other players unavailable due to injuries. Everton’s James Garner and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White have been called up as replacements. England will face world champions Spain on Sep 26 before travelling to Czechia on Sep 29. They will then visit Croatia on Oct 3 and host Czechia on Oct 6. The Football Association confirmed on Monday afternoon that Garner and Gibbs-White will join the squad at St George’s Park on Tuesday. Also Read - 'Had to cut weight alone….': MMA fighter Varun Sanyal opens up on withdrawal Palmer was recalled by England manager Thomas Tuchel after missing out on this summer’s FIFA World Cup. However, after playing the full 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Brentford on Friday, the 24-year-old withdrew from the squad for the four-match international break. Sky Sports reported that Palmer is dealing with a muscle injury. Palmer last played for England in their 1-0 friendly defeat to Japan in March. Also Read- ‘We have accepted mediocrity’: Akram slams Razaullah’s welcome amid series loss The FA did not provide details about the injuries suffered by the other players. Livramento missed Newcastle’s win over Hull on Saturday, while Rashford and Mainoo were taken off before full-time in Manchester United’s draw against Fulham on Sunday. Rice played the full match in Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Saturday.

England will begin its Nations League campaign against reigning world champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

Nations League: Palmer, Rice among five ruled out of England’s upcoming matches

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in Portugal’s squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches as new head coach Jorge Jesus included the 41-year-old captain in his first team selection on Friday (Sep 18). Ronaldo had previously said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last, but he has not confirmed when he will retire from international football. He will turn 43 by the time the 2028 European Championship takes place.&nbsp;This is Jesus’ first squad since taking over from Roberto Martinez, who left his position after Portugal’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.&nbsp;Jesus knows Ronaldo well, having coached him at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and the pair helped the club win the league last season. The 72-year-old manager has also worked with Portuguese giants Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. &nbsp;&nbsp;Ronaldo remains the highest goalscorer in men’s international football, with 146 goals and also played a key role in Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph. The forward is now close to reaching 1,000 goals in his career, having scored 979 so far.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-cannot-bowl-10-overs-gautam-gambhir-reveals-clear-plan-for-hardik-pandya-s-india-return-1789734043605">'He cannot bowl...': Gautam Gambhir reveals clear plan for Hardik Pandya's India return</a>

Jesus believes Ronaldo is more likely to reach the milestone with Al-Nassr than Portugal and also made it clear that Ronaldo’s reputation will not guarantee him a starting spot.&nbsp;“I think he’s more likely to score his thousandth goal for Al-Nassr than for the Portuguese national team,” Jesus said.&nbsp;“All the called-up players are at my disposal. If he performs well, he plays. If he doesn’t perform well, he doesn’t play. That’s how I treat everyone”, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asian-games-2026-shafali-stars-as-india-thump-japan-by-8-wickets-to-book-semis-berth-1789720788288">Asian Games 2026: Shafali stars as India thump Japan by 8 wickets for semis spot</a>&nbsp;However, Jesus admitted that Ronaldo’s achievements give him a unique status.&nbsp;“Now, does Cris have a different status? Yes. His career is different. He has five Ballon d’Or awards, but does that influence my decisions? No. It doesn’t influence anything, zero, but he is different from the others,” he concluded. &nbsp;Portugal will face Wales at home on Sep 24, before travelling to Norway on Sep 27 and Denmark on Oct 1. They will host Norway on Oct 4.

The 41-year-old remains part of Portugal’s plans for the UEFA Nations League, despite previously stating that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his final tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named in Portugal’s squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches as new head coach Jorge Jesus included the 41-year-old captain in his first team selection on Friday (Sep 18). Ronaldo had previously said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last, but he has not confirmed when he will retire from international football. He will turn 43 by the time the 2028 European Championship takes place. This is Jesus’ first squad since taking over from Roberto Martinez, who left his position after Portugal’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Jesus knows Ronaldo well, having coached him at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and the pair helped the club win the league last season. The 72-year-old manager has also worked with Portuguese giants Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo remains the highest goalscorer in men’s international football, with 146 goals and also played a key role in Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph. The forward is now close to reaching 1,000 goals in his career, having scored 979 so far. Also Read - 'He cannot bowl...': Gautam Gambhir reveals clear plan for Hardik Pandya's India return

The 41-year-old remains part of Portugal’s plans for the UEFA Nations League, despite previously stating that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his final tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Portugal squad for Nations League under new coach

Kylian Mbappe bagged a goal and an assist as France beat Germany 2-0 in the Nations League bronze-medal match in Stuttgart on Sunday.&nbsp;Mbappe wove his magic in a heavily changed France squad.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-mauricio-pochettino-plays-down-spurs-return-rumours-after-tough-start-to-life-as-us-coach-1749369583451">Mauricio Pochettino plays down Spurs return rumours after tough start to life as US coach</a>&nbsp;Germany dominated the opening half but Mbappe provided the breakthrough just before half-time, carving a shot through a crowded penalty box to bring up his 50th goal in France colours. Late in the second, with the hosts desperately looking for an equaliser, Mbappe snatched a poor Germany pass on the halfway line and rampaged forward, before setting up Michael Olise.&nbsp;&nbsp;The French showed their incredible depth, while Mbappe again demonstrated his finishing and pace.&nbsp;&nbsp;For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann.&nbsp;In the lead-up to Sunday's encounter, France coach Didier Deschamps admitted the Nations League clash with old rivals Germany "isn't the most important game for us," with a clear focus on next year's World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deschamps made eight changes from the semi-final loss to Spain, with only captain Mbappe, goalie Mike Maignan and midfield veteran Adrien Rabiot keeping their starting spots.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagelsmann also rotated heavily, making four changes, including bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Germans had a wealth of chances in the opening half. Karim Adeyemi won a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR for diving with. Florian Wirtz hit the post.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mbappe struck just before half-time. The Real Madrid man collected a pass which floated over the 1.77-metre tall Joshua Kimmich's head, took a touch and hammered a shot home with his preferred right foot.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagelsmann replaced rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav at half-time. The move seemed to have paid immediate dividends. Undav had the ball in the net, but his effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Fuellkrug.&nbsp;Germany dominated possession and field position, but that left them vulnerable on the break to France's lightning-fast forwards, led by Mbappe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Marcus Thuram hit the post on 58 minute. Then Mbappe and substitute Olise, who plays in Germany for Bayern Munich, combined to seal the match for France.&nbsp;&nbsp;The French captain pounced on a poor Robin Koch clearance on the halfway line and ran goalwards, squaring for the onrushing Olise to tap home with six minutes remaining.&nbsp;&nbsp;Later on Sunday, reigning Nations League and Euros champions Spain face Portugal in Munich to decide this year's crown.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Mbappe scores and assists in France’s win over Germany for Nations League bronze

Kylian Mbappe bagged a goal and an assist as France beat Germany 2-0 in the Nations League bronze-medal match in Stuttgart on Sunday. Mbappe wove his magic in a heavily changed France squad. Also read | Mauricio Pochettino plays down Spurs return rumours after tough start to life as US coach Germany dominated the opening half but Mbappe provided the breakthrough just before half-time, carving a shot through a crowded penalty box to bring up his 50th goal in France colours. Late in the second, with the hosts desperately looking for an equaliser, Mbappe snatched a poor Germany pass on the halfway line and rampaged forward, before setting up Michael Olise. The French showed their incredible depth, while Mbappe again demonstrated his finishing and pace. For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann. In the lead-up to Sunday's encounter, France coach Didier Deschamps admitted the Nations League clash with old rivals Germany "isn't the most important game for us," with a clear focus on next year's World Cup. Deschamps made eight changes from the semi-final loss to Spain, with only captain Mbappe, goalie Mike Maignan and midfield veteran Adrien Rabiot keeping their starting spots. Nagelsmann also rotated heavily, making four changes, including bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI. The Germans had a wealth of chances in the opening half. Karim Adeyemi won a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR for diving with. Florian Wirtz hit the post. Mbappe struck just before half-time. The Real Madrid man collected a pass which floated over the 1.77-metre tall Joshua Kimmich's head, took a touch and hammered a shot home with his preferred right foot. Nagelsmann replaced rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav at half-time. The move seemed to have paid immediate dividends. Undav had the ball in the net, but his effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Fuellkrug. Germany dominated possession and field position, but that left them vulnerable on the break to France's lightning-fast forwards, led by Mbappe. Marcus Thuram hit the post on 58 minute. Then Mbappe and substitute Olise, who plays in Germany for Bayern Munich, combined to seal the match for France. The French captain pounced on a poor Robin Koch clearance on the halfway line and ran goalwards, squaring for the onrushing Olise to tap home with six minutes remaining. Later on Sunday, reigning Nations League and Euros champions Spain face Portugal in Munich to decide this year's crown. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann.

Lamine Yamal scored a brilliant goal but also missed a penalty on another night of growth for Barcelona's teenage star as Spain reached the Nations League semi-finals.
The 17-year-old thrilled during the 3-3 draw against the Netherlands on Sunday at a sold-out Mestalla stadium in Valencia, even if he ended up with a bittersweet feeling as Bart Verbruggen denied him in the shoot-out.
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Spain progressed 5-4 on penalties after a wildly entertaining 5-5 aggregate tie, another stepping stone on his journey to the top of the game.
A key player for Barcelona and already having won Euro 2024 with his country, a day after turning 17 last July, Yamal's incursions on the right flank draw spectators to their feet and comparisons to Argentina great Lionel Messi.
The loudest roar as the home team was read out by the Mestalla stadium announcer was reserved for his name, and "Yamal" was printed on the back of more than a fair share of the Spain shirts flooding through the gates.
The highlight of the night for many was Yamal's stunning extra-time strike, controlling Dean Huijsen's lofted pass with a deft flick, turning to eke out a yard of space and bending the ball past Verbruggen in the Netherlands goal.
It was the perfect riposte to criticism that appeared after a relatively quiet night in the 2-2 quarter-final first leg draw in Rotterdam last week.&nbsp;
"I see things that are starting to bother me a little... shorts a little lower, not making much of an effort," said former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart.
Yamal responded on the pitch, and then off it with a post on Instagram following the game.
"Shorts down, a goal, a missed penalty and into the semi-finals, come on Spain!" wrote Yamal on the social media platform, including a photo of Van der Vaart's face.
Yamal is not shy of firing back at his critics, as he showed with a jab at Adrien Rabiot during the Euros, after helping eliminate France by scoring a wondergoal.
Spain will face France again in the Nations League semi-finals as they bid to defend the title they won for the first time in 2023.
<h2>'What a disaster'</h2>
Yamal's Barcelona team-mate Pedri said the teenager would bounce back from his penalty miss, a surprisingly tame effort kept out by Verbruggen.
"I told him it was a terrible penalty," laughed Pedri, who netted Spain's winner from the spot after Donyell Malen missed for Netherlands.
"But no, you learn from these situations, he doesn't let the pressure affect him and you have to take a penalty to be able to miss it.
"How calm he is has always surprised us, it's like pressure doesn't exist for him when you see the way he dribbles so easily, and the way he plays.
"We have to take care of him and most of all, enjoy having him."
Yamal has four goals in 19 Spain appearances, but plays with the self-assurance of a superstar at their peak.
Defender Marc Cucurella also joked about Yamal's penalty miss -- with Spain players' willingness to laugh about it showing they believe the winger can take the jibes on the chin.
"I saw him go up to take it with confidence and I thought, he'll score here for sure," said the left-back.
"Then I saw how he hit it and I said 'What a disaster!'"
Penalties aside, Yamal, and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams on the opposite flank, help make Spain a hugely exciting side to watch.
"We always want to attack, and attack a lot," said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
"That's why the fans have enjoyed this so much, the game was out of control in some moments, it's a spectacle to see."
The coach, who previously said Yamal had been 'touched by a magic wand', acknowledged the youngster is still growing.
"Lamine is disappointed (with the penalty) but he's happy," added De la Fuente.
"He gave us what we needed from him but he's still growing and maturing."
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Spain progressed 5-4 on penalties after a wildly entertaining 5-5 aggregate tie, another stepping stone on his journey to the top of the game. Football sports

Lamine Yamal scored a brilliant goal but also missed a penalty on another night of growth for Barcelona's teenage star as Spain reached the Nations League semi-finals. The 17-year-old thrilled during the 3-3 draw against the Netherlands on Sunday at a sold-out Mestalla stadium in Valencia, even if he ended up with a bittersweet feeling as Bart Verbruggen denied him in the shoot-out. Also Read: Former Melbourne gymnastics coach charged with seven child sex offences Spain progressed 5-4 on penalties after a wildly entertaining 5-5 aggregate tie, another stepping stone on his journey to the top of the game. A key player for Barcelona and already having won Euro 2024 with his country, a day after turning 17 last July, Yamal's incursions on the right flank draw spectators to their feet and comparisons to Argentina great Lionel Messi. The loudest roar as the home team was read out by the Mestalla stadium announcer was reserved for his name, and "Yamal" was printed on the back of more than a fair share of the Spain shirts flooding through the gates. The highlight of the night for many was Yamal's stunning extra-time strike, controlling Dean Huijsen's lofted pass with a deft flick, turning to eke out a yard of space and bending the ball past Verbruggen in the Netherlands goal. It was the perfect riposte to criticism that appeared after a relatively quiet night in the 2-2 quarter-final first leg draw in Rotterdam last week. "I see things that are starting to bother me a little... shorts a little lower, not making much of an effort," said former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart. Yamal responded on the pitch, and then off it with a post on Instagram following the game. "Shorts down, a goal, a missed penalty and into the semi-finals, come on Spain!" wrote Yamal on the social media platform, including a photo of Van der Vaart's face. Yamal is not shy of firing back at his critics, as he showed with a jab at Adrien Rabiot during the Euros, after helping eliminate France by scoring a wondergoal. Spain will face France again in the Nations League semi-finals as they bid to defend the title they won for the first time in 2023. 'What a disaster' Yamal's Barcelona team-mate Pedri said the teenager would bounce back from his penalty miss, a surprisingly tame effort kept out by Verbruggen. "I told him it was a terrible penalty," laughed Pedri, who netted Spain's winner from the spot after Donyell Malen missed for Netherlands. "But no, you learn from these situations, he doesn't let the pressure affect him and you have to take a penalty to be able to miss it. "How calm he is has always surprised us, it's like pressure doesn't exist for him when you see the way he dribbles so easily, and the way he plays. "We have to take care of him and most of all, enjoy having him." Yamal has four goals in 19 Spain appearances, but plays with the self-assurance of a superstar at their peak. Defender Marc Cucurella also joked about Yamal's penalty miss -- with Spain players' willingness to laugh about it showing they believe the winger can take the jibes on the chin. "I saw him go up to take it with confidence and I thought, he'll score here for sure," said the left-back. "Then I saw how he hit it and I said 'What a disaster!'" Penalties aside, Yamal, and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams on the opposite flank, help make Spain a hugely exciting side to watch. "We always want to attack, and attack a lot," said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. "That's why the fans have enjoyed this so much, the game was out of control in some moments, it's a spectacle to see." The coach, who previously said Yamal had been 'touched by a magic wand', acknowledged the youngster is still growing. "Lamine is disappointed (with the penalty) but he's happy," added De la Fuente. "He gave us what we needed from him but he's still growing and maturing." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Lamine Yamal hits and misses on same night as Spain get into semis

Cecilio Waterman scored a stoppage-time winner as Panama stunned defending champions the United States (USA) 1-0 to book their place in the CONCACAF Nations League final on Thursday.<o:p></o:p>
In a shock result that came in Mauricio Pochettino's first competitive match in charge of the United States, Waterman slammed home a low angled finish in the fourth minute of stoppage time to send the holders crashing out at a half-empty SoFi Stadium.<o:p></o:p>
The result sends Panama into Sunday's final, where they will face Mexico, who completed a clinical 2-0 victory over Canada in Thursday's other semi-final.<o:p></o:p>
But the defeat sends US coach Pochettino back to the drawing board after a performance from the 2026 World Cup co-hosts that the Argentine described afterwards as "really painful."<o:p></o:p>
"I am very, very disappointed," Pochettino said. "I could see that the way we approached the game and start wasn't in the right way.<o:p></o:p>
"We didn't show aggression with the ball, we didn't show aggression in a defensive way...the first half was really painful," the former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea coach added.<o:p></o:p>
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Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods.<o:p></o:p>
Norwich striker Josh Sargent came closest to breaking the deadlock early on, his 19th-minute shot being deflected towards goal by Panama central defender Edgardo Farina.<o:p></o:p>
The US failed to make the most of another opening two minutes later, Tim Weah picking out Weston McKennie with a curling cross to the back post only for the Juventus midfielder's header to be well-saved by Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera. <o:p></o:p>
The US thought the early spell of pressure had earned them a goal in the 25th minute when Sargent swept a low shot emphatically into the bottom corner, but it was flagged for offside.<o:p></o:p>
Pochettino brought on striker Patrick Agyemang for Sargent and midfielder Jack McGlynn on for Tanner Tessman in the 67th minute, and the changes looked to have given the US more thrust.<o:p></o:p>
Agyemang came agonizingly close to opening the scoring in the 82nd minute after latching on to McKennie's through ball, but his low shot was palmed away by Mosquera.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>'Fought like crazy' <o:p></o:p></h2>
Agyemang also went close two minutes from time, but miscued his shot from Christian Pulisic's low cross, scooping it over the bar.<o:p></o:p>
Then with extra-time looming, disaster struck for the hosts. After the US gave the ball away cheaply in midfield, Panama midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla found an unmarked Waterman on the edge of the area.<o:p></o:p>
The veteran striker took a touch and rifled home into the bottom corner before leaping into the stands and embracing former France star Thierry Henry, working as a pitchside commentator for the game.<o:p></o:p>
Waterman later revealed in a postgame interview sitting alongside Henry that the Frenchman had been his childhood idol.<o:p></o:p>
"Last night, they asked me who my childhood idol was, and I said Thierry Henry," Waterman told CBS television. "I scored, saw you, and knew I had to come say hi."<o:p></o:p>
Panama's Danish coach Thomas Christiansen said his team's win was a reward for their fighting spirit.<o:p></o:p>
"I am very happy for the players -- they all fought like crazy," Christiansen said afterwards. <o:p></o:p>
The United States have now failed to beat Panama in their last three competitive meetings following an embarrassing 2-1 loss at last year's Copa America and a 1-1 draw at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2023.<o:p></o:p>
"The last three times that we faced Panama in an official competition we were not capable of beating them. Why?" Pochettino said. "I think that is a question mark -- but it's a question mark that we need to find the solution to together."<o:p></o:p>
Pochettino and the US will now regroup to face Canada in Sunday's third place playoff game. The Canadians bowed out of the semi-finals on Thursday after two goals Mexico's veteran striker Raul Jimenez.<o:p></o:p>
Jimenez fired Mexico into the lead in the first minute, bundling home a low finish after a defensive scramble on the edge of the penalty area, and then curled in a 75th-minute free-kick to seal victory for "El Tri".
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Sports, Football: The result sends Panama into Sunday's final, where they will face Mexico, who completed a 2-0 victory over Canada in Thursday's other semi-final.

Cecilio Waterman scored a stoppage-time winner as Panama stunned defending champions the United States (USA) 1-0 to book their place in the CONCACAF Nations League final on Thursday. In a shock result that came in Mauricio Pochettino's first competitive match in charge of the United States, Waterman slammed home a low angled finish in the fourth minute of stoppage time to send the holders crashing out at a half-empty SoFi Stadium. The result sends Panama into Sunday's final, where they will face Mexico, who completed a clinical 2-0 victory over Canada in Thursday's other semi-final. But the defeat sends US coach Pochettino back to the drawing board after a performance from the 2026 World Cup co-hosts that the Argentine described afterwards as "really painful." "I am very, very disappointed," Pochettino said. "I could see that the way we approached the game and start wasn't in the right way. "We didn't show aggression with the ball, we didn't show aggression in a defensive way...the first half was really painful," the former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea coach added. Also read | Raphinha, Araujo to miss Barcelona-Osasuna rescheduled La Liga game on March 27 Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Norwich striker Josh Sargent came closest to breaking the deadlock early on, his 19th-minute shot being deflected towards goal by Panama central defender Edgardo Farina. The US failed to make the most of another opening two minutes later, Tim Weah picking out Weston McKennie with a curling cross to the back post only for the Juventus midfielder's header to be well-saved by Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera. The US thought the early spell of pressure had earned them a goal in the 25th minute when Sargent swept a low shot emphatically into the bottom corner, but it was flagged for offside. Pochettino brought on striker Patrick Agyemang for Sargent and midfielder Jack McGlynn on for Tanner Tessman in the 67th minute, and the changes looked to have given the US more thrust. Agyemang came agonizingly close to opening the scoring in the 82nd minute after latching on to McKennie's through ball, but his low shot was palmed away by Mosquera. 'Fought like crazy' Agyemang also went close two minutes from time, but miscued his shot from Christian Pulisic's low cross, scooping it over the bar. Then with extra-time looming, disaster struck for the hosts. After the US gave the ball away cheaply in midfield, Panama midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla found an unmarked Waterman on the edge of the area. The veteran striker took a touch and rifled home into the bottom corner before leaping into the stands and embracing former France star Thierry Henry, working as a pitchside commentator for the game. Waterman later revealed in a postgame interview sitting alongside Henry that the Frenchman had been his childhood idol. "Last night, they asked me who my childhood idol was, and I said Thierry Henry," Waterman told CBS television. "I scored, saw you, and knew I had to come say hi." Panama's Danish coach Thomas Christiansen said his team's win was a reward for their fighting spirit. "I am very happy for the players -- they all fought like crazy," Christiansen said afterwards. The United States have now failed to beat Panama in their last three competitive meetings following an embarrassing 2-1 loss at last year's Copa America and a 1-1 draw at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2023. "The last three times that we faced Panama in an official competition we were not capable of beating them. Why?" Pochettino said. "I think that is a question mark -- but it's a question mark that we need to find the solution to together." Pochettino and the US will now regroup to face Canada in Sunday's third place playoff game. The Canadians bowed out of the semi-finals on Thursday after two goals Mexico's veteran striker Raul Jimenez. Jimenez fired Mexico into the lead in the first minute, bundling home a low finish after a defensive scramble on the edge of the penalty area, and then curled in a 75th-minute free-kick to seal victory for "El Tri". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Panama stuns defending champions USA to reach Nations League Final

Nations League, Quarterfinal Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue:&nbsp;The Nations League quarterfinals are all set to kickstart as a place in the semifinal is up for grabs. Eight heavyweights including former world champions Spain, Italy, Germany and France will be in action on Thursday (Mar 20) evening. With winners taking another step towards silverware, here are all the details of the Nations League quarterfinal matches including live streaming and venue.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Netherlands vs Spain Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online?</h2>
The Netherlands vs Spain Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Croatia vs France Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online?</h2>
The Croatia vs France Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Denmark vs Portugal Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online?</h2>
The Denmark vs Portugal Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Italy vs Germany Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online?</h2>
The Italy vs Germany Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Which stadiums will host the Nations League Quarterfinal contests?</h2>
The Nations League Quarterfinal matches will be played at the following stadiums:
Netherlands vs Spain at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam. Croatia vs France at Stadion Poljud in Split. Denmark vs Portugal at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. Italy vs Germany at San Siro stadium in Milan.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What time will the Nations League Quarterfinal contests start?</h2>
All Nations League Quarterfinal contests will start at 8:45 PM CET (1:15 AM) on Thursday (Mar 20).
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/speaking-exclusively-to-wions-aditya-pimpale-was-avni-aneja-co-founder-of-six5six-who-are-the-official-kits-manufacturers-of-kkr-in-ipl-2025-8870944" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IPL 2025 Exclusive: Story behind Kolkata Knight Riders' new kit and how Shah Rukh Khan played a key role</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What is up for stakes?</h2>
The first leg of the Nations League contests will be followed by second leg next week as the winners will advance to the semifinal round later in the year. The semifinal and final contests will be played as one-off match to determine the winner of Nations League. There will be a third place playoff match as well where teams losing the semis will be in action.&nbsp;

Sports, Football: Eight heavyweights including former world champions Spain, Italy, Germany and France will be action on Thursday (Mar 20) evening.

Nations League, Quarterfinal Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: The Nations League quarterfinals are all set to kickstart as a place in the semifinal is up for grabs. Eight heavyweights including former world champions Spain, Italy, Germany and France will be in action on Thursday (Mar 20) evening. With winners taking another step towards silverware, here are all the details of the Nations League quarterfinal matches including live streaming and venue. Where to watch the Netherlands vs Spain Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online? The Netherlands vs Spain Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website. Where to watch the Croatia vs France Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online? The Croatia vs France Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website. Where to watch the Denmark vs Portugal Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online? The Denmark vs Portugal Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website. Where to watch the Italy vs Germany Nations League quarterfinal contest Live Streaming on TV, online? The Italy vs Germany Nations League quarterfinal contest will be telecast on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on the Sony Liv App and website. Which stadiums will host the Nations League Quarterfinal contests? The Nations League Quarterfinal matches will be played at the following stadiums: Netherlands vs Spain at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam. Croatia vs France at Stadion Poljud in Split. Denmark vs Portugal at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. Italy vs Germany at San Siro stadium in Milan. What time will the Nations League Quarterfinal contests start? All Nations League Quarterfinal contests will start at 8:45 PM CET (1:15 AM) on Thursday (Mar 20). ALSO READ | IPL 2025 Exclusive: Story behind Kolkata Knight Riders' new kit and how Shah Rukh Khan played a key role What is up for stakes? The first leg of the Nations League contests will be followed by second leg next week as the winners will advance to the semifinal round later in the year. The semifinal and final contests will be played as one-off match to determine the winner of Nations League. There will be a third place playoff match as well where teams losing the semis will be in action.

Nations League Quarterfinal Live Streaming || When and where to watch Italy vs Germany, Netherlands vs Spain live online

European champions Spain will play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, while Friday's draw pitted Germany against Italy in another last-eight clash.

Spain won the last edition of the Nations League after beating Croatia on penalties in the final. They also finished runners-up in the 2020-21 tournament.

In the other quarter-finals, France take on Croatia in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final and Portugal go up against Denmark.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-must-learn-to-win-without-prodigy-lamine-yamal-urges-coach-hansi-flick-778397">Barcelona must learn to win without prodigy Lamine Yamal, urges coach Hansi Flick</a>

The winners of the Spain-Netherlands tie will advance to a semi-final against either France or Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal could await Germany or Italy in the other last-four encounter.

Portugal won the inaugural edition in 2019 before France won the title two years later.

The quarter-final ties will be played over two legs from March 20-23 next year. The semi-finals are scheduled for June 4-5 with the final set for June 8 at a venue yet to be decided.

Belgium must beat Ukraine in their play-off to stay in League A, while Scotland take on Euro 2004 champions Greece. The other League A/B play-offs are Turkey against Hungary, and Austria facing Serbia.

The Republic of Ireland will play Bulgaria in their attempt to remain in League B.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

European champions Spain will play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, while Friday's draw pitted Germany against Italy in another last-eight clash.

European champions Spain will play the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, while Friday's draw pitted Germany against Italy in another last-eight clash. Spain won the last edition of the Nations League after beating Croatia on penalties in the final. They also finished runners-up in the 2020-21 tournament. In the other quarter-finals, France take on Croatia in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final and Portugal go up against Denmark. ALSO READ: Barcelona must learn to win without prodigy Lamine Yamal, urges coach Hansi Flick The winners of the Spain-Netherlands tie will advance to a semi-final against either France or Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal could await Germany or Italy in the other last-four encounter. Portugal won the inaugural edition in 2019 before France won the title two years later. The quarter-final ties will be played over two legs from March 20-23 next year. The semi-finals are scheduled for June 4-5 with the final set for June 8 at a venue yet to be decided. Belgium must beat Ukraine in their play-off to stay in League A, while Scotland take on Euro 2004 champions Greece. The other League A/B play-offs are Turkey against Hungary, and Austria facing Serbia. The Republic of Ireland will play Bulgaria in their attempt to remain in League B. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League Draw: Spain to face Netherlands, Germany pitted against Italy in quarters

UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo had forfeited their Nations League game in Romania by leaving the pitch in stoppage time and not returning, after hearing pro-Serbia chants.

The Kosovo players walked off in Bucharest last Friday after fans in the crowd shouted "Serbia", leading to the game to be abandoned just before the end with the score 0-0.

In its ruling, UEFA deemed the Kosovo football federation "responsible for the match not being played in full" and said the team would forfeit it 3-0.

The decision means Romania will be promoted to League B of the competition as winners of their group, while Kosovo go into a promotion play-off after finishing runners-up.

The Kosovar FA also incurred a 6,000-euro fine for "the improper conduct of its team" after five players received yellow cards in the game, the same number as Romania.

UEFA fined the Romanian football federation 128,000 euros for a series of disciplinary breaches.

It also ordered the team's next home game to be played behind closed doors for "racist" chants by Romanian supporters targeting neighbouring Hungary.

In addition, Romania were sanctioned for "provocative political messages not fit for a sports event" and disturbances during the Kosovar national anthem.

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UEFA also punished the Romanian FA for the throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks, use of laser pointer and the blocking of public passageways. &nbsp;

Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s.

Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in UEFA and FIFA tournaments.

Football's world governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia during the 2022 World Cup after the team hung a flag in their changing room depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia.

Kosovo joined FIFA and European confederation UEFA in 2016.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo had forfeited their Nations League game in Romania by leaving the pitch in stoppage time and not returning, after hearing pro-Serbia chants.

UEFA ruled Wednesday that Kosovo had forfeited their Nations League game in Romania by leaving the pitch in stoppage time and not returning, after hearing pro-Serbia chants. The Kosovo players walked off in Bucharest last Friday after fans in the crowd shouted "Serbia", leading to the game to be abandoned just before the end with the score 0-0. In its ruling, UEFA deemed the Kosovo football federation "responsible for the match not being played in full" and said the team would forfeit it 3-0. The decision means Romania will be promoted to League B of the competition as winners of their group, while Kosovo go into a promotion play-off after finishing runners-up. The Kosovar FA also incurred a 6,000-euro fine for "the improper conduct of its team" after five players received yellow cards in the game, the same number as Romania. UEFA fined the Romanian football federation 128,000 euros for a series of disciplinary breaches. It also ordered the team's next home game to be played behind closed doors for "racist" chants by Romanian supporters targeting neighbouring Hungary. In addition, Romania were sanctioned for "provocative political messages not fit for a sports event" and disturbances during the Kosovar national anthem. ALSO READ | Davis Cup Finals: Germany beats Canada to set up semi-finals against Netherlands UEFA also punished the Romanian FA for the throwing of objects, lighting of fireworks, use of laser pointer and the blocking of public passageways. Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in UEFA and FIFA tournaments. Football's world governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia during the 2022 World Cup after the team hung a flag in their changing room depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia. Kosovo joined FIFA and European confederation UEFA in 2016. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UEFA orders Kosovo to forfeit abandoned Nations League match against Romania

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina.

There was little to play for in Group A3 going into the final day. The Germans had already wrapped up top spot. The Dutch were secure in second and Hungary sat four points ahead of the already-relegated Bosnia.

"With a win, we would've gone into the break with a nicer feeling but we can still be very satisfied about what we achieved in 2024 and can kick things off again in March," said German midfielder Robert Andrich.

In Group B4, a 4-1 victory for Wales against Iceland ensured automatic promotion to the top division at the expense of Turkey, who went down 3-1 in Montenegro.

Czech Republic booked top spot in Group B1 with a 2-1 win over Georgia. Ukraine leapfrogged the Georgians into second place by downing Albania.

In Budapest, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann rang the changes with his team having confirmed top spot last week with a 7-0 thumping of Bosnia.

Felix Nmecha broke a goalless stalemate when he prodded home from inside the six-yard box with 14 minutes remaining.

Germany seemed set to close out their fifth win in six outings until the seventh minute of injury time.

VAR decided that Robin Koch had committed a handball in the box and Hungarian captain Szoboszlai stepped up two minutes later to dink home from 12 yards.

"It's been a real rollercoaster of a year, but I believe that with this match we can go into 2025 in good spirits," said Szoboszlai.

Netherlands finished five points behind their historic rivals as they were held to a draw in Zenica.

Brian Brobbey headed in the opener for Ronald Koeman's side midway through the first period but despite dominating the rest of the half the Dutch&nbsp;were unable to double their lead.

The Oranje were made to pay in the 67th minute when Hamburg-born Bosnian attacker Ermedin Demirovic adjusted his body magnificently to nod a rebound over goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

"I'm not satisfied with a point. I think we had to win," said Koeman.

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<h2>Really happy</h2>

Wales bounced back from an early Andri Gudjohnsen goal in Cardiff to put four past Iceland and jump to first place in their group.

"It's something we set out to do," Wales' Liam Cullen told Sgorio.

"We knew we couldn't control what was going on in the Turkey game, but we really wanted to put our stamp on this game and win convincingly, so really happy that we've done that."

Cullen scored a double to put the hosts in front by half-time, before Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson put the seal on the match inside the final half-hour.

Wales needed victory to have any chance of obtaining automatic promotion to League A, but they needed Montenegro's upset of Turkey to claim that spot with a one-point buffer.&nbsp;

Nikola Krstovic's hat-trick in Niksic condemned Turkey to the play-off spot as Montenegro picked up their first points of the campaign after five consecutive defeats.

Two 2-1 wins flipped Group B1 on its head after three points had separated the four teams going into the final matchday.

Ukraine were fourth before their trip to Tirana but two goals in the first 10 minutes from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Roman Yaremchuk gave them the perfect start.

Zinchenko celebrated his opener by holding up a shirt printed "1000", marking one thousand days since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A Nedim Bajrami penalty gave Albania hope in the last quarter of an hour but the Ukrainians held on to claim second spot.

The Czechs had sat top of the group on eight points and consolidated top spot when first-half strikes by Pavel Sulc and Adam Hlozek were enough to give them a 2-1 home win over Georgia.

In League C, Sweden showcased their striking prowess with a 6-0 thumping of Azerbaijan as they emphatically topped their group.

Much-heralded 26-year-old striker Viktor Gyokeres netted four goals in the rout, with Dejan Kulusevski grabbing a brace.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina.

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina. There was little to play for in Group A3 going into the final day. The Germans had already wrapped up top spot. The Dutch were secure in second and Hungary sat four points ahead of the already-relegated Bosnia. "With a win, we would've gone into the break with a nicer feeling but we can still be very satisfied about what we achieved in 2024 and can kick things off again in March," said German midfielder Robert Andrich. In Group B4, a 4-1 victory for Wales against Iceland ensured automatic promotion to the top division at the expense of Turkey, who went down 3-1 in Montenegro. Czech Republic booked top spot in Group B1 with a 2-1 win over Georgia. Ukraine leapfrogged the Georgians into second place by downing Albania. In Budapest, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann rang the changes with his team having confirmed top spot last week with a 7-0 thumping of Bosnia. Felix Nmecha broke a goalless stalemate when he prodded home from inside the six-yard box with 14 minutes remaining. Germany seemed set to close out their fifth win in six outings until the seventh minute of injury time. VAR decided that Robin Koch had committed a handball in the box and Hungarian captain Szoboszlai stepped up two minutes later to dink home from 12 yards. "It's been a real rollercoaster of a year, but I believe that with this match we can go into 2025 in good spirits," said Szoboszlai. Netherlands finished five points behind their historic rivals as they were held to a draw in Zenica. Brian Brobbey headed in the opener for Ronald Koeman's side midway through the first period but despite dominating the rest of the half the Dutch were unable to double their lead. The Oranje were made to pay in the 67th minute when Hamburg-born Bosnian attacker Ermedin Demirovic adjusted his body magnificently to nod a rebound over goalkeeper Mark Flekken. "I'm not satisfied with a point. I think we had to win," said Koeman. ALSO READ | Japan move closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification with crushing win over China Really happy Wales bounced back from an early Andri Gudjohnsen goal in Cardiff to put four past Iceland and jump to first place in their group. "It's something we set out to do," Wales' Liam Cullen told Sgorio. "We knew we couldn't control what was going on in the Turkey game, but we really wanted to put our stamp on this game and win convincingly, so really happy that we've done that." Cullen scored a double to put the hosts in front by half-time, before Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson put the seal on the match inside the final half-hour. Wales needed victory to have any chance of obtaining automatic promotion to League A, but they needed Montenegro's upset of Turkey to claim that spot with a one-point buffer. Nikola Krstovic's hat-trick in Niksic condemned Turkey to the play-off spot as Montenegro picked up their first points of the campaign after five consecutive defeats. Two 2-1 wins flipped Group B1 on its head after three points had separated the four teams going into the final matchday. Ukraine were fourth before their trip to Tirana but two goals in the first 10 minutes from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Roman Yaremchuk gave them the perfect start. Zinchenko celebrated his opener by holding up a shirt printed "1000", marking one thousand days since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A Nedim Bajrami penalty gave Albania hope in the last quarter of an hour but the Ukrainians held on to claim second spot. The Czechs had sat top of the group on eight points and consolidated top spot when first-half strikes by Pavel Sulc and Adam Hlozek were enough to give them a 2-1 home win over Georgia. In League C, Sweden showcased their striking prowess with a 6-0 thumping of Azerbaijan as they emphatically topped their group. Much-heralded 26-year-old striker Viktor Gyokeres netted four goals in the rout, with Dejan Kulusevski grabbing a brace. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Germany, Netherlands conclude group stage with draws; Wales win group B4

Josko Gvardiol continued his scoring streak to earn Croatia a 1-1 home draw with Portugal on Monday that allowed them to squeak into the Nations League quarter-finals.&nbsp;

Portugal had already sealed top spot in Group A1. The draw allowed Croatia to finish one point above Scotland who continued their late surge with a 2-1 win over Poland in Warsaw.&nbsp;

In Group A4, Spain, already assured of qualification, beat last-placed Switzerland 3-2 in a match of penalty kicks in Tenerife.&nbsp;

Denmark secured second place in the group with a 0-0 draw in Serbia.&nbsp;

In Split, Portugal took a 33rd-minute lead when Joao Felix neatly finished a sharp counterattack. Rafael Leao then missed the target when clean through.&nbsp;

With Scotland winning in Warsaw after a third-minute goal from John McGinn, set up by teenager Ben Doak, Croatia were heading out.&nbsp;

Gvardiol, ghosting at the far post, had a header on 62 minutes disallowed for offside. He repeated the move three minutes later, sneaking in unmarked and onside to squeeze a close-range shot through Jose Sa. Gvardiol, a defender, has three goals in his last six Premier League games for Manchester City.&nbsp;

"It felt like two different games for us," said Gvardiol. "In the first half, we seemed a bit tired and needed to make changes. The second half was much better -- we had more energy, better control of the ball, and created more chances and we managed to score a goal."

Almost simultaneously in Warsaw, Kamil Piatkowski rocketed a cross shot into the top far corner of the Scottish goal to level for Poland.&nbsp;

In the 73rd minute in Split, left-back Nuno Mendes nearly emulated Gvardiol for Portugal but goalie Dominik Livakovic blocked.

In Warsaw, Andy Robertson headed home in added time to give Scotland a second win in four days, but Croatia comfortably saw out the draw they needed.&nbsp;

"I told the boys they earned this result through their hard work, though it seems we always have to struggle for it," said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic.

"While there might have been a results crisis, there was never a crisis in our play."

Scotland go into a play-off to save their League A status. Poland are relegated.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Scotland coach Steve Clarke said he was happy with his country's improvement.

"We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief, I didn't lose belief in the players and they end up taking seven points from the last three games which gets us into the play-off," he said.

<h2>I can't ask for more</h2>

In Tenerife, Alvaro Morata's clever turn won a penalty just after the half-hour. Yvon Mvogo saved Pedri's low, hard spot kick but, after some pinball, Yeremi Pino, from the neighbouring Canary island of Las Palmas, scored.&nbsp;

Joel Monteiro dribbled through the Spanish defence for a spectacular 63rd-minute equaliser.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bryan Gil stole the ball in the Swiss area to put Spain ahead again five minutes later.&nbsp;

Andi Zeqiri levelled again, with a penalty five minutes from time.

Deep into extra time, Bryan Zaragoza converted Spain's second spot kick.&nbsp;

For both the Bryans it was a first international goal.&nbsp;

"Here at home with a goal, the win," said Pino. "I can't ask for more."

In Leskovac in Serbia, the hosts needed to win to overtake visiting Denmark and reach the quarter-finals.&nbsp;

On a night when both goalkeepers, Dorde Petrovic and Kasper Schmeichel, were in eye-catching form, the hosts had to settle for a 0-0 draw. &nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-2024-25-ravi-shastri-wants-india-batters-to-think-about-last-australia-tours-performance-in-perth-777164">BGT 2024-25: Ravi Shastri wants India batters to 'think about' last Australia tour's performance in Perth</a>

The goalkeeping was less spectacular in Luxembourg in League C, where Northern Ireland blew a two-goal lead in Luxembourg to draw 2-2 but topped Group 3 when Bulgaria threw away a lead and drew 1-1 in Sofia against Belarus.

In Group 2, Romania beat Cyprus 4-1 in Bucharest to stay top of the group, two points ahead of Kosovo, who beat Lithuania 1-0 in Pristina despite playing the second half with 10 men.

In League D, San Marino came from a goal down to beat Liechtenstein 3-1 in Vaduz and edge Gibraltar to first place in Group 1.&nbsp;

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Josko Gvardiol continued his scoring streak to earn Croatia a 1-1 home draw with Portugal on Monday that allowed them to squeak into the Nations League quarter-finals.

Josko Gvardiol continued his scoring streak to earn Croatia a 1-1 home draw with Portugal on Monday that allowed them to squeak into the Nations League quarter-finals. Portugal had already sealed top spot in Group A1. The draw allowed Croatia to finish one point above Scotland who continued their late surge with a 2-1 win over Poland in Warsaw. In Group A4, Spain, already assured of qualification, beat last-placed Switzerland 3-2 in a match of penalty kicks in Tenerife. Denmark secured second place in the group with a 0-0 draw in Serbia. In Split, Portugal took a 33rd-minute lead when Joao Felix neatly finished a sharp counterattack. Rafael Leao then missed the target when clean through. With Scotland winning in Warsaw after a third-minute goal from John McGinn, set up by teenager Ben Doak, Croatia were heading out. Gvardiol, ghosting at the far post, had a header on 62 minutes disallowed for offside. He repeated the move three minutes later, sneaking in unmarked and onside to squeeze a close-range shot through Jose Sa. Gvardiol, a defender, has three goals in his last six Premier League games for Manchester City. "It felt like two different games for us," said Gvardiol. "In the first half, we seemed a bit tired and needed to make changes. The second half was much better -- we had more energy, better control of the ball, and created more chances and we managed to score a goal." Almost simultaneously in Warsaw, Kamil Piatkowski rocketed a cross shot into the top far corner of the Scottish goal to level for Poland. In the 73rd minute in Split, left-back Nuno Mendes nearly emulated Gvardiol for Portugal but goalie Dominik Livakovic blocked. In Warsaw, Andy Robertson headed home in added time to give Scotland a second win in four days, but Croatia comfortably saw out the draw they needed. "I told the boys they earned this result through their hard work, though it seems we always have to struggle for it," said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic. "While there might have been a results crisis, there was never a crisis in our play." Scotland go into a play-off to save their League A status. Poland are relegated. Scotland coach Steve Clarke said he was happy with his country's improvement. "We started with three defeats, three narrow defeats, with good performances. The players didn't lose belief, I didn't lose belief in the players and they end up taking seven points from the last three games which gets us into the play-off," he said. I can't ask for more In Tenerife, Alvaro Morata's clever turn won a penalty just after the half-hour. Yvon Mvogo saved Pedri's low, hard spot kick but, after some pinball, Yeremi Pino, from the neighbouring Canary island of Las Palmas, scored. Joel Monteiro dribbled through the Spanish defence for a spectacular 63rd-minute equaliser. Bryan Gil stole the ball in the Swiss area to put Spain ahead again five minutes later. Andi Zeqiri levelled again, with a penalty five minutes from time. Deep into extra time, Bryan Zaragoza converted Spain's second spot kick. For both the Bryans it was a first international goal. "Here at home with a goal, the win," said Pino. "I can't ask for more." In Leskovac in Serbia, the hosts needed to win to overtake visiting Denmark and reach the quarter-finals. On a night when both goalkeepers, Dorde Petrovic and Kasper Schmeichel, were in eye-catching form, the hosts had to settle for a 0-0 draw. ALSO READ | BGT 2024-25: Ravi Shastri wants India batters to 'think about' last Australia tour's performance in Perth The goalkeeping was less spectacular in Luxembourg in League C, where Northern Ireland blew a two-goal lead in Luxembourg to draw 2-2 but topped Group 3 when Bulgaria threw away a lead and drew 1-1 in Sofia against Belarus. In Group 2, Romania beat Cyprus 4-1 in Bucharest to stay top of the group, two points ahead of Kosovo, who beat Lithuania 1-0 in Pristina despite playing the second half with 10 men. In League D, San Marino came from a goal down to beat Liechtenstein 3-1 in Vaduz and edge Gibraltar to first place in Group 1. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Josko Gvardiol steals in to ensure Croatia reach quarter-finals; San Marino promoted

Lee Carsley admitted he was relieved to end his reign as England interim boss with the stylish 5-0 rout of Ireland that sealed Nations League promotion ahead of Thomas Tuchel's arrival.

Shrugging off a lacklustre first half performance, England ran riot after the break at Wembley on Sunday to secure the victory they needed to return to League A.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/adrien-rabiot-fires-france-to-top-of-nations-league-group-with-brace-in-win-over-italy-776944">Adrien Rabiot fires France to top of Nations League group with brace in win over Italy</a>

Three goals in the space of five minutes and 36 seconds did the damage in Carsley's last game before Tuchel takes over on an 18-month contract from January 1.

Harry Kane opened the floodgates with a penalty conceded by Ireland defender Liam Scales, who was sent off for a second booking.

Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis all netted for the first time in an England shirt to ensure first place in Group B2 after five wins from six matches under Carsley.

"It'd be fair to say there's a bit of relief," Carsley said. "If we'd have spoken at the start of the campaign we'd probably have said you're expected to get promotion but it's difficult.

"No team has rolled over for us and let us just carry on. I've found it personally challenging and I know the staff have. It's good that we've finished the campaign with such a strong performance.

"We spoke about not only gaining promotion from the Nations League but to potentially increase the pool of players Thomas has got to choose from.

"The challenge now for the players that have been involved for the last three camps is to be in and around the next squad."

A giant 'thank you' to Carsley was displayed on the Wembley screens at full-time, when Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham praised his work since replacing Gareth Southgate following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

"He has selected some exciting new players and will be providing Thomas Tuchel and Anthony Barry with a very detailed handover," Bullingham said.

"The players have really enjoyed working with Lee and his team. They have made a real impact in their interim roles."

<h2>'Exciting times'</h2>

Carsley plans to meet former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Tuchel to present him with information about the squad ahead of next year's World Cup qualifiers.

"I'm trying to put together, with the rest of the staff, a debrief on all three camps," he said. "I will put together a document, then hopefully meet him and present what we think and what we've found. I'm looking forward to meeting him now in the next few weeks."

Carsley hands over the reins with England in good shape after he gave debuts to eight emerging youngsters to showcase the strength in depth available to Tuchel.

"It's a job that deserves an elite coach with a track record of winning and Thomas has got that. Exciting times ahead," he said.

After the disappointment of losing a second successive European Championship final under Southgate, England will begin the Tuchel era focused on winning the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

Tuchel has enjoyed success throughout a managerial career that includes Champions League glory with Chelsea and Harry Kane, who played under the German at Bayern, is looking forward to renewing their relationship.

"Thomas has a lot of players to choose from. A lot of young players that have come in and done well and some more experienced players that are injured and will be looking to come back so there's a good balance," he said.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lee Carsley admitted he was relieved to end his reign as England interim boss with the stylish 5-0 rout of Ireland that sealed Nations League promotion ahead of Thomas Tuchel's arrival.

Lee Carsley admitted he was relieved to end his reign as England interim boss with the stylish 5-0 rout of Ireland that sealed Nations League promotion ahead of Thomas Tuchel's arrival. Shrugging off a lacklustre first half performance, England ran riot after the break at Wembley on Sunday to secure the victory they needed to return to League A. ALSO READ: Adrien Rabiot fires France to top of Nations League group with brace in win over Italy Three goals in the space of five minutes and 36 seconds did the damage in Carsley's last game before Tuchel takes over on an 18-month contract from January 1. Harry Kane opened the floodgates with a penalty conceded by Ireland defender Liam Scales, who was sent off for a second booking. Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis all netted for the first time in an England shirt to ensure first place in Group B2 after five wins from six matches under Carsley. "It'd be fair to say there's a bit of relief," Carsley said. "If we'd have spoken at the start of the campaign we'd probably have said you're expected to get promotion but it's difficult. "No team has rolled over for us and let us just carry on. I've found it personally challenging and I know the staff have. It's good that we've finished the campaign with such a strong performance. "We spoke about not only gaining promotion from the Nations League but to potentially increase the pool of players Thomas has got to choose from. "The challenge now for the players that have been involved for the last three camps is to be in and around the next squad." A giant 'thank you' to Carsley was displayed on the Wembley screens at full-time, when Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham praised his work since replacing Gareth Southgate following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. "He has selected some exciting new players and will be providing Thomas Tuchel and Anthony Barry with a very detailed handover," Bullingham said. "The players have really enjoyed working with Lee and his team. They have made a real impact in their interim roles." 'Exciting times' Carsley plans to meet former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Tuchel to present him with information about the squad ahead of next year's World Cup qualifiers. "I'm trying to put together, with the rest of the staff, a debrief on all three camps," he said. "I will put together a document, then hopefully meet him and present what we think and what we've found. I'm looking forward to meeting him now in the next few weeks." Carsley hands over the reins with England in good shape after he gave debuts to eight emerging youngsters to showcase the strength in depth available to Tuchel. "It's a job that deserves an elite coach with a track record of winning and Thomas has got that. Exciting times ahead," he said. After the disappointment of losing a second successive European Championship final under Southgate, England will begin the Tuchel era focused on winning the World Cup for the first time since 1966. Tuchel has enjoyed success throughout a managerial career that includes Champions League glory with Chelsea and Harry Kane, who played under the German at Bayern, is looking forward to renewing their relationship. "Thomas has a lot of players to choose from. A lot of young players that have come in and done well and some more experienced players that are injured and will be looking to come back so there's a good balance," he said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: England’s interim manager Lee Carsley signs off with Ireland mauling

Adrien Rabiot fired France to first place in their Nations League group with a headed brace in Sunday's 3-1 win over Italy at the San Siro.

Ex-Juventus midfielder Rabiot netted from Lucas Digne set-pieces in each half at the home of his former Milanese rivals to ensure that Les Bleus leapfrogged Italy into top spot in Group A2 on goal difference, with both teams already in the quarter-finals before kick-off.

Digne -- like Rabiot making his 50th appearance for his country -- was also crucial to France's second goal, as it was his stunning free-kick in the 33rd minute which crashed out off the woodwork and into the net off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jorge-martin-defies-two-time-defending-champ-francesco-bagnaia-to-win-maiden-motogp-world-championship-title-776900">Jorge Martin defies two-time defending champ Francesco Bagnaia to win maiden MotoGP world championship title</a>

France were on their way to top spot when Digne forced home via Vicario's back as they needed to win by at least two goals to move above Italy.

Andrea Cambiaso's neat first-time finish moments after Digne's strike put Italy back on top on head-to-head record, due to their 3-1 win in Paris back in September.

But Rabiot stepped up in the 65th minute to give France a positive end to what has been a tumultuous international break, with captain Kylian Mbappe left at home with little explanation from coach Didier Deschamps and a fraught goalless draw with Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday.

"It had been a while since we'd put in a performance like that. The fight and the team spirit should be highlighted," Rabiot said to TF1. "This is the true face of the French national team."

A tally of 13 points from a group including France and Belgium seemed unlikely for Italy in the aftermath of their dreadful European Championship title defence in Germany.

<h2>Italy 'lacking quality'</h2>

And the renewed enthusiasm for the national team was clear among the more than 68,000 fans at the San Siro, with the majority of the empty seats located in the sparsely-populated away section given to the French supporters.

France were the better team but created very little from open play, while Cambiaso's strike was the result of a fine passing move and excellent work from Federico Dimarco, whose give-and-go with Sandro Tonali ended with a teasing cross for the Juventus winger to tuck home.

And substitute Moise Kean came close to reclaiming top spot for Italy deep in stoppage time when his stinging shot was well-saved by AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, one of a number of players competing in familiar surroundings.

"We lacked quality today, we didn't make good choices and we made mistakes with the ball," said Spalletti to RAI. "You could see the team spirit out there. The defeat could cause us to lose some confidence but it shouldn't take away from what we've built."

The last six goals Italy have conceded have come from set-pieces, a fragility which is unusual for the traditionally defence-minded Azzurri and was exacerbated by an underwhelming display from Vicario.

Tottenham goalkeeper Vicario started in place of captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was left out before kick-off reportedly because of a stomach bug.

Donnarumma has been a frequent target of fans at the San Siro since his big-money move from AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Adrien Rabiot fired France to first place in their Nations League group with a headed brace in Sunday's 3-1 win over Italy at the San Siro. Ex-Juventus midfielder Rabiot netted from Lucas Digne set-pieces in each half at the home of his former Milanese rivals to ensure that Les Bleus leapfrogged Italy into top spot in Group A2 on goal difference, with both teams already in the quarter-finals before kick-off.

Adrien Rabiot fired France to first place in their Nations League group with a headed brace in Sunday's 3-1 win over Italy at the San Siro. Ex-Juventus midfielder Rabiot netted from Lucas Digne set-pieces in each half at the home of his former Milanese rivals to ensure that Les Bleus leapfrogged Italy into top spot in Group A2 on goal difference, with both teams already in the quarter-finals before kick-off. Digne -- like Rabiot making his 50th appearance for his country -- was also crucial to France's second goal, as it was his stunning free-kick in the 33rd minute which crashed out off the woodwork and into the net off Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. ALSO READ: Jorge Martin defies two-time defending champ Francesco Bagnaia to win maiden MotoGP world championship title France were on their way to top spot when Digne forced home via Vicario's back as they needed to win by at least two goals to move above Italy. Andrea Cambiaso's neat first-time finish moments after Digne's strike put Italy back on top on head-to-head record, due to their 3-1 win in Paris back in September. But Rabiot stepped up in the 65th minute to give France a positive end to what has been a tumultuous international break, with captain Kylian Mbappe left at home with little explanation from coach Didier Deschamps and a fraught goalless draw with Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday. "It had been a while since we'd put in a performance like that. The fight and the team spirit should be highlighted," Rabiot said to TF1. "This is the true face of the French national team." A tally of 13 points from a group including France and Belgium seemed unlikely for Italy in the aftermath of their dreadful European Championship title defence in Germany. Italy 'lacking quality' And the renewed enthusiasm for the national team was clear among the more than 68,000 fans at the San Siro, with the majority of the empty seats located in the sparsely-populated away section given to the French supporters. France were the better team but created very little from open play, while Cambiaso's strike was the result of a fine passing move and excellent work from Federico Dimarco, whose give-and-go with Sandro Tonali ended with a teasing cross for the Juventus winger to tuck home. And substitute Moise Kean came close to reclaiming top spot for Italy deep in stoppage time when his stinging shot was well-saved by AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, one of a number of players competing in familiar surroundings. "We lacked quality today, we didn't make good choices and we made mistakes with the ball," said Spalletti to RAI. "You could see the team spirit out there. The defeat could cause us to lose some confidence but it shouldn't take away from what we've built." The last six goals Italy have conceded have come from set-pieces, a fragility which is unusual for the traditionally defence-minded Azzurri and was exacerbated by an underwhelming display from Vicario. Tottenham goalkeeper Vicario started in place of captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was left out before kick-off reportedly because of a stomach bug. Donnarumma has been a frequent target of fans at the San Siro since his big-money move from AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Adrien Rabiot fires France to top of Nations League group with brace in win over Italy

Gianluigi Donnarumma said Saturday that he was grateful Italy would not have to face his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe in their final Nations League group match with France.

Mbappe was surprisingly dropped for France's fixtures in November after an underwhelming start to life at Real Madrid this season, with Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps refusing to say why he had not picked his star player.

France could only manage a fraught goalless draw with Israel on Thursday in Mbappe's absence, and Deschamps' team have to win by at least two goals at the San Siro in order to top Group A2.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nations-league-netherlands-rock-hungary-to-reach-quarters-germany-hit-record-seven-against-bosnia-776767">Nations League: Netherlands rock Hungary to reach quarters; Germany hit record seven against Bosnia</a>

"It's a big absence, I know him and he's one of the best players of the world," Italy captain Donnarumma told reporters. &nbsp;"If he was there, he would have caused us problems, but they have other players and a lot of quality. They have a lot of good players who can cause us problems and have a lot of energy."

Italy, who have been rejuvenated over the course of the Nations League group stage, are unbeaten since their dismal European Championship title defence in the summer and lead France by three points.

Luciano Spalletti's team would likely have come into Sunday's match with a perfect record of five wins from five matches had they not had to play over half of last month's 2-2 draw with Belgium in Rome with 10 men after taking an early two-goal lead.

<h2>'Right solutions'</h2>

Sandro Tonali hailed the spirit in the Italy camp after netting his first international goal in Thursday's 1-0 win over Belgium in Brussels, saying that the players "couldn't wait" to get back together once returning to their clubs.

"They've found the right solutions for us, and that means that Italy are playing like Italy again," added Donnarumma. "After the disappointment of the Euros we needed a jolt, and our aim is to continue to improve, work, have fun and entertain the fans."

Set to play in attack for France is Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, who has disappointed for his country but will take the field in familiar surroundings on Sunday.

Thuram, the son of French football icon Lilian, has been a revelation for Inter, netting 23 times since signing from Borussia Moenchengladbach last year.

But while he has become a key player for Serie A's best team, he has only scored twice in 28 international appearances with his most recent goal for Les Bleus coming against minnows Gibraltar just over a year ago.

"He's doing really well at Inter. He's obviously been less effective for the national team but it will come," said defender Ibrahim Konate. "We're not worried about it because he has everything. It will come bit by bit."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gianluigi Donnarumma said Saturday that he was grateful Italy would not have to face his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe in their final Nations League group match with France.

Gianluigi Donnarumma said Saturday that he was grateful Italy would not have to face his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe in their final Nations League group match with France. Mbappe was surprisingly dropped for France's fixtures in November after an underwhelming start to life at Real Madrid this season, with Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps refusing to say why he had not picked his star player. France could only manage a fraught goalless draw with Israel on Thursday in Mbappe's absence, and Deschamps' team have to win by at least two goals at the San Siro in order to top Group A2. ALSO READ: Nations League: Netherlands rock Hungary to reach quarters; Germany hit record seven against Bosnia "It's a big absence, I know him and he's one of the best players of the world," Italy captain Donnarumma told reporters. "If he was there, he would have caused us problems, but they have other players and a lot of quality. They have a lot of good players who can cause us problems and have a lot of energy." Italy, who have been rejuvenated over the course of the Nations League group stage, are unbeaten since their dismal European Championship title defence in the summer and lead France by three points. Luciano Spalletti's team would likely have come into Sunday's match with a perfect record of five wins from five matches had they not had to play over half of last month's 2-2 draw with Belgium in Rome with 10 men after taking an early two-goal lead. 'Right solutions' Sandro Tonali hailed the spirit in the Italy camp after netting his first international goal in Thursday's 1-0 win over Belgium in Brussels, saying that the players "couldn't wait" to get back together once returning to their clubs. "They've found the right solutions for us, and that means that Italy are playing like Italy again," added Donnarumma. "After the disappointment of the Euros we needed a jolt, and our aim is to continue to improve, work, have fun and entertain the fans." Set to play in attack for France is Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, who has disappointed for his country but will take the field in familiar surroundings on Sunday. Thuram, the son of French football icon Lilian, has been a revelation for Inter, netting 23 times since signing from Borussia Moenchengladbach last year. But while he has become a key player for Serie A's best team, he has only scored twice in 28 international appearances with his most recent goal for Les Bleus coming against minnows Gibraltar just over a year ago. "He's doing really well at Inter. He's obviously been less effective for the national team but it will come," said defender Ibrahim Konate. "We're not worried about it because he has everything. It will come bit by bit." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma thankful for Kylian Mbappe absence in France showdown in Nations League

Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0.

Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals.

First-half penalties by Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo sent the Oranje on their way, before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners made the game safe in the second period.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/nations-league-harry-kane-warns-england-must-protect-team-culture-under-new-boss-776750">Nations League: Harry Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss</a>

"There are always things we can improve upon," Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told SBS6. "But in the end, we deserved to win."

The match at the Johan Cruyff Arena was briefly interrupted in the seventh minute following a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench.

The referee stopped play for some 10 minutes while Hungary's assistant coach Adam Szalai received treatment, shielded from view by huddled players and staff members, as well as a large white sheet.

Szalai, 36, was stretchered off to applause from spectators and players alike, the Hungarian FA later released a statement saying he was "conscious" and in a "stable condition" at an Amsterdam hospital.

"It was a scare of course," Gakpo told NOS. "Fortunately, I just heard he regained consciousness on the pitch. Things like this are more important than football."

Almost forgotten in the aftermath of the worrying incident was the handball by Tamas Nikitscher as the ball was crossed into the Hungarian box.

The referee consulted the touchline video monitor and promptly restarted play by pointing to the spot, allowing Weghorst to sweep the Netherlands in front.

Denes Dibusz was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the first period wore on and had to be alert to keep out efforts from Tijjani Reijnders and Donyell Malen.

In the 11th minute of added time, Dutch dominance told and Malen was clipped by Zsolt Nagy in the box.

Gakpo dispatched the resulting spot-kick, sending Dibusz the wrong way and Netherlands into a two-goal lead.

Right-back Dumfries sealed the Netherlands' spot in the quarters as he latched onto Malen's flick-on at the back post and fizzed a volley back into the far corner shortly after the hour.

Koopmeiners marked his first international match since 2022 by nodding in a fourth in the 86th minute.

<h2>'Good fun'</h2>

Germany cemented their spot at the top of the group with a 7-0 win over Bosnia -- the heaviest in the six-year history of the Nations League.

"It was good fun tonight. After a couple of goals we did the work defensively and then everything came together offensively. The more that happens, the more fun we have on the pitch," German attacker Jamal Musiala told UEFA's website.

Musiala opened the floodgates after two minutes with a header from Joshua Kimmich's cross.

Tim Kleindienst scored his first goal for Germany in the 23rd minute and Kai Havertz made the game safe eight minutes before the break, slotting home after a slick one-two with Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz then made it four on 50 minutes with a sublime swerving free-kick from wide on the left, before doubling up seven minutes later.

"Seeing Flo (Wirtz's) free-kick was kind of nice but just in general everyone played well, had good moments. We're just playing good football," added Musiala.

Substitute Leroy Sane scored Germany's sixth in the 66th minute and Kleindienst completed the rout just over 10 minutes from time as he guided home a pinpoint cross from centre-half Antonio Rudiger.

The emphatic result leaves Germany five points ahead of Netherlands with only one match left to play.

In Group B1, Georgia played out a 1-1 draw at home to Ukraine and stay two points ahead of the fourth-placed visitors.

The Czech Republic drew 0-0 in Albania and remain top of the group on eight points, one ahead of Georgia in second and their third-placed opponents.

Turkey stayed top of Group B4 with a 0-0 draw at home to Wales, while Iceland beat Montenegro 2-0.

Turkey were presented with a golden opportunity to grow their two-point lead over Wales but Kerem Akturkoglu sent his 89th-minute penalty wide.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0.

Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0. Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals. First-half penalties by Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo sent the Oranje on their way, before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners made the game safe in the second period. ALSO READ: Nations League: Harry Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss "There are always things we can improve upon," Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told SBS6. "But in the end, we deserved to win." The match at the Johan Cruyff Arena was briefly interrupted in the seventh minute following a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench. The referee stopped play for some 10 minutes while Hungary's assistant coach Adam Szalai received treatment, shielded from view by huddled players and staff members, as well as a large white sheet. Szalai, 36, was stretchered off to applause from spectators and players alike, the Hungarian FA later released a statement saying he was "conscious" and in a "stable condition" at an Amsterdam hospital. "It was a scare of course," Gakpo told NOS. "Fortunately, I just heard he regained consciousness on the pitch. Things like this are more important than football." Almost forgotten in the aftermath of the worrying incident was the handball by Tamas Nikitscher as the ball was crossed into the Hungarian box. The referee consulted the touchline video monitor and promptly restarted play by pointing to the spot, allowing Weghorst to sweep the Netherlands in front. Denes Dibusz was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the first period wore on and had to be alert to keep out efforts from Tijjani Reijnders and Donyell Malen. In the 11th minute of added time, Dutch dominance told and Malen was clipped by Zsolt Nagy in the box. Gakpo dispatched the resulting spot-kick, sending Dibusz the wrong way and Netherlands into a two-goal lead. Right-back Dumfries sealed the Netherlands' spot in the quarters as he latched onto Malen's flick-on at the back post and fizzed a volley back into the far corner shortly after the hour. Koopmeiners marked his first international match since 2022 by nodding in a fourth in the 86th minute. 'Good fun' Germany cemented their spot at the top of the group with a 7-0 win over Bosnia -- the heaviest in the six-year history of the Nations League. "It was good fun tonight. After a couple of goals we did the work defensively and then everything came together offensively. The more that happens, the more fun we have on the pitch," German attacker Jamal Musiala told UEFA's website. Musiala opened the floodgates after two minutes with a header from Joshua Kimmich's cross. Tim Kleindienst scored his first goal for Germany in the 23rd minute and Kai Havertz made the game safe eight minutes before the break, slotting home after a slick one-two with Florian Wirtz. Wirtz then made it four on 50 minutes with a sublime swerving free-kick from wide on the left, before doubling up seven minutes later. "Seeing Flo (Wirtz's) free-kick was kind of nice but just in general everyone played well, had good moments. We're just playing good football," added Musiala. Substitute Leroy Sane scored Germany's sixth in the 66th minute and Kleindienst completed the rout just over 10 minutes from time as he guided home a pinpoint cross from centre-half Antonio Rudiger. The emphatic result leaves Germany five points ahead of Netherlands with only one match left to play. In Group B1, Georgia played out a 1-1 draw at home to Ukraine and stay two points ahead of the fourth-placed visitors. The Czech Republic drew 0-0 in Albania and remain top of the group on eight points, one ahead of Georgia in second and their third-placed opponents. Turkey stayed top of Group B4 with a 0-0 draw at home to Wales, while Iceland beat Montenegro 2-0. Turkey were presented with a golden opportunity to grow their two-point lead over Wales but Kerem Akturkoglu sent his 89th-minute penalty wide. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Netherlands rock Hungary to reach quarters; Germany hit record seven against Bosnia

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been handed a huge setback in the build-up to the Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday (Nov 15). The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled the trophy tour in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) regions of Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad.

<h2>ICC cancels CT tour</h2>

As learned on Friday, the ICC will not tour the coveted trophy in the sensitive regions of the border as the nations are yet to reach a compromise on the travel-related issues. Despite being the official hosts of the Champions Trophy, PCB has found it difficult to reach an agreement with ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stage India’s matches in the nation. India informed ICC in the midweek that they won’t be travelling to Pakistan for the CT and the same was then informed by the ICC to PCB.

As reported by WION earlier, the PCB wrote a letter to the ICC and has asked for clarification on why India is not travelling to Pakistan despite other nations having no issues.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/anshul-kamboj-picks-10-wickets-in-an-innings-in-ranji-trophy-breaks-39-year-old-record-776392">Anshul Kamboj picks 10 wickets in an innings in Ranji Trophy, breaks 39-year-old record - WATCH</a>

<h2>Champions Trophy to be held in hybrid model?</h2>

As things stand, with less than three months to go for the Champions Trophy to start Pakistan is not yet confident of hosting the entire tournament with the Indian team reluctant to travel. Pakistan’s proposal to host India’s matches including the final has been rejected by the BCCI, leaving ICC with three options.

Like 2008, the Champions Trophy could be postponed until a solution is met as the ICC could explore the idea. On the other hand, India’s reluctance to travel could force them out of the tournament if they are forfeited. However, that option looks unlikely due to India’s brand value in cricket and Jay Shah set to become the chairperson of the board of directors of ICC.

The hybrid model remains the best option and likely option to host the Champions Trophy with India’s matches to take place outside Pakistan while the rest of the seven teams play in the nation.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been handed a huge setback in the build-up to the Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday (Nov 15). The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled the trophy tour in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) regions of Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been handed a huge setback in the build-up to the Champions Trophy 2025 on Friday (Nov 15). The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled the trophy tour in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) regions of Skardu, Murree, and Muzaffarabad. ICC cancels CT tour As learned on Friday, the ICC will not tour the coveted trophy in the sensitive regions of the border as the nations are yet to reach a compromise on the travel-related issues. Despite being the official hosts of the Champions Trophy, PCB has found it difficult to reach an agreement with ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stage India’s matches in the nation. India informed ICC in the midweek that they won’t be travelling to Pakistan for the CT and the same was then informed by the ICC to PCB. As reported by WION earlier, the PCB wrote a letter to the ICC and has asked for clarification on why India is not travelling to Pakistan despite other nations having no issues. ALSO READ | Anshul Kamboj picks 10 wickets in an innings in Ranji Trophy, breaks 39-year-old record - WATCH Champions Trophy to be held in hybrid model? As things stand, with less than three months to go for the Champions Trophy to start Pakistan is not yet confident of hosting the entire tournament with the Indian team reluctant to travel. Pakistan’s proposal to host India’s matches including the final has been rejected by the BCCI, leaving ICC with three options. Like 2008, the Champions Trophy could be postponed until a solution is met as the ICC could explore the idea. On the other hand, India’s reluctance to travel could force them out of the tournament if they are forfeited. However, that option looks unlikely due to India’s brand value in cricket and Jay Shah set to become the chairperson of the board of directors of ICC. The hybrid model remains the best option and likely option to host the Champions Trophy with India’s matches to take place outside Pakistan while the rest of the seven teams play in the nation.

Nations League: Harry Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark. Roberto Martinez's Portugal wrapped up top spot in Group A1 with a game to spare, securing their place in the next round in March.

France, Germany and Italy are also already through to the last eight.

Poland were the better side early on but failed to take their chances in Porto and the home side made them pay, netting four times in the last 20 minutes.

"We couldn't impose ourselves on the game in the first half," said Portugal goalscorer Rafael Leao. "(Coach) Roberto Martínez's approach in the locker room was important; it was the key to changing the pressure at half-time."

Ronaldo volleyed over from close range shortly before the interval, as Portugal failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-ruben-amorim-says-man-utd-is-where-im-supposed-to-be-776516">Premier League: Ruben Amorim says Man Utd is 'where I'm supposed to be'</a>

Dominik Marczuk almost broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, but Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a brilliant fingertip save to deny him.

The hosts broke from the resulting corner to score less than 60 seconds later, as Leao powered forward before finding Nuno Mendes, then continuing his run to meet the Paris Saint-Germain full-back's cross with a powerful header.

Portugal were awarded a penalty when Diogo Dalot's strike flicked off Jakub Kiwior's hand at point-blank range and was saved by Marcin Bulka.

Ronaldo stepped up to dink home a 'Panenka' spot-kick.

That goal ended any hopes Poland had of staging a comeback and Fernandes added a third for Portugal with 10 minutes left, crashing the ball in off the crossbar from just outside the box.

Pedro Neto also got on the scoresheet, collecting Ronaldo's pass and rifling past Bulka at his near post.

There was still time for Ronaldo to double his tally and move onto 135 international goals, acrobatically volleying home Vitinha's cross from close range in the 87th minute.

Marczuk drilled in a consolation for Poland, but they can no longer qualify for the knock-out stages and will be relegated if they lose to Scotland next week.

In the other match in the group, Scotland gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a massive boost as John McGinn scored a late winner in a 1-0 victory over 10-man Croatia.

Petar Sucic was sent off in the first half, but Croatia almost hung on for the point they needed to qualify with Portugal, only for McGinn to strike in the 86th minute.

<h2>Spain roll on</h2>

European champions Spain stayed unbeaten in Group A4 with a 2-1 win over Denmark in Copenhagen.&nbsp;

Luis de la Fuente's visitors started strongly and went close to a 13th-minute opener when the in-form Ayoze Perez rattled the crossbar.

Spain took an early lead after Denmark carelessly gave the ball away on the edge of their own box.

Perez played in Mikel Oyarzabal who took an excellent first touch and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and in at the near post.

Villarreal forward Perez, who only made his international debut in June, doubled Spain's advantage with a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner after being picked out by Dani Olmo.

Gustav Isaksen pulled one back for Denmark late on, pouncing on a terrible mix-up between Fabian Ruiz and 'keeper David Raya.

"A very, very happy night for me (with a goal and an assist), but the most important thing is going through top of the group," Perez told uefa.com.

The other game in Group A4 saw Switzerland relegated by Aleksa Terzic's late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Serbia.

Romania's Group C2 game against Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended in injury time and then abandoned with the game goalless after the visiting players walked off the pitch following chants of "Serbia" from the home fans.

"The UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo has been abandoned. UEFA will communicate further information in due course," said governing body UEFA on its website.

In League D, San Marino kept their hopes of an unlikely promotion alive as Nicola Nanni scored an injury-time penalty to grab a 1-1 draw with Gibraltar.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark. Roberto Martinez's Portugal wrapped up top spot in Group A1 with a game to spare, securing their place in the next round in March. France, Germany and Italy are also already through to the last eight. Poland were the better side early on but failed to take their chances in Porto and the home side made them pay, netting four times in the last 20 minutes. "We couldn't impose ourselves on the game in the first half," said Portugal goalscorer Rafael Leao. "(Coach) Roberto Martínez's approach in the locker room was important; it was the key to changing the pressure at half-time." Ronaldo volleyed over from close range shortly before the interval, as Portugal failed to register a shot on target in the first half. ALSO READ: Premier League: Ruben Amorim says Man Utd is 'where I'm supposed to be' Dominik Marczuk almost broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, but Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a brilliant fingertip save to deny him. The hosts broke from the resulting corner to score less than 60 seconds later, as Leao powered forward before finding Nuno Mendes, then continuing his run to meet the Paris Saint-Germain full-back's cross with a powerful header. Portugal were awarded a penalty when Diogo Dalot's strike flicked off Jakub Kiwior's hand at point-blank range and was saved by Marcin Bulka. Ronaldo stepped up to dink home a 'Panenka' spot-kick. That goal ended any hopes Poland had of staging a comeback and Fernandes added a third for Portugal with 10 minutes left, crashing the ball in off the crossbar from just outside the box. Pedro Neto also got on the scoresheet, collecting Ronaldo's pass and rifling past Bulka at his near post. There was still time for Ronaldo to double his tally and move onto 135 international goals, acrobatically volleying home Vitinha's cross from close range in the 87th minute. Marczuk drilled in a consolation for Poland, but they can no longer qualify for the knock-out stages and will be relegated if they lose to Scotland next week. In the other match in the group, Scotland gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a massive boost as John McGinn scored a late winner in a 1-0 victory over 10-man Croatia. Petar Sucic was sent off in the first half, but Croatia almost hung on for the point they needed to qualify with Portugal, only for McGinn to strike in the 86th minute. Spain roll on European champions Spain stayed unbeaten in Group A4 with a 2-1 win over Denmark in Copenhagen. Luis de la Fuente's visitors started strongly and went close to a 13th-minute opener when the in-form Ayoze Perez rattled the crossbar. Spain took an early lead after Denmark carelessly gave the ball away on the edge of their own box. Perez played in Mikel Oyarzabal who took an excellent first touch and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and in at the near post. Villarreal forward Perez, who only made his international debut in June, doubled Spain's advantage with a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner after being picked out by Dani Olmo. Gustav Isaksen pulled one back for Denmark late on, pouncing on a terrible mix-up between Fabian Ruiz and 'keeper David Raya. "A very, very happy night for me (with a goal and an assist), but the most important thing is going through top of the group," Perez told uefa.com. The other game in Group A4 saw Switzerland relegated by Aleksa Terzic's late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Serbia. Romania's Group C2 game against Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended in injury time and then abandoned with the game goalless after the visiting players walked off the pitch following chants of "Serbia" from the home fans. "The UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo has been abandoned. UEFA will communicate further information in due course," said governing body UEFA on its website. In League D, San Marino kept their hopes of an unlikely promotion alive as Nicola Nanni scored an injury-time penalty to grab a 1-1 draw with Gibraltar. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo hits brace as Portugal thrash Poland to reach Nations League quarters, Spain win

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier.

Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and&nbsp;Trent Alexander-Arnold were among nine players to pull out of England's last two games of 2024 amid speculation they were encouraged by their club managers to miss the fixtures.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-ensure-nations-league-quarters-berth-after-israel-draw-italy-beat-belgium-to-make-last-eight-776343">France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight</a>

England captain Harry Kane launched a scathing attack on the stay-aways, insisting international duty should come before anything else. Kane was surprisingly dropped to the bench by interim boss Carsley after his uncharacteristic outburst, but England were unfazed.

Kane's replacement Ollie Watkins gave them an early lead before Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos deflected Jude Bellingham's shot into his own net.

Curtis Jones' audacious back-flicked effort wrapped up a win that put England top of Nations League Group B2.

They are guaranteed to win promotion to League A with a victory over Ireland at Wembley on Sunday.

But Carsley was more concerned with underlining the vast array of quality that former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel will inherit when he finally takes the reins on January 1.

"It is just important the players play to their strengths. We have got a lot of outstanding talent," Carsley said. "The players who were not here, we concentrated on the ones that were.

"We spoke yesterday about players getting an opportunity, and we have seen that tonight.

"People were speaking about the inexperience within the squad, but these players play week in and week out in the Premier League at a really high level."

After losing to Greece for the first time ever at Wembley in October, this was a sweet moment for Carsley, who was widely criticised for a tactical gamble that backfired in that game.

<h2>'Moving in right direction'</h2>

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke caught the eye in Athens with an assist for Watkins' opener and several other incisive raids, while Jones and Anthony Gordon also impressed.

Assessing England's long-term prospects, Carsley was encouraged by the victory, which was his fourth in five games as caretaker boss since replacing Gareth Southgate, who quit following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

"It represents we are moving in the right direction," Carsley said. "I see the quality that the players have got.

"You're now seeing it in terms of the younger ones, that they're more than capable with the mentality and the quality that they've got to play in stages like tonight.

"There's a lot of positives. Think about the two wide players, Anthony (Gordon) and Noni (Madueke), so attacking, so direct. Curtis was outstanding tonight."

Carsley confirmed Kane would start against Ireland but made a point of praising Aston Villa striker Watkins for stepping in for his skipper.

"It was brilliant for Ollie to get a goal. It's important that I think if we are going to put these players in a position where we are going to go and win the World Cup then these players need to have as many experiences as they can," he said.

"So, it was no slight on Harry. He'll start the next game and I think a lot of positives to take from that performance."

Asked about Kane's reaction to being left on the bench until the 66th minute, Carsley said: "He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, like all top players do.

"I think he understands that it's important that other players experience that kind of experience that we had tonight.

"He's a great example to the rest of the players and I expect him to start on Sunday and play well."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier.

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier. Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold were among nine players to pull out of England's last two games of 2024 amid speculation they were encouraged by their club managers to miss the fixtures. ALSO READ: France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight England captain Harry Kane launched a scathing attack on the stay-aways, insisting international duty should come before anything else. Kane was surprisingly dropped to the bench by interim boss Carsley after his uncharacteristic outburst, but England were unfazed. Kane's replacement Ollie Watkins gave them an early lead before Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos deflected Jude Bellingham's shot into his own net. Curtis Jones' audacious back-flicked effort wrapped up a win that put England top of Nations League Group B2. They are guaranteed to win promotion to League A with a victory over Ireland at Wembley on Sunday. But Carsley was more concerned with underlining the vast array of quality that former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel will inherit when he finally takes the reins on January 1. "It is just important the players play to their strengths. We have got a lot of outstanding talent," Carsley said. "The players who were not here, we concentrated on the ones that were. "We spoke yesterday about players getting an opportunity, and we have seen that tonight. "People were speaking about the inexperience within the squad, but these players play week in and week out in the Premier League at a really high level." After losing to Greece for the first time ever at Wembley in October, this was a sweet moment for Carsley, who was widely criticised for a tactical gamble that backfired in that game. 'Moving in right direction' Chelsea winger Noni Madueke caught the eye in Athens with an assist for Watkins' opener and several other incisive raids, while Jones and Anthony Gordon also impressed. Assessing England's long-term prospects, Carsley was encouraged by the victory, which was his fourth in five games as caretaker boss since replacing Gareth Southgate, who quit following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. "It represents we are moving in the right direction," Carsley said. "I see the quality that the players have got. "You're now seeing it in terms of the younger ones, that they're more than capable with the mentality and the quality that they've got to play in stages like tonight. "There's a lot of positives. Think about the two wide players, Anthony (Gordon) and Noni (Madueke), so attacking, so direct. Curtis was outstanding tonight." Carsley confirmed Kane would start against Ireland but made a point of praising Aston Villa striker Watkins for stepping in for his skipper. "It was brilliant for Ollie to get a goal. It's important that I think if we are going to put these players in a position where we are going to go and win the World Cup then these players need to have as many experiences as they can," he said. "So, it was no slight on Harry. He'll start the next game and I think a lot of positives to take from that performance." Asked about Kane's reaction to being left on the bench until the 66th minute, Carsley said: "He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, like all top players do. "I think he understands that it's important that other players experience that kind of experience that we had tonight. "He's a great example to the rest of the players and I expect him to start on Sunday and play well." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lee Carsley praises England’s squad depth after Greece win in Nations League

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris.

Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in Athens that put his team top of their pool on goal difference.

In Brussels, Italy were economical as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Group A2.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/afc-world-cup-qualifiers-son-hits-50th-south-korea-goal-in-win-australia-saudi-stalemate-776309">AFC World Cup qualifiers: Son hits 50th South Korea goal in win, Australia-Saudi stalemate</a>

The visitors dominated the early stages and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in.

Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header.

"We showed again that we give it a go and don't just sit back in matches, that's the big change," Tonali told RAI.

At the Stade de France in Paris, tentative France struggled to create and take chances as they drew 0-0 with Israel before a crowd of just under 17,000 in a stadium that holds up to 80,000.

Around 4,000 police and members of the security forces patrolled inside and outside the ground to prevent a repetition of the attacks on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last week.

Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw.

Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away.

On the pitch, it took until the 20th minute for captain N'Golo Kante, jinking into the six-yard box, to force a first save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

France managed 25 attempts on goal but Peretz had to make only two diving saves in the second half, first from Warren Zaire-Emery and then in added time from Christopher Nkunku.

"Anger. Frustration," said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. "The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured."

Italy lead the group by three points but France could still take first when the teams meet in Milan on Sunday.

"We could have done more but we did what we needed to do against an ultra-defensive opponent," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris.

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris. Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in Athens that put his team top of their pool on goal difference. In Brussels, Italy were economical as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Group A2. ALSO READ: AFC World Cup qualifiers: Son hits 50th South Korea goal in win, Australia-Saudi stalemate The visitors dominated the early stages and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in. Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header. "We showed again that we give it a go and don't just sit back in matches, that's the big change," Tonali told RAI. At the Stade de France in Paris, tentative France struggled to create and take chances as they drew 0-0 with Israel before a crowd of just under 17,000 in a stadium that holds up to 80,000. Around 4,000 police and members of the security forces patrolled inside and outside the ground to prevent a repetition of the attacks on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last week. Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw. Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away. On the pitch, it took until the 20th minute for captain N'Golo Kante, jinking into the six-yard box, to force a first save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. France managed 25 attempts on goal but Peretz had to make only two diving saves in the second half, first from Warren Zaire-Emery and then in added time from Christopher Nkunku. "Anger. Frustration," said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. "The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured." Italy lead the group by three points but France could still take first when the teams meet in Milan on Sunday. "We could have done more but we did what we needed to do against an ultra-defensive opponent," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight

Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well".

The Nations League game at the Stade de France on Thursday took place under intense security after fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv were attacked in Amsterdam last week.

Around 4,000 police and members of the French security forces patrolled inside and outside the stadium, assisted by 1,600 civilian security personnel.

Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw.

Videos posted on the X social media platform showed fans, some with Israeli flags, running along the rows of seats at the stadium while other supporters whistled and booed before members of the security team separated them.

"A fight broke out which was immediately contained by the stewards," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2 television.

"The match went very well from a security point of view."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-ensure-nations-league-quarters-berth-after-israel-draw-italy-beat-belgium-to-make-last-eight-776343">France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight</a>

A security source said one person was arrested immediately after the incident and another was detained after being identified from CCTV images.

Just 16,611 people watched the game in the 80,000-capacity stadium, the lowest attendance for a match involving the French men's national team since the stadium was built in the late 1990s.

The match ended in a goalless draw but the point earned was enough for France to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League.

In Amsterdam last week, Maccabi fans were pursued by youths on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax.

The Israeli supporters had earlier burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans, according to city authorities.

Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema called the incidents a "poisonous cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism" while Dutch far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders blamed the violence on "Muslims".

The incidents in the Netherlands took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world rising sharply as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed Islamist militants in Lebanon and Gaza.

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Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well".

Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well". The Nations League game at the Stade de France on Thursday took place under intense security after fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv were attacked in Amsterdam last week. Around 4,000 police and members of the French security forces patrolled inside and outside the stadium, assisted by 1,600 civilian security personnel. Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw. Videos posted on the X social media platform showed fans, some with Israeli flags, running along the rows of seats at the stadium while other supporters whistled and booed before members of the security team separated them. "A fight broke out which was immediately contained by the stewards," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2 television. "The match went very well from a security point of view." ALSO READ: France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight A security source said one person was arrested immediately after the incident and another was detained after being identified from CCTV images. Just 16,611 people watched the game in the 80,000-capacity stadium, the lowest attendance for a match involving the French men's national team since the stadium was built in the late 1990s. The match ended in a goalless draw but the point earned was enough for France to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League. In Amsterdam last week, Maccabi fans were pursued by youths on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax. The Israeli supporters had earlier burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans, according to city authorities. Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema called the incidents a "poisonous cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism" while Dutch far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders blamed the violence on "Muslims". The incidents in the Netherlands took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world rising sharply as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed Islamist militants in Lebanon and Gaza. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: 40 arrests made at tense France-Israel game in Paris

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week.

The Paris police chief has described the match at the Stade de France as "high risk" and Israel has urged fans to avoid the fixture, which authorities fear could become another flashpoint following the violence in the Netherlands.

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were chased by men on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7.

Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema called it a "poisonous cocktail" of anti-Semitism.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/bruno-fernandes-hopes-for-change-in-energy-as-ruben-amorim-takes-charge-of-manchester-united-775984">Bruno Fernandes hopes for 'change in energy' as Ruben Amorim takes charge of Manchester United</a>

Dutch police said the violence came after Maccabi fans had set fire to a Palestinian flag the night before, and vandalised a taxi.

The mayor however stressed on Tuesday that "even though a more complete picture emerged" of the evening's events, "and all sorts of terrible things happened, it in no way negates that a 'hunt for Jews'" call had gone out.

The violence in Amsterdam took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world soaring as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Gaza, which have seen massive civilian casualties.

Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Wednesday evening against the holding of an "Israel is Forever" gala in the city, organised by far-right figures.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and set off red flares, AFP photographs showed. Clashes broke out with police firing tear gas and some protesters damaged the window of a restaurant.

<h2>Thousands of police</h2>

A total of 4,000 police and members of the security forces will be stationed in Paris and around the Stade de France, where the athletics and rugby sevens events were held during this year's Olympics.

In a rare move, police will also be deployed inside the stadium. Civilian staff are normally assigned to those roles.

An elite police unit will guard the Israeli team on its journey to and from the stadium and another 1,600 civilian security personnel will also be on duty at the match.

The security context has clearly impacted the attendance, with only around 13,000 spectators expected to attend the game in a venue that holds up to 80,000, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday.

That is lower than the figure of 25,000 announced by Sports Minister Gil Averous earlier Wednesday.

"I can understand why people don't want to come," one of France's players, defender Dayot Upamecano, said. "It's their choice. We're going to battle on the pitch and win this match.

"I'm just here to play. I like peace and I hope one day we will have it again, in all countries," the Bayern Munich player said.

President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier will attend, as well as former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

A handful of French lawmakers, including from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, have called for the match to be postponed or moved to another French city. Both suggestions were quickly shut down by the government.

The Belgian government took a different course when its national men's team was to face Israel in September. It decided to move the match to Hungary citing security concerns.

Macron will be present at the match "because there was strong emotion, especially after Amsterdam", said a member of the president's team, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It is important to show support, to also say that we will not give in to fears.

"I know that there have been controversies and misunderstandings. But for us, there is no doubt about the involvement of the president in the fight against anti-Semitism."

On the pitch, France are attempting to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals. They only need a draw to do so.

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is missing from the France squad as he was for two matches last month.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week.

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week. The Paris police chief has described the match at the Stade de France as "high risk" and Israel has urged fans to avoid the fixture, which authorities fear could become another flashpoint following the violence in the Netherlands. Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were chased by men on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7. Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema called it a "poisonous cocktail" of anti-Semitism. ALSO READ: Bruno Fernandes hopes for 'change in energy' as Ruben Amorim takes charge of Manchester United Dutch police said the violence came after Maccabi fans had set fire to a Palestinian flag the night before, and vandalised a taxi. The mayor however stressed on Tuesday that "even though a more complete picture emerged" of the evening's events, "and all sorts of terrible things happened, it in no way negates that a 'hunt for Jews'" call had gone out. The violence in Amsterdam took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world soaring as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Gaza, which have seen massive civilian casualties. Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Wednesday evening against the holding of an "Israel is Forever" gala in the city, organised by far-right figures. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and set off red flares, AFP photographs showed. Clashes broke out with police firing tear gas and some protesters damaged the window of a restaurant. Thousands of police A total of 4,000 police and members of the security forces will be stationed in Paris and around the Stade de France, where the athletics and rugby sevens events were held during this year's Olympics. In a rare move, police will also be deployed inside the stadium. Civilian staff are normally assigned to those roles. An elite police unit will guard the Israeli team on its journey to and from the stadium and another 1,600 civilian security personnel will also be on duty at the match. The security context has clearly impacted the attendance, with only around 13,000 spectators expected to attend the game in a venue that holds up to 80,000, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday. That is lower than the figure of 25,000 announced by Sports Minister Gil Averous earlier Wednesday. "I can understand why people don't want to come," one of France's players, defender Dayot Upamecano, said. "It's their choice. We're going to battle on the pitch and win this match. "I'm just here to play. I like peace and I hope one day we will have it again, in all countries," the Bayern Munich player said. President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier will attend, as well as former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. A handful of French lawmakers, including from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, have called for the match to be postponed or moved to another French city. Both suggestions were quickly shut down by the government. The Belgian government took a different course when its national men's team was to face Israel in September. It decided to move the match to Hungary citing security concerns. Macron will be present at the match "because there was strong emotion, especially after Amsterdam", said a member of the president's team, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It is important to show support, to also say that we will not give in to fears. "I know that there have been controversies and misunderstandings. But for us, there is no doubt about the involvement of the president in the fight against anti-Semitism." On the pitch, France are attempting to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals. They only need a draw to do so. Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is missing from the France squad as he was for two matches last month. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Israel-France face off under tight security following Amsterdam riots

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew. Interim boss Lee Carsley is overseeing his final two fixtures, in Athens on Thursday and at Wembley three days later, before handing the reins over to Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley will be without string of senior players -- seven from the top four clubs in the Premier League -- after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden withdrew from the squad. Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has also pulled out. Attacking midfielder Rogers, 22, has received his first senior call-up after impressing for Unai Emery's Villa side this season, scoring three times and providing three assists.

Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite, along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford, have also been added to the squad. Arsenal's Rice and Saka were forced off during the second half of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

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Alexander-Arnold suffered a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa but is set to return later this month. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had expressed his bemusement at Grealish being called up despite not featuring for his club since October 20.

Carsley will return to his role as England Under-21s manager after the Nations League games, with Tuchel starting his job in January. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League.

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Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew. Interim boss Lee Carsley is overseeing his final two fixtures, in Athens on Thursday and at Wembley three days later, before handing the reins over to Thomas Tuchel. Carsley will be without string of senior players -- seven from the top four clubs in the Premier League -- after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden withdrew from the squad. Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has also pulled out. Attacking midfielder Rogers, 22, has received his first senior call-up after impressing for Unai Emery's Villa side this season, scoring three times and providing three assists. Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite, along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford, have also been added to the squad. Arsenal's Rice and Saka were forced off during the second half of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Chelsea. Also read: ATP Finals: Alexander Zverev eases past Andrey Rublev as Carlos Alcaraz falters against Casper Ruud Alexander-Arnold suffered a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa but is set to return later this month. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had expressed his bemusement at Grealish being called up despite not featuring for his club since October 20. Carsley will return to his role as England Under-21s manager after the Nations League games, with Tuchel starting his job in January. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers gets first England call-up after mass withdrawal ahead of Nations League games

England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad.

Carsley will return to his role as Under-21s manager after Nations League games against Greece and Ireland, with Thomas Tuchel starting as the new boss in January.

Hall, 20, has impressed for Newcastle this season, playing in all 10 Premier League games and could provide an answer to England's left-back problems.

Harwood-Bellis, 22, has also been an ever-present for Southampton and has impressed during a difficult start to life back in the Premier League for his club.

"They're both players who have played a lot of minutes this season and have shown they can consistently play in the Premier League at a high level," said Carsley.

Manchester City defender John Stones and Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo are ruled out with injuries, but Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer are included in the 26-man squad despite fitness issues of their own.

Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also back in the squad after his maiden call-up for last month's games against Greece and Finland.

England head to the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Thursday to face Greece, who have a three-point cushion over them at the top of Group B2, before hosting Ireland three days later.

Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League.

Tuchel has signed an 18-month deal that begins on January 1, so will only be an interested observer during this month's games.

"He hasn't had any influence on the squad selection," said Carsley. "I've spoken to him by text, but it's literally congratulations.

"I think he's highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-series-opener-in-durban-774287">Ind vs SA, 1st T20I Live Streaming: When and where to watch series opener in Durban</a>

<h2>England squad</h2>

Goalkeepers:&nbsp;Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale&nbsp;

Defenders:&nbsp;Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ezri Konsa, Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker

Midfielders:&nbsp;Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Conor Gallagher, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice

Forwards:&nbsp;Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke, Ollie Watkins

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad.

England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad. Carsley will return to his role as Under-21s manager after Nations League games against Greece and Ireland, with Thomas Tuchel starting as the new boss in January. Hall, 20, has impressed for Newcastle this season, playing in all 10 Premier League games and could provide an answer to England's left-back problems. Harwood-Bellis, 22, has also been an ever-present for Southampton and has impressed during a difficult start to life back in the Premier League for his club. "They're both players who have played a lot of minutes this season and have shown they can consistently play in the Premier League at a high level," said Carsley. Manchester City defender John Stones and Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo are ruled out with injuries, but Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer are included in the 26-man squad despite fitness issues of their own. Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also back in the squad after his maiden call-up for last month's games against Greece and Finland. England head to the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Thursday to face Greece, who have a three-point cushion over them at the top of Group B2, before hosting Ireland three days later. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League. Tuchel has signed an 18-month deal that begins on January 1, so will only be an interested observer during this month's games. "He hasn't had any influence on the squad selection," said Carsley. "I've spoken to him by text, but it's literally congratulations. "I think he's highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing." ALSO READ | Ind vs SA, 1st T20I Live Streaming: When and where to watch series opener in Durban England squad Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ezri Konsa, Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Conor Gallagher, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice Forwards: Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke, Ollie Watkins Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: England hand first call-ups to Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis

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