Catch up with Matchday 4
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Article summary
Spain confirmed their place in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals but Portugal were made to wait following a Matchday 4 draw.
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Holders Spain are through to the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals following a 3-0 win on Matchday 4 but Portugal missed the chance to join them as they drew 0-0 in Glasgow.
UEFA.com rounds up Tuesday's action.
Tuesday
Spain 3-0 Serbia
Aymeric Laporte's early header put the hosts in control, with Mikel Merino nodding against the post before the break. Captain Álvaro Morata sent a penalty over the bar shortly after the interval, but doubled the lead soon afterwards with a crisp finish following a neat passing move. Serbia were reduced to ten men by Strahinja Pavlović's dismissal for a foul, and from the resulting free-kick, Álex Baena curled in a delightful third.
Scotland 0-0 Portugal
Scotland claimed their first point, a goalless draw meaning unbeaten Portugal are not yet mathematically certain of a last-eight place. Scott McTominay and Ryan Christie called Diogo Costa into action during the first half, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Francisco Conceição shot over after the break. Craig Gordon then thwarted Bruno Fernandes three minutes from time to deny the visitors a fourth straight victory.
Poland 3-3 Croatia
Poland took an early lead through Piotr Zieliński, but Croatia responded with a Borna Sosa volley before finishes from Petar Sučić and Martin Baturina put them 3-1 ahead. The energetic Nicola Zalewski restored Polish hopes with a pinpoint finish on the cusp of half-time, and substitute Robert Lewandowski then set up Sebastian Szymański to level. However, the hosts were unable to force their advantage after Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković's 76th-minute dismissal.
Switzerland 2-2 Denmark
The Swiss earned their first point in an action-packed draw. Remo Freuler gave them a first-half lead with a thumping strike, but Denmark equalised within two minutes through first-time starter Gustav Isaksen. Zeki Amdouni restored the hosts' lead from the spot on the stroke of half-time, but Christian Eriksen struck to pull the visitors level once more.
Best of the rest
- Having won their previous three home games 2-0, Northern Ireland raised the bar with a 5-0 success against Bulgaria, 21-year-old Isaac Price scoring a first career hat-trick. It matched their most emphatic wins of all time: 5-0s against Cyprus in 1971 and the Faroe Islands in 1991.
- Romania are the only side in League C side with a 100% record after Mircea Lucescu's men recovered from conceding an early penalty to win 2-1 in Lithuania, Denis Drăguş scoring the decisive goal in the second half.
- Romania and Kosovo are certain to finish as the top two in Group C2 following Tuesday's results. Captain Amir Rrahmani, Ermal Krasniqi and Emir Sahiti were on target in Kosovo's 3-0 triumph against Cyprus, which opened up a six-point gap between second and third places.
All Tuesday's results
A1 Poland 3-3 Croatia, Scotland 0-0 Portugal
A4 Spain 3-0 Serbia, Switzerland 2-2 Denmark
C2 Kosovo 3-0 Cyprus, Lithuania 1-2 Romania
C3 Belarus 1-1 Luxembourg, Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Monday
Germany 1-0 Netherlands
Debutant Jamie Leweling's finish enabled Germany to secure a quarter-final place as one of the top two sides in Group A3, the 23-year-old pouncing on a loose ball following a corner shortly after the hour. Maximilian Mittelstädt and Tim Kleindienst tested Bart Verbruggen in the first half, and Ronald Koeman's visitors twice went close in the closing stages, Xavi Simons' strike clipping the crossbar before substitute Donyell Malen brought the best out of keeper Oliver Baumann.
Belgium 1-2 France
Randal Kolo Muani struck twice in Brussels as Les Bleus extended their winning run against Belgium to seven competitive matches. After Youri Tielemans sent a 23rd-minute penalty over the crossbar, Kolo Muani scored from the spot 12 minutes later. Loïs Openda headed the equaliser during first-half added time, but France's No12 nodded in the 62nd-minute winner before Aurélien Tchouameni was dismissed for Les Bleus with 14 minutes remaining.
Italy 4-1 Israel
Omri Glazer made a number of fine first-half saves, but there was no stopping the Azzurri once Mateo Retegui converted a 41st-minute penalty. Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed the Azzurri's second, and while Abu Fani replied direct from a corner, Italy responded forcefully, Davide Frattesi and Di Lorenzo producing fine low finishes as the Azzurri stayed in control at the top of Group A2.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-2 Hungary
Dominik Szoboszlai struck twice as Hungary secured their first win of the campaign. The hosts made the early running in Zenica, but Hungary's captain put the visitors ahead eight minutes before half-time with a low shot. He doubled their advantage five minutes after the restart, coolly dispatching a penalty after substitute Nail Omerović had been penalised for a foul in the box.
Best of the rest
- Türkiye were a goal behind inside three minutes and also missed a penalty in Iceland, but still emerged with a victory on the road, Arda Güler and Kerem Aktürkoğlu striking in the closing stages to turn a 2-2 draw into a 4-2 win.
- Wales remain unbeaten in four games under their new coach Craig Bellamy after Harry Wilson's penalty earned them a 1-0 win against Montenegro, but the Dragons still trail Türkiye by two points at the top of Group B4.
- Czechia hold a one-point lead at the top of Group B1 following a 1-1 draw against Ukraine, with fellow UEFA EURO 2024 contenders Albania and Georgia on their shoulders in the wake of the Albanians' 1-0 victory in Tbilisi, Kristjan Asllani hitting the winner.
All Monday's results
A2 Belgium 1-2 France, Italy 4-1 Israel
A3 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-2 Hungary, Germany 1-0 Netherlands
B1 Georgia 0-1 Albania, Ukraine 1-1 Czechia
B4 Iceland 2-4 Türkiye, Wales 1-0 Montenegro
C1 Azerbaijan 1-3 Slovakia, Estonia 0-3 Sweden
Sunday
Finland 1-3 England
England remain within three points of section leaders Greece after victory in Helsinki. They took an 18th-minute lead when Jack Grealish slotted in from Angel Gomes' inspired pass. Finland could have equalised when Fredrik Jensen fired over shortly after half-time, but Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in a sublime 74th-minute free-kick before Declan Rice stabbed in ten minutes later. Arttu Hoskonen headed a consolation for the hosts.
Best of the rest
- Having beaten England at Wembley on Thursday night, Greece maintained their three-point lead at the top of Group B2 with a 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland, Tasos Bakasetas scoring just after the interval and Petros Mantalos striking late. Ivan Jovanović's side have a maximum 12 points after four games.
- Austria were the big winners on Sunday night as they followed up a 4-0 victory against Kazakhstan with a 5-1 defeat of Norway. Marko Arnautović hit their first two in Linz (the second a penalty), with Philipp Lienhart, Stefan Posch and Michael Gregoritsch on target after the break.
- North Macedonia won 2-0 in Armenia to take a six-point lead at the top of Group C4, Bojan Miovski and Isnik Alimi on target in the closing 20 minutes in Yerevan. Blagoja Milevski's side have won their last three games without conceding.
All Sunday's results
B2 Finland 1-3 England, Greece 2-0 Republic of Ireland
B3 Kazakhstan 0-1 Slovenia, Austria 5-1 Norway
C4 Armenia 0-2 North Macedonia, Faroe Islands 1-1 Latvia
D1 Liechtenstein 0-0 Gibraltar
D2 Malta 1-0 Moldova