Swiss beat Austria, Portugal win big
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
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Switzerland beat Austria, Russia bowed to Croatia and Portugal secured their biggest victory under Fernando Santos, as UEFA.com wraps up the finalists' friendly games.
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Austria 1-2 Switzerland
Former Swiss international and Austria coach Marcel Koller suffered a first defeat in nine as his countrymen bounced back from Friday's reverse in Slovakia. Haris Seferovic struck twice in the first half with David Alaba responding for the hosts.
Italy 2-2 Romania
Antonio Conte's side recovered from going a goal down before conceding a late equaliser. Bogdan Stancu's eighth-minute effort was cancelled out by a Claudio Marchisio penalty on 55 minutes, then Manolo Gabbiadini got his first international goal. However, Florin Andone struck two minutes from time as Romania finished 2015 unbeaten.
Luxembourg 0-2 Portugal
Portugal returned to winning ways after Saturday's 1-0 loss to Russia, with André André and Nani on the scoresheet as a much-changed team eased past Luxembourg. André André claimed his first senior goal on 31 minutes before Nani came off the bench to settle matters with three minutes left via a free-kick on his birthday. It was Portugal's first victory by more than one goal under Fernando Santos.
Poland 3-1 Czech Republic
Ajax forward Arkadiusz Milik continued his fine form for his country, notching a goal and two assists as Adam Nawałka's team extended their unbeaten run to five. Milik hit the opener after being released by Bartosz Kapustka before Tomasz Jodłowiec added another. Ladislav Krejčí reduced the deficit before half-time, yet Kamil Grosicki made it three for the hosts after it. Poland were without Robert Lewandowski, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Lukasz Fabiański.
Russia 1-3 Croatia
A radically reshuffled home side were denied a sixth successive win under Leonid Slutski, though they led in Rostov-on-Don after Fedor Smolov pounced on a Domagoj Vida error. Goalkeeper Artem Rebrov came on for his debut but conceded second-half goals from Nikola Kalinić, Marcelo Brozović and Mario Mandžukić. Zenit midfielder Artur Yusupov also earned his first cap.
Slovakia 3-1 Iceland
Lars Lagerbäck's charges are winless in five after suffering a third consecutive away defeat. Alfred Finnbogason claimed an eighth-minute opener for the visitors, only for Róbert Mak's second-half double to turn the tide in Slovakia's favour. Michal Ďuriš clinched matters six minutes from time.
Turkey 0-0 Greece
Fatih Terim's team extended their unbeaten sequence to ten matches at the stadium in Istanbul that bears his name, though the coach will wonder how his side did not come away with a win after a dominant display. The hosts managed ten shots to Greece's two but could not find a way past Udinese keeper Orestis Karnezis.
Monday 16 November
Albania 2-2 Georgia
Substitute Migjen Basha and Sokol Çikalleshi scored late on as Albania avoided a third straight home loss. Having conceded early, the EURO finalists looked set for a gloomy evening when Giorgi Chanturia made it 2-0 not long after the restart. Georgia also hit the post soon afterwards, but Basha replied before Çikalleshi levelled on the volley in stoppage time.
* Belgium v Spain and Germany v Netherlands were cancelled for security reasons