October 12 to 25, 2020 Global Futbol Matches (UEFA Nations League)A Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020. October 12 to 25, 2020 (UEFA Nations League)
The European Nations League continued this fortnight with Match Days 3 and 4.
League D In League D, the Ukraine hosted Albania and scored in the 22nd minute to take full charge of the match. Mykola Shaparenko scored when he cut into the box from left midfield, took control and crunched the ball into the net with his left. After the break, substitute Yevhen Makarenko made it two goals when he took the ball outside the box and shot with his second touch. Though the Albanian goalkeeper touched it with his glove, the shot was too strong.
Montenegro flew to Gibraltar in the hopes of gaining a high number of goals, and that they did as they won 5-1. Nikola P. Vukčević and Dino Islamović both scored braces for the visitors, giving them the upper hand. However, Gibraltar’s right back John Sergeant did level the match with a brilliant left footer. Islamović instead replied immediately as the ball was cut across to him near the penalty spot. The striker then scored again as he was found alone from a free kick along the ground. Stevan Jovetić polished off the match after Vukčević’s effort from long range, with Jovetić capitalising on a poor defensive clearance.
Montenegro then won their fourth game with a 2-1 victory over the Ukraine. Islamović again scored, gifted a header from his left back teammate in the 38th minute. Montenegro had the upper hand for much of the match, exemplified by substitute Fatos Bećiraj’s finish to double the lead. However, the Ukraine would not fall over, and substitute Viktor Kovalenko drew one goal back, though they were unable to equalise late in the game.
Albania fought to replicate the 5-0 drubbing in their last encounter against Gibraltar, though they fell one short. Armando Broja opened the scoring when he was left alone to his devices near the edge of the box. Berat Djimsiti added to the tally as he turned and shot between defenders, with the ball hardly lifting off the ground before hitting the net. Tauljant Seferi powered home a loose ball in the box, before Broja gained his brace with a well-placed left footer.
Montenegro cannot be knocked off their perch, and will grace League C in two years’ time, while the Ukraine must stay in the lowest league for one more iteration. Gibraltar will look to score another goal in their last two games.
Kazakhstan brought in a back five instead of a back three for their game against Estonia in Group D2. The higher number of defenders was needed as Estonia attacked early, keeping the ball away from goal. Kazakhstan struggled with their poor and constant through ground balls coming up short. Eventually, Estonia broke the deadlock via Rauno Sappinen. After the break, Kazakhstan improved their attacking style, making Estonia work hard in defence to keep their lead. All came to naught when Estonia won a penalty and Konstantin Vassiljev snagged it straight down the middle as the Kazakh goalkeeper dove to his right. From there, the 2-0 victory was a solid effort by the visitors, and left Kazakhstan in dire need of a miracle.
Iceland trialled a back three for their match against Monaco, and though they were vulnerable in the first minutes where Monaco should have opened the scoring, the visitors had the better of the match. Their dominance led to two goals by the 63rd minute from Jon Böðvarsson and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson, the latter who came off the bench to score with his head and then in the next phase of attack get injured and be removed from the play. As Estonia did, Iceland won 2-0, setting up the second half of games with a solid control over the group.
However, when Kazakhstan flew the longest trip to Iceland, they managed to hold Iceland for long periods of the match. Two key chances came the way of the Icelandic side in the second half after they struggled in the first to pepper beyond the back five, only to see the match slip away when Vladislav Vassiljev scored in the 84th minute. Kazakhstan held on for a vital three points.
Estonia made their way to Monaco in the hope of winning at least 2-0, mirroring their previous encounter. Sappinen scored in the first half as he had done in their previous match, while Vlasiy Sinyavskiy doubled the lead. Monaco showed signs of prowess, and this culminated in an 88th-minute consolation goal from midfielder Romain Armita. Still, Estonia gained the three points they needed to keep second place.
Iceland, Estonia and Kazakhstan can all advance to League C. Iceland fly to Estonia next and a draw there may be crucial before they host Monaco. If Estonia win against Iceland, then defeating or drawing against Kazakhstan at home will guarantee top spot. Kazakhstan must win against Monaco and Estonia and hope Iceland and Estonia draw, and Monaco then defeats Iceland in a miracle to have any chance.
In Group D3, the Faroe Islanders scored three times against Andorra as they had done in their first home match. Brandur Olsen scored his second goal in three matches, hitting the inside of the left-hand post after his first shot was wayward. Surprise starter Gunnar Vatnhamar worked back in from right wing and finished off a grand series of efforts by the hosts in their attacking third. However, Cucu pegged a goal back for Andorra, and the halftime score read 2-1, setting up a solid second half. From there, though, the Faroes had complete control, and Meinhard Olsen bagged their third when he stole the ball off the defenders and shot before the Andorran goalkeeper had time to react.
Liechtenstein surprised everyone with placing Daniel Kaufmann up front when they travelled to Latvia. This gamble paid off as Kaufmann was pivotal in the lead up and scoring of the first goal, and he won the free kick that Dennis Salanović scored to give the visitors a two-goal lead. Latvia struggled to get back in the game, until Vladislavs Gutkovskis won and netted a penalty when he was pushed over in the box during a corner kick. The Latvian striker should have scored again, only for the Liechtenstein goalkeeper to parry away the chip shot when they faced off minutes after the penalty. From there, Liechtenstein held on for their first win of the Nations League.
Buoyed by the win, Liechtenstein went on the attack in their fourth match, against the Faroe Islands. Poor shots and a high number of offsides, along with resolute defending kept the hosts away from goal. However, right on the stroke of halftime, Seyhan Yildiz caught onto a header in the box and looped it over the Faroe goalkeeper. From there, Liechtenstein were able to hold on for the victory, and a real chance at progressing to League C.
Latvia got out of jail against Andorra in their fourth match, scoring late via substitute Alvis Jaunzems. Earlier, Dāvis Ikaunieks netted in the fifteenth minute with a beautiful curling left footer. Latvia attacked without relent, though they could not find a second way to goal. Jaunzems had a chance when he came on, only to fire his sliding shot wide of the mark. Then, against the run of play, Cucu scored his second goal in two games, levelling the match. It took until the depths of additional time for Jaunzems to power the ball into the back of the net and gift Latvia a vital victory.
Andorra, in spite of having two home games, cannot reach League C after now being eight points behind Latvia. Latvia have two away matches, and this could prove difficult to remain ahead of Liechtenstein and the Faroe Islands. Liechtenstein should win one of their two final matches, as should the Faroe Islands. The match for Liechtenstein against Andorra could prove pivotal in their path for promotion.
In Group D4, Malta continued drawing their matches with a scoreless draw against Azerbaijan. Woeful missed shots were the order of the day as the home side struggled to get enough shots on goal. Late in the match, substitute Jurgen Degabriele should have had the winner, only for the Azerbaijan goalkeeper to get enough on the ball to send it over the bar for a corner.
Unlike switching to a back three like Malta, Moldova kept their back five when they flew to Kosovo. However, Kosovo managed to find gaps in the defence and dominated much of the match, including a goal two minutes after the break from Anel Raskai. Raskai followed up two shots by his teammates and slotted into the open goal. Kosovo should easily have had more goals, but one was enough to take the three points.
Six days later, Kosovo hosted Malta, and once again, Malta pulled out all the stops to ensure the game remained without a goal. Kosovo dominated across the park but were unable to get key shots on target.
However, three goals in the first twenty minutes set up a semi-tight encounter between Moldova and Azerbaijan. Artur Ioniţă and Ion Nicolăescu both gained goals for the home side, before Rahim Sadikhov responded for Azerbaijan. Eventually, Moldova wore down the visitors’ defence, and three more goals near the end rounded the match out to 5-1. Dennis Marandici scored twice coming off the bench for Ioniţă, while Oleg Reabciuk scored from a low shot in between the substitute’s brace.
Moldova now face Malta twice in the hope of one more win, which will guarantee them top spot in the group. Malta will look to win both matches and hope that Kosovo only win once against Azerbaijan. Kosovo, meanwhile, will try to win both matches and hope Malta can keep their drawing streak in check. As for Azerbaijan, they cannot reach the points needed for League C and will attempt to stop Kosovo doing the same.
League C Vitali Lisakovich was the lone goal scorer in a frustrating game for both Belarus and Northern Ireland. The hosts struggled with through balls early on, followed by a high number of offsides. Northern Ireland followed suit with offsides, until they were able to catch Belarus on a fast break, resulting in a penalty. However, George Saville’s spot kick was poor and easily saved by Player of the Match Aleksandr Gutor. After the break, Belarus improved in their passing and, after a few changes off the bench, Lisakovich played the ball out to the right wing, before running in and heading the returning cross to goal. From there, Belarus held on for the full three points.
San Marino gained their second win for the Nations League, also a solitary goal result. Midfielder Lorenzo Lunadei scored in the eleventh minute, cutting back in from the right wing and hitting the ball with his left. Wales looked lethargic and could not find a way to goal, even when they had a chance late, where the crossbar came into play to deny the visitors an equaliser.
Wales turned around and started well when they hosted Belarus, with Harry Wilson chipping Gutor in the fifth minute. Wales had all the play of the first half, only to not score a second until after the break, when Daniel James was found free as he ran into the box and shot with his left. However, Belarus would not relinquish the match and fought back, scoring twice via Lisakovich and Kirill Pechenin. Wales fought to wrestle back the lead, but a 2-2 draw was the end result, leaving Wales in a precarious position in the group, having now drawn two home matches.
Michael Smith opened the scoring for Northern Ireland as he had done against the Welsh on Match Day 2, taking a crucial lead away to San Marino. The hosts fought to equalise, only to not have the edge over their opposition. When substitute Matteo Vitaioli hit the right-hand post late, Northern Ireland knew the football gods were on their side, and thus gained the three points necessary.
Northern Ireland have two home games to finish and should progress to League B, while Wales must win big against San Marino and at least draw against Northern Ireland to have any hope of remaining in League C. For Belarus, their final match against Northern Ireland may determine if they progress up a level, as with San Marino in their final encounter against Wales, though with two away games, San Marino are unlikely to advance to League B.
In Group C2, no shots were made for goal in the first half between Cyprus and Romania as both defences held steadfast. After the break, the match opened up, and in the 63rd minute, Marinos Tzionis had the opening goal for Cyprus with a brilliant header. Denis Abilec equalised thirteen minutes later, also with his head, before Romania kept out two late shots on goal to come away with the draw.
Norway came from behind twice to take their first three points of the Nations League against Luxembourg. Edvin Muratovic opened the scoring for the home side on the half hour as he followed behind his fellow striker and, when the ball rebounded to him, slotted into an open net. Mohamed Elyounoussi replied twelve minutes later when he slid the ball into goal. After the break, Muratovic scored again with a deft chip over the Norwegian goalkeeper. However, the visitors remained coolheaded and both substitutes Alexander Sørloth and Stefan Johansen scored, giving them a 3-2 away victory.
Norway then returned home to face Cyprus, and in spite of poor shots on target in the first half, Norway took the lead via Sander Berge’s head. Cyprus could not get close enough to goal for an equaliser, and though Norway had plenty of chances when the game opened up, they were content gaining the single-goal victory over their opponents.
Luxembourg once again gave away a late goal to lose points, this time to Romania. The visitors opened the tale via Ciprian Deac, although Abilec should have done earlier with a missed penalty that sailed over the bar. Luxembourg worked back into the game and caught Romania off guard right before the break with Danel Sinani shooting along the ground and out of reach of the Romanian goalkeeper. A little shock came when Luxembourg took the lead via midfielder Alden Skenderovic when he struck the inside of the post. However, Alexandru Maxim managed to pull a point when he stole the ball off the Luxembourg goalkeeper and pocketed an easy goal.
With that, Romania gained their fourth draw in a row, and with two home games, may be in the best shape to top the group, if Norway fault in their last two games. Norway fly to Romania first, and then host Luxembourg. A win from either match should guarantee top spot. Luxembourg still have a shot, and must equal Norway’s result on Match Day 5, before defeating Norway by two goals, while also hoping Romania do not overtake them. As for Cyprus, they must win first against Luxembourg and then pull off an upset against Romania.
Group C3 saw Sweden host Lithuania, and the first half was full of Sweden’s offsides and slow shots straight to the visitors’ goalkeeper. The second half saw Sweden find their rhythm, with Viktor Claesson working down the left wing. However, it was Dejan Kulusevski (who had been working down the right wing but switched into the middle when Sebastian Larsson came off the bench) who scored the only goal for the game, as he was found alone beyond the defensive line and easily worked the ball into the back of the net.
Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina, who faced each other earlier in the year in the Euro 2020, played out a two-two draw. Edin Višća started the scoring for the visitors with a close-range header off a corner. After the break, Anastasios Bakasetas pegged back the goal, before Zeca gave the hosts the lead. Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina made crucial substitutes, and it seemed the Bosnian changes came to fruition as Amer Gojak came off the bench to score with his left with five minutes remaining.
Greece, yet to win a match, saw their best hope against Lithuania. After a fairly dull first half, the game opened up when Bakasetas scored straight after the break, the same time as he had done against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The goal was a mirror image of Kulusevski’s goal, where a pass beyond the Lithuanian defensive line found Bakasetas free. However, Lithuania did not give up and scored in the 77th minute via Paulus Golubickas. Sensing a missed opportunity, Greece scored two late goals, first from substitute Dimitris Pelkas, who came on early after an injury to Petros Mandalos, while Bakasetas bagged a brace with a cutback shot across and into goal. Three-one was the final score, giving Greece hope in the group.
Bosnia-Herzegovina hosted Sweden, needing their first win as well after three draws. The trend continued, though, as the two sides fought out a two-two draw. Sweden’s number eight, Albin Ekdal, scored in the eighth minute, giving the visitors the edge and a chance to retaliate for not winning their previous encounter. However, straight after the break, Bosnian right back Branimir Cipetić, shooting from the edge of the box, cut the ball to the inside of the post and in the goal. Sweden responded via the head of substitute Emil Krafth, but striker Edin Džeko replied to tie the game again. Both sides had chances to gain the winning goal, including both Bosnia’s goal scorers working together, where Cipetić crossed to Džeko; however, the Swedish goalkeeper was up to the challenge.
This draw keeps the group tight. Sweden are in the box seat to progress to League B, being four points ahead of the others. A win against either Greece or Lithuania, who they have already defeated, will guarantee that. Bosnia will hope that Sweden can at best draw both their final matches and in the process defeat Lithuania and Greece by a combined total of three goals. As for Lithuania, they have two home games, and if they can overcome Bosnia and defeat Sweden by two goals, then they can top the group. Greece have two away matches, which could mean they will end up dropping to League D. If they can win at least one of those matches, there is hope for them.
Group C4 saw Belgium taking on Scotland as both employed a back three formation. Belgium made the most of the open space in their attacking third and scored early via Thomas Meunier. Belgium peppered their goal, looking to put the game to bed before the break. However, Scottish goalkeeper David Marshall kept saving Belgian shot after shot, annoying the hosts with his sixteen saves overall. Finally, Romelu Lukaku managed to find a way to chip Marshall and double their lead. Jeremy Doku bagged Belgium’s third in the second half before being substituted. Scotland snagged back a goal via substitute Kenny McLean, but Meunier quickly finished off his brace to take the result to four-one and to gain Player of the Match status.
North Macedonia also employed a back three when they flew to Armenia. That back three, mixed with poor shots, kept the Armenians away from goal. Similarly, the North Macedonians failed to get effective shots on target, and the match petered out to a scoreless draw.
Instead, North Macedonia put all their eggs in the basket of defeating fellow 2018 World Cup participants Belgium six days later, which they did to good effect by two goals. Eljif Elmas caught onto a cross with his head just before the half hour mark, and Ilija Nestorovski finished off a 50-50 ball into the back of the net. Belgium tried in vain to wrestle back control of the match, only for desperate defence to keep them at bay. Nestorovski should have had a second goal, only to miss to the right multiple times. In the end, the two goals cancelled out the loss last month in Brussels.
Armenia looked also to counter the three-nil loss to Scotland on Match Day 1, only to lose by two goals. Kieran Tierney scored early with his head off a corner, giving the visitors the lead. Ryan Christie should have made it two goals with a penalty kick, only to fire over the bar. Instead, Christie made no mistake when the Armenian goalkeeper gifted him the ball. Armenia tried to vain to fight back, hitting the post and missing key chances.
In the end, Scotland gained second place behind Belgium. The Scots now take on North Macedonia and Belgium at home as they seek top spot. Belgium should beat Armenia at home and then tackle Scotland in the final match, where a draw will help them rise to League B. North Macedonia must defeat Scotland away, preferably by two goals and hope Scotland and Belgium draw in their final match, while then thumping Armenia after they miraculously defeat Belgium to have any hope of coming first. As for Armenia, they finish with two away games, and are unlikely to lift off the bottom of the group, having not scored a goal yet in their Nations League campaign this year.
League B Russia brought back World Cup players into their starting eleven, particularly on the right side of their formation. However, it was their opponents, Slovakia, who exploited weaknesses on their left as they won 2-0. The first goal was indirectly influenced by such attacks, where Ondrej Duda scored a brilliant goal to open the tale. Robert Boženík then finished off a great team goal that started down the right wing, and even had Robert Mak have a shot before the striker collected the Russian goalkeeper’s spoiled efforts. After the break, Slovakia could have had a third goal, only to be held away from the goal by the Russians as they fought to remain in the game.
Russia then flew to Finland, hoping to exact revenge on the home draw on Match Day 1. The plan started well when Roman Zobnin scored in the seventeenth minute. However, Teemu Pukki replied a minute later when his partner up front, Fredrik Jensen, assisted with a lovely through ball. The goals kept coming in the first half, with Alexei Ionov working inboard from right midfield to take back the lead. Once again, Finland replied, this time with a choice team goal culminating in right back Albin Granlund easing into an open goal. The second half was far tighter, though Finland seemed more likely to score. As the match petered towards a draw, Pukki shot from the edge of the box, while his teammate Tim Sparv attempted to get out of the way. The ball grazed Sparv’s right boot enough to change the ball’s trajectory, and the Russian goalkeeper could not alter his dive in time as the ball slid underneath him, gifting Finland the three points.
Group B1 will come down to the final two games, where Slovakia have a great chance at overtaking Finland at the top of the group. Russia are in danger of dropping to League C and must win their final game, whilst hoping Slovakia only draw against Finland and then win by three goals or more on the last day of matches. Finland will leap to League A with a draw against Slovakia.
In Group B2, Croatia and Ireland faced off, where Ireland should have scored early, only for Bruno Petković to score for the Croatians in the 36th minute. From there, Croatia had the upper hand in the game, with Milan Badelj keeping central midfield in complete control. The hosts should have scored more, though they seemed content with the single-goal victory.
Ireland then travelled to Turkey to see off the red-hot side, and that they did with a solitary-goal victory. Jeffrey Hendrick scored for the visitors in the first half, and though Turkey had control of the rest before the break, they were unable to equalise. Burak Yılmaz hit the post twice and other shots from his teammates flew wide. Ireland’s defence in the second half held firm as they turned around their one-nil loss to Turkey on the first day.
Croatia have a game in hand and will look to defeat Turkey, before flying to Ireland and ensuring a draw to gain promotion to League A. Turkey, if they can defeat Croatia, will guarantee top spot in the group. As for Ireland, they have to hope Croatia defeats Turkey and then they defeat Croatia by at least three goals. Anything less and they may be relegated to League C.
In Group B3, Israel hosted Portugal in the hopes of gaining three vital points. Both sides had chances to score, including the home side hitting the woodwork. Without Ronaldo, Portugal usually have the goods, but on this occasion, they could not find a way to goal. In the end, the two sides played out a scoreless draw.
Portugal came from Israel and flew to Switzerland, looking to gain a vital away goal or even a win. The latter almost came about after Portugal made the most of their chances up forward, while Switzerland could only produce weak shots on target as most flew wide of the mark. Right before the break, Portugal took the lead with the penalty of William Carvalho, shooting straight as the Swiss goalkeeper jumped to his right. Portugal should have had another, as in the second half they hit the woodwork three times, twice from corner headers. Instead, as the match ticked into additional time, Xherdan Shaqiri worked down the left wing and crossed to the head of Mario Gavranović to draw the match.
Israel hosts Switzerland next before flying to Portugal in the final game of the group. If Israel can defeat Switzerland by three goals, then Switzerland will drop to League C. Anything less means Israel must produce a result in their final game, while a loss to Switzerland will mean curtains. Portugal seem in the box seat to rise to League A, as they ought to defeat Israel on home soil.
In Group B4, Georgia gained their first win with a single goal against Austria. With sixty percent possession in the first half, Georgia made sure the ball remained in their attacking half for long periods. That pressure partly caused the goal straight after the break, where Nika Katcharava headed home after the cross from the left-hand side of the box. From there, Georgia maintained enough momentum to keep Austria at bay and gain a vital three points.
Austria needed to bounce back with their away match against Hungary, and bounce back they did, with both right midfielders Alessandro Schöpf and his replacement Reinhold Ranftl scoring. Hungary hit the woodwork three times and the remainder of their shots flew wide of the mark. Accuracy proved the difference on the day, as Schöpf found himself with the ball in front of the penalty spot and had no trouble easing the ball into the back of the net. Ranftl doubled the lead when he drifted beyond the defence and caught onto the through ball before anyone had time to react.
Hungary will rue this missed opportunity to almost guarantee reaching the top League. They play Georgia away in their final game and a draw will be enough for them to rise to League A. Georgia, meanwhile, must gain three points and then hold off away to Austria to take it. Austria, though, will hope Georgia wins against Hungary and then defeat Georgia by a greater margin. The stage it set for a grand finale.
League A Serbia continued their winning streak after their three-nil drubbing of Italy with a three-one win over the Czech Republic. Two early goals set up the game for the hosts as they controlled long periods. Nemanja Maksimović scored as he had against the Italians, sneaking a header into the corner of the goal. Sergej Milinković-Savić then scored a 180-degree turn-and-shoot. Serbia continued to dominate the match, although it took until the 89th minute where substitute Mihailo Ristić scored with a brilliant volley. Czech substitute Petr Ševčík gained a consolation goal, but the damage had already been done.
The Czechs then flew to Italy, hoping to gain a result against the southern Europeans. Italy had all the play early, brought about by a ninth-minute goal by Ciro Immobile. Scoring as he had in their last encounter, Immobile dribbled to the point where he was one-on-one, and waited until the Czech goalkeeper lowered his body before raising the ball enough over and into the back of the net. The Czechs, meanwhile, missed key opportunities. They finally got on the board via Alex Král, who shot with his left as he lost balance into an open goal. In a shock twist, Ondřej Čelůstka then scored five minutes from the end to gift the visitors a crucial away victory.
With the two home losses, Italy are set to drop to League B, as even though they can reach four points, the Czechs have a better head-to-head against them. Serbia have two matches remaining, at home against Italy then away to the Czech Republic. A win from either of these will ensure a place in the Nations League Finals. The Czechs will hope for a drawn game between Serbia and Italy, at worst, then defeat the Serbs by at least three goals.
In Group A2, Bulgaria hosted the Dutch, and by the half-hour mark, the visitors already had three goals. Luuk de Jong opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he cut back onto his right foot and fired home from outside the box. Memphis Depay doubled the lead as he led onto a through ball with no defensive pressure. The head of Georginio Wijnaldum came into play off a corner for the Netherlands’ third goal. Bulgaria did score before the break via an own goal off Frenkie de Jong when left back Anton Nedyalkov initially fired a shot (which was actually off the mark, as replays showed). The second half was a tighter affair, though Bulgaria did create some chances, only for none to get beyond the Dutch goalkeeper. Three-one was the final score, giving the Netherlands a chance at reaching the Finals.
Steven Nzonzi returned to the French side as they sought to solidify their grip over the Netherlands. That came with a series of attacks, only halted by the Dutch goalkeeper (six saves for the match). Instead, Luuk de Jong scored again to give the visitors the edge, and that was the only goal scored, in spite of the French efforts.
That win keeps alive first and second place, where both France and the Netherlands have one final match each against Bulgaria. France play away and the Netherlands play at home. For the Dutch to make the Finals, they must hope France at best draws their match, while they then defeat Bulgaria. Bulgaria can still save relegation if they win both matches, but they both must be of a great margin, so then each team is on six points, and the only difference between the sides is goal difference.
For Group A3, Germany scored two first-half goals to set up a solid away victory over Slovenia. Serge Gnabry was found right in front of the goal in the seventeenth minute and he made no mistake. Then right before the break, Germany won the ball with Leroy Sané free to the left, and he pocketed the visitors’ second goal. Slovenia tried in vain to peg back a goal, but the writing was on the wall for the hosts as they came up short against the top nation.
Germany then travelled to Spain and Gnabry scored first again, this time in the fifteenth minute. A poor goal kick fell straight to Gnabry and he shot into the open net, giving Germany the lead. Spain were rattled with such a poor error that they struggled to get back into the match. Germany’s substitute Nadiem Amiri then made it two goals in the 78th minute. Spain did reply late from their own number seven substitute in Alvaro Morata, but it was too late, and Germany bagged their second away victory.
Germany have the slight edge over Spain, even though the head-to-head is even. They also have a final home game against Slovenia and should win that one. Earlier, Spain head to Slovenia in the hope of bagging a win and must make up a goal difference against Germany of one. Slovenia, meanwhile, can still remain in League A with two wins, provided they can also defeat Spain by two goals. It is likely Germany will progress to the Finals and Slovenia will see League B in two years’ time.
In Group A4, England flew to Poland, where the home side had the better of the first half. Early on, the ball needed to be cleared off the line by the English defence. The pressure culminated in a Robert Lewandowski goal as he played a one-two and found himself running freely towards goal. The Polish striker should have had a second, only to hit the woodwork minutes later, and then after the break miss to the right of goal. England then had the upper hand as the game deepened, thanks to substitute Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain sliding in when the Polish defence were running back to their own goal and did not have precise control of the ball. Both sides sought a late winner, only for the game to end in a draw.
England then travelled to Denmark, where the Danes hoped to gain a vital win. Though the Danes created multiple half-chances, it was Marcus Rashford who looked the goods for the visitors. Hitting the woodwork and causing defensive errors, Rashford possibly should have put England ahead. Instead, after the break, Denmark caught the English napping as Kasper Dolberg ran onto a through ball and hit first time beyond the goalkeeper. Rashford responded immediately with a goal from close range and tight angle, curling the ball into the back of the net. From there, both sides had one more opportunity each to gain the winning goal, only to fall short, and England gained yet another one-all away draw.
England host Poland on the final Match Day, which is likely to decide who makes the Nations League Finals. Poland, with two games left, should defeat Denmark on home soil, placing them in a good position for that final match. As for Denmark, they must defeat Poland by at least three goals and hope that England defeat Poland to have any hope of staying in League A.
© 2020 Steve Clark |
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Added on November 14, 2020 Last Updated on November 14, 2020 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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