Highlights: Germany hold France, Wales impress
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Article summary
Germany and France ended scoreles, Wales hit four and Georgia's Giorgi Chakvetadze scored the first UEFA Nations League goal.
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Article body
- Germany-France ends goalless on opening night
- Georgia's Chakvetadze scores first UEFA Nations League goal
- Wales turn on the style; Ukraine snatch late win
- Click on matches to watch highlights
- UEFA Nations League fixtures; friendlies
League A
Group A1: Germany 0-0 France
Les Bleus would surely have slipped to defeat were it not for a string of sensational saves from debutant Alphonse Areola, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper denying Thomas Müller, Mats Hummels and Matthias Ginter.
League B
Group B1: Czech Republic 1-2 Ukraine
Ukraine recovered from Patrik Schick's early opener, Yehven Konoplyanka levelling after a lovely move in first-half added time. In the dying seconds, Oleksandr Zinchenko capitalised on a goalkeeping error to poke in the winner.
Group B4: Wales 4-1 Republic of Ireland
Tom Lawrence and Gareth Bale struck early before 17-year-old Ethan Ampadu set up Aaron Ramsey for the third before the break. Connor Roberts volleyed their fourth after the restart, substitute Shaun Williams replying for the Irish.
League C
Group C3: Slovenia 1-2 Bulgaria
Bozhidar Kraev opened his international account from distance after three minutes, and though Miha Zajc responding with a header for the hosts, the 21-year-old Kraev earned the win after chasing down a long ball into the box.
Group C3: Norway 2-0 Cyprus
Norway made it ten wins from ten against Cyprus, captain Stefan Johansen playing chasing down Omar Elabdellaoui's long ball to smash in his side's first, before doubling the lead with a deliciously-struck free-kick just before the break.
League D
Group D1: Kazakhstan 0-2 Georgia
Giorgi Chakvetadze scored the first UEFA Nations League goal – a stunning 69th-minute drive – Vladimír Weiss' charges sealed victory five minutes later when Nenad Erić parried Valeri Kazaishvili's effort into his own net off Sergei Maliy.
Group D1: Latvia 0-0 Andorra
The hosts dominated possession, but rarely troubled Josep Gomes in the visitors' goal, and Koldo Alvarez's Andorra looked the more likely scorers in the closing minutes.
Group D4: Armenia 2-1 Liechtenstein
Sandro Wolfinger cancelled out Marcos Pizzelli's classy opener, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan had a second-half penalty saved before Michele Polverino's dismissal set the stage for substitute Tigran Barseghyan's 76th-minute winner.
Group D4: Gibraltar 0-2 FYR Macedonia
Ivan Tričkovski broke the deadlock for the visitors on 19 minutes and Egzijan Alioski doubled their lead before the break, capitalising on a loose ball following a corner. The Macedonians are now unbeaten in eight games.
Friendlies
Slovakia 3-0 Denmark (Wednesday)
Portugal 1-1 Croatia
Austria 2-0 Sweden
Netherlands 2-1 Peru