UEFA Nations League Matchday 3 round-up: Cristiano Ronaldo scores again, Spain go top after Denmark win

Cristiano Ronaldo was back among the goals for Portugal and Spain eventually found a way through a stern Denmark defence on a potentially significant night in the UEFA Nations League.

UEFA.com rounds up the Matchday 3 action.

Saturday

Croatia 2-1 Scotland

Goals from Igor Matanović and Andrej Kramarić secured a comeback victory for the 2022/23 Nations League runners-up in Zagreb. Scotland began brightly and were rewarded when Ryan Christie pounced on a miscued clearance just after the half-hour mark. However, the Vatreni needed just three minutes to level, with Matanović sweeping home after Ivan Perišić's lay-off.

Craig Gordon, making his first Tartan Army start since November 2022, did well to keep out second-half strikes from Matanović and Luka Modrić, but when the 41-year-old goalkeeper could only parry Borna Sosa's crisp half-volley, Kramarić was perfectly placed to nod in the winner from close range.

Poland 1-3 Portugal

Goals from Bernardo Silva and Ronaldo helped Portugal make it three wins from three in Group A1. Silva's volley broke the deadlock in the 26th minute, with Ronaldo doubling the advantage 11 minutes later by tapping in after Rafael Leão's initial effort struck the post.

Piotr Zieliński pulled one back in the 78th minute, but Jan Bednarek's late own goal ensured the visitors maintained their perfect start.

Serbia 2-0 Switzerland

Serbia claimed their first Nations League win of the campaign with victory over Switzerland. The hosts were ahead just before the break when the unfortunate Nico Elvedi turned Lazar Samardžić's free-kick into the net.

Just after the hour mark, Eagles captain Aleksandar Mitrović doubled the advantage with an eye-catching strike following a mazy run. With time running out, Switzerland piled on the pressure but Breel Embolo could not beat Predrag Rajković from the penalty spot and Elvedi's looping header clipped the crossbar in added time.

Spain 1-0 Denmark

Martín Zubimendi's volley 11 minutes from time put dominant Spain a point above their visitors at the section summit.

After home goalkeeper David Raya turned Kasper Dolberg's early strike behind, Lars Knudsen's side were indebted to Kasper Schmeichel for saves from Lamine Yamal and Álvaro Morata, both of whom went close more than once. Zubimendi's first-time effort from distance made the breakthrough, Denmark suffering their first defeat of the campaign.

Best of the rest

• Romania scored three first-half goals against Cyprus to maintain their 100% record in Group C2 with a comfortable victory.
• Kosovo made it back-to-back away wins in the Nations League for the first time in their history as they kept up the pressure up on Romania.
• Belarus remain top of Group C3 following a battling draw with Northern Ireland.

All Saturday's results

A1 Croatia 2-1 Scotland, Poland 1-3 Portugal
A4 Serbia 2-0 Switzerland, Spain 1-0 Denmark
C2 Cyprus 0-3 Romania, Lithuania 1-2 Kosovo
C3 Belarus 0-0 Northern Ireland, Bulgaria 0-0 Luxembourg

Friday

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Germany

Undav scored twice as Germany won in Zenica, firing in the 30th-minute opener from Florian Wirtz's neat lay-off and poking in his second from Maximilian Mittelstädt's cross six minutes later.

In between, the visitors survived a scare when Ermedin Demirović – Undav and Mittelstädt's team-mate at Stuttgart – fired against the crossbar from a lightning counterattack. Sergej Barbarez's spirited side did give themselves hope through captain Edin Džeko's 70th-minute header, but Germany held on to move two points clear in the section.

Hungary 1-1 Netherlands

The visitors needed a late goal to rescue a point against a tenacious Hungary side in Budapest. Despite Netherlands controlling the majority of possession in the first half, Hungary struck first through a well-worked counterattack which ended with Roland Sallai finishing off Zsolt Nagy's inviting cross at the back post.

Netherlands' task was made tougher in the 79th minute when captain Virgil van Dijk was sent off for a second yellow card, but with seven minutes left Cody Gakpo curled in a free-kick from the right for Denzel Dumfries to head in and earn a draw.

Best of the rest

• Brennan Johnson scored in a seventh consecutive game for club and country, the Tottenham winger scoring Wales' opening goal, but Iceland came from 2-0 down to draw in Group B4.
• Slovakia also recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Sweden in Group C1, David Strelec scoring a double.
• Mykhailo Mudryk was the match winner for Ukraine in their 1-0 triumph against Georgia in Group B1, the winger's cool finish settling the contest on 35 minutes.

All Friday's results

A3 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Germany, Hungary 1-1 Netherlands
B1 Czechia 2-0 Albania, Ukraine 1-0 Georgia
B4 Iceland 2-2 Wales, Türkiye 1-0 Montenegro
C1 Estonia 3-1 Azerbaijan, Slovakia 2-2 Sweden

Thursday

Italy 2-2 Belgium

Lorenzo Pellegrini's red card was a turning point as Belgium came from two goals down to draw in Rome. The hosts had a brilliant start, scoring after 59 seconds through Andrea Cambiaso, before adding a second as Mateo Retegui rolled in when Koen Casteels failed to hold.

But after the Azzurri were reduced to ten players, Belgium pulled one back almost straight away when Maxim De Cuyper bent in. Then, just after the hour mark, the visitors claimed a point as Leandro Trossard poked in a clever volley from a Wout Faes header.

Israel 1-4 France

France closed the gap on Italy in Group A2 thanks to a resounding victory. In the absence of Kylian Mbappé, it was Aurélien Tchouaméni who captained Les Bleus. However, it was his midfield partner, Eduardo Camavinga, who opened the scoring after only seven minutes as Israel goalkeeper Omri Glazer failed to keep out his effort.

Omri Gandelman levelled with a header but parity was short-lived with Christopher Nkunku quickly scoring his first goal for France from close range. Late strikes from Mattéo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola then added a certain sheen to the result for Didier Deschamps' side.

England 1-2 Greece

Ivan Jovanović's side seized control of the section and recorded a first-ever victory over England thanks to two second-half goals, including an added-time winner, by Vangelis Pavlidis.

Tasos Bakasetas was denied by a spectacular goal-line clearance from Levi Colwill in a first half during which Cole Palmer could have given England the lead. The visitors made the breakthrough shortly after half-time though as Pavlidis broke through the England defence before planting his finish under Jordan Pickford. Jude Bellingham thumped in a late equaliser for the Three Lions but there was still time for Pavlidis to have the final say in the 94th minute.

Best of the rest

• Erling Haaland struck his 34th international goal in just 36 matches to become Norway's all-time leading goalscorer
• Robbie Brady's 88th-minute winner gave Republic of Ireland their first points in Group B2 while Finland stay point-less
• Eljif Elmas put the seal on a commanding win for North Macedonia in Latvia that took them three points clear in Group C4.

All Thursday's results

A2 Italy 2-2 Belgium, Israel 1-4 France
B2 England 1-2 Greece, Finland 1-2 Republic of Ireland
B3 Austria 4-0 Kazakhstan, Norway 3-0 Slovenia
C4 Faroe Islands 2-2 Armenia, Latvia 0-3 North Macedonia
D1 Gibraltar 1-0 San Marino
D2 Moldova 2-0 Andorra