European Super Football

Spain 3 - 3 Netherlands The match finished 5-5 on aggregate. Spain won 5-4 on penalties Author - Paul Woods Stadium - Estadio de Mestalla Spain had twice taken the lead in normal time, both courtesy of Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal. But Memphis Depay marked his 100th Netherlands cap with a penalty early in the second half, before debutant Ian Maatsen’s thunderous strike forced extra time. Yamal restored Spain’s lead with a stunning solo effort, curling a beauty into the far corner, but Xavi Simons hit back with another Dutch penalty after Simón had brought him down in the box. The shootout saw Lang rattle the crossbar before Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen kept out Yamal. However, Simón produced the crucial stop from Malen, allowing Pedri to send Spain through to a last-four clash with France. The victory extends Spain’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches, and they haven’t lost in the Nations League since a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in September 2022. A...

Germany 3 - 3 Italy (Germany won 5-4 on aggregate) Germany capitalised on a series of Italian mistakes, including a bizarre error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, to book their place in the Nations League semi-finals, despite a spirited late comeback from Italy. Author - James L Stadium - Signal Iduna Park Julian Nagelsmann’s side secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the quarter-final at the San Siro in Milan and completed the job at Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park. Donnarumma endured a nightmare evening, first conceding a penalty converted by Germany captain Joshua Kimmich after Tim Kleindienst was fouled by Alessandro Buongiorno. Worse was to follow, as the goalkeeper inexplicably wandered off his line after tipping a Kleindienst header over the bar. Kimmich reacted quickly, whipping in a corner for Jamal Musiala to slot into an empty net. That put Germany 4-1 up on aggregate, and they tightened their grip just before half-time when Italy’s attempts to play ou...

Italy 1 - 2 Germany Germany came from behind to secure their first away victory over Italy in 39 years, during the Nations League quarter-final first leg. Author - Peter Grainger Stadium - San Siro Sandro Tonali helped Newcastle defeat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and he openeed the scoring with a first-time finish after Jonathan Tah cleared Matteo Politano's cross into his path. Germany responded well, After Leon Goretzka twice went close to an equaliser before the break, half-time substitute Tim Kleindienst headed the visitors level early in the second period from Joshua Kimmich's delivery. Moise Kean came close to opening the scoring with a powerful effort that flew over the bar, while Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann kept out Giacomo Raspadori with an outstretched leg. But with 14 minutes left, Leon Goretzka completed the turnaround, heading in another pinpoint Joshua Kimmich delivery. Germany almost gifted Italy an equaliser when Tim Kleindienst inadv...

Croatia 2 - 0 France France captain Kylian Mbappe's return to the national team ended in a surprising defeat against Croatia in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final. Author - Jack L Stadium - Stadion Poljud Ante Budimir's header bounced off the France goalkeeper and spun into the net, giving Croatia a 26th-minute lead. Former Tottenham winger Ivan Perišić then scored a well-placed shot into the bottom corner to extend their advantage just before halftime. Croatia could have been ahead earlier, but Andrej Kramaric's eighth-minute penalty was saved by Maignan with his feet, while Josko Gvardiol's powerful shot from long range was also kept out by the AC Milan keeper. France now face a tough task to turn the tie around in Sunday's second leg at the Stade de France. They have failed to win any of their last three matches in the Nations League when conceding first, with their last victory in such circumstances occurring against Spain in October 2021. M...

Netherlands v Spain Preview Spain, the reigning UEFA Nations League champions, head to Rotterdam for the first leg of their quarter-final clash against the Netherlands. Author - Ajay Feyenoord's stadium will host the match The winners of this two-legged tie will progress to the semi-finals in June, where they will face either Croatia or France. After being knocked out by England in the Euro 2024 semi-finals last summer, the Netherlands secured second place in League A Group 3 of the Nations League, picking up nine points from six matches (W2 D3 L1) in the latter half of last year. Since the competition's inception in 2018, the Dutch have twice come close to lifting the trophy—finishing as runners-up to Portugal in 2019 before losing the third-place playoff to Italy in 2023. READ MORE: What's the point of the UEFA Nations League Manager Ronald Koeman will be looking to shore up a defence that struggled during the group stage, conceding seven goals—the most of any team at...

Wales 4 - 1 Croatia Wales pulled off an extraordinary return to the Nations League's top tier with a commanding comeback victory over Iceland in Cardiff, aided by Montenegro’s crucial win against Turkey.  The result sealed promotion for Craig Bellamy’s side, sparking celebrations at the Cardiff City Stadium. Author - Stephen Chad Turkey had started the evening atop Group B4, two points clear of second-placed Wales, with Iceland a further two points back in third. For Wales to achieve promotion, they needed to win and hope Montenegro could do them a favour. The night began ominously for the hosts when Andri Gudjohnsen struck for Iceland in the seventh minute. Danny Ward had made a stunning save to deny Orri Oskarsson’s header, but Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea striker Eidur, pounced on the rebound to fire through Ward’s legs.  That goal ended Wales’ 321-minute home clean sheet streak , stretching back to March’s 4-1 defeat to Finland in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-fin...

Liechtenstein 1 - 3 San Marino San Marino, the world's lowest-ranked football team, made history with their first-ever away win, securing promotion to the third tier of the Nations League by defeating Liechtenstein. Author - Andy T It was a night of firsts for the tiny nation. Not only was this their inaugural away victory, but it was also the first time they scored more than once in a competitive match and the first time they netted three goals in a single game. Remarkably, San Marino's only previous wins also came against Liechtenstein—a 1-0 friendly triumph in 2004 and a narrow Nations League victory by the same scoreline in September, both on home soil. Ranked 210th in the FIFA rankings, San Marino’s footballing history has been one of struggles, with 199 defeats in their 211 matches and seven games where they’ve conceded 10 or more goals. However, under head coach Roberto Cevoli, who took charge last year after managing in Italy's lower leagues, progress has been mad...

England 5 - 0 Republic of Ireland England sealed their return to the top tier of the Nations League in stunning fashion, thrashing the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in Lee Carsley’s final game as interim manager. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Lee Carsley now hands the reins to Thomas Tuchel, who takes charge from 1 January. During his tenure, Carsley guided England to five wins in six matches, with his team delivering a commanding second-half display here after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half. The England captain's brilliant through-ball set Jude Bellingham free, only for Bellingham to be brought down by Liam Scales, earning the defender a second yellow card and a sending-off. What's the point of the UEFA Nations League? With the Republic reduced to ten men, England took full advantage. Anthony Gordon netted his first senior international goal just two minutes later, tappi...

Turkey 0 - 0 Wales Turkey’s striker, Kerem Akturkoglu, squandered an 89th-minute penalty, keeping Wales’ slim hopes of promotion to the Nations League’s top tier alive after a tense goalless draw in Kayseri. Author - Stephen Chad Backed by a fiercely hostile home crowd, Turkey dominated much of the first half. However, it was Wales who came closest to scoring, with Harry Wilson’s effort rattling the post. After the break, Turkey’s substitute Enes Unal missed a golden opportunity, somehow firing wide from just a yard out. As the match edged towards its conclusion, the home side were awarded a contentious penalty when Yunus Akgun went down under a challenge from Neco Williams. But Akturkoglu, the competition’s leading scorer for Turkey, failed to capitalise, his penalty clipping the outside of the post and going wide, to the despair of the home fans. This result leaves Turkey top of Group B4 with 11 points, Wales second on nine, and Iceland third on seven. For Wales to top the group,...

Scotland 1 - 0 Croatia Scotland finally broke their long winless streak in the Nations League with a hard-fought victory over 10-man Croatia, thanks to a late goal from substitute John McGinn. Author - Sean M McGinn capitalised on a loose ball after Dominik Kotarski parried Ben Doak's shot, slotting home his 19th international goal and sending Hampden Park into rapturous celebration. The win keeps Scotland's hopes alive of staying in Nations League A, with a potential relegation play-off secured if they manage another victory against Poland on Monday. A win in Warsaw could even open the door to the Nations League quarter-finals and a top-seed spot for the World Cup qualifying draw – provided Croatia lose at home to Portugal and there's a three-goal swing in Scotland's favour. However, those calculations can wait. The immediate focus was ending a dismal run of 10 competitive matches without a win, a form slump that had seen them victorious just once in their last 16 ...

Greece 0 - 3 England England are poised to return to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League with a win over the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday, following an impressive victory against Greece in Athens. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Lee Carsley's team avenged their disappointing defeat to Greece at Wembley in October, making Thursday's triumph even sweeter for the interim manager, especially given the squad was hit hard by player withdrawals. The emphatic result not only erased the memory of that 2-1 loss but also ensured England hold the upper hand in their head-to-head record with Greece, leaving the Three Lions in control of their own destiny. Ollie Watkins justified his selection over captain Harry Kane by giving England an early lead after just seven minutes, turning in a superb cross from Noni Madueke, who had carved open the Greek defence with a brilliant run. Jordan Pickford was pivotal when called upon, standing firm during rare moments of...

What do you think of England's next squad? Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers has been called up to England's squad for the November Nations League matches, after eight players were forced to withdraw due to injury. Author - Thomas J One of England's recent matches was a 3-1 win over Finland Joining Rogers in interim manager Lee Carsley’s squad are West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento, and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. Among the players sidelined are Chelsea's Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Arsenal's Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale. England are set to face Greece on 14 November, followed by a match against the Republic of Ireland on 17 November. Alexander-Arnold sustained an injury just 25 minutes into Liverpool’s win over Villa on Saturday. Saka also picked up a late knock in A...

It's time for another big discussion. What's the point of the UEFA Nations League? Launched in 2018, this was UEFA’s bold attempt to revitalise international football in Europe.  Author - Sean M Picture of the Nations League logo uploaded by  Nazionale Calcio | Flickr With an aim to replace often tedious friendlies with competitive matches, the competition promised more meaningful games, chances for national glory, and an innovative league structure.  Opinions remain divided on whether the competition has truly improved international football. This big discussion article will examine strengths and weaknesses.  Strengths of the competition  Competitive games not friendlies One of the primary reasons for launching the Nations League was to eliminate the ‘friendly fatigue’ plaguing international football. Traditional friendlies often failed to engage fans, lacking the intensity and consequence that competitive fixtures provide. In contrast, the Nations League giv...

Scotland 0 - 0 Portugal Author - Sean M Scotland put on a determined defensive performance to hold Portugal to a 0-0 draw, earning their first point in the Nations League A campaign. Scott McTominay had a golden opportunity early on but missed, and from there, the Scots saw little of the ball as Portugal pressed hard for a breakthrough. Cristiano Ronaldo, making his 200th international appearance, was left frustrated in his pursuit of a 134th goal for Portugal, as Scotland’s goalkeeper Craig Gordon and his defence stood their ground. While the result means Steve Clarke’s team have now won just one of their last 16 matches, they avoided the unwanted record of becoming the first Scotland side to lose five consecutive games. A more detailed look at what happened in Glasgow After a tough time at the Euros and a difficult Nations League campaign so far , Scotland needed to lift the Hampden crowd, and they nearly did just that within the first four minutes. Ben Doak made a surging run do...

Finland 1 - 3 England England bounced back from their embarrassing UEFA Nations League defeat to Greece at Wembley but were still far from convincing as they eventually overcame Finland in Helsinki. Author - Thomas J Interim manager Lee Carsley made six changes following the loss to Greece, including swapping goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for Dean Henderson. However, England struggled to shine until late in the game when the world’s 64th-ranked side, without a point, began to tire. Jack Grealish, recalled to the starting line-up, eased England’s nerves with a composed finish after Angel Gomes’ superb pass in the 18th minute. Finland had chances to increase the pressure on Carsley’s men, but it was Trent Alexander-Arnold's stunning late free-kick that ultimately secured the win. Declan Rice added a close-range goal with six minutes remaining, giving the scoreline a more comfortable look for England and Carsley. Click here to read more UEFA Nations League news and stories Finland’s...

Croatia 2 - 1 Scotland Scotland's wait for a victory in their Nations League campaigns continues, as Croatia came from behind in Zagreb to extend Steve Clarke’s team’s 13-month drought in competitive matches. Author - Liam C Despite missing key players and having just one win in their last 14 games, Scotland put up a strong fight in a tense encounter. They thought they had secured a dramatic equaliser in the 95th minute when Kristijan Jakic scored an own goal, but it was ruled out for offside against Che Adams after a VAR review. The match had begun promisingly for Scotland, with Ryan Christie slotting in the opening goal after a cross from Ben Doak was inadvertently teed up by Luka Sucic. However, the lead was short-lived, as Igor Matanovic guided Ivan Perisic's cutback into the bottom corner just four minutes later, levelling the score before half-time. Croatia took control in the second half, and Scotland's defence finally gave way in the 70th minute. Craig Gordo...

Netherlands 1 - 1 Hungary Virgil van Dijk was sent off as the Netherlands secured a Nations League draw in Hungary. Author - William G The home side took the lead with Roland Sallai’s well-placed volley in the first half. However, Liverpool defender Van Dijk saw red after picking up two yellow cards within just three minutes. The first came for dissent, and the second followed after he fouled Kevin Csoboth on the wing. It was Van Dijk’s first red card for the Netherlands, in what was his 77th international appearance.  Despite being down to 10 men, the Dutch quickly equalised, with Denzel Dumfries heading in from Cody Gakpo’s free-kick. UEFA Nations League (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) What do you think of the international break? (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Before his sending-off, Van Dijk had completed an impressive 145 out of 152 passes, nearly matching Hungary’s entire team, who managed 173 passes in total. Following the dismissal, the Netherlands confirmed on Satur...

England 1 - 2 Greece England's interim manager, Lee Carsley, saw his attacking gamble backfire spectacularly as they suffered a shock defeat to Greece in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley. Jude Bellingham appeared to have salvaged a point for England with an 87th-minute goal, following Vangelis Pavlidis' cool strike that had given Greece a well-earned lead just four minutes into the second half. However, Greece responded swiftly and deservedly snatched victory as Pavlidis struck again deep into stoppage time, capping off a humbling night for both England and Carsley. Click here for more UEFA Nations League news and stories The Big Discussion: What do you think of the international break?  A closer look at what happened With captain Harry Kane sidelined through injury, Carsley opted not to field a recognised striker, deploying Bellingham in a false nine role while supporting him with Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer. The outcome was a disjointed and ...

England 2 - 0 Finland England captain Harry Kane celebrated his 100th cap by scoring two spectacular goals to lead his team to victory over Finland in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley. Before kick-off, Kane was honoured with a golden cap to mark the milestone and sported golden boots, which he used to break down a stubborn Finnish defence. Despite England's struggles to convert possession into goals early on, with Kane being thwarted twice by Finnish keeper Lukas Hradecky and having a goal disallowed for offside, he eventually broke the deadlock. Click here to discover more news from the England national team Kane netted his 67th international goal with a strike that perfectly suited the occasion. In the 57th minute, he took a clever pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold in his stride and, after evading the Finnish defenders, unleashed a stunning shot that soared past Hradecky. Kane’s memorable night continued when, with 14 minutes remaining, England debutant Noni Madueke pr...

France 2 - 0 Belgium France picked up their first victory of their Nations League campaign with a comfortable win over Belgium.  After losing 3-1 to Italy in their first League A Group 2 match and they faced a tough challenge against Belgium.  Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, started on the bench for this game as he had played the full 90 minutes against Italy.  France's coach, Didier Deschamps, decided to change the entire forward line for this match. Belgium had a bright start but fell behind just before the half-hour mark when Kolo Muani scored his sixth goal for France after pouncing on a loose ball.  Ousmane Dembele, Muani's teammate at Paris St-Germain, made it 2-0 after the break with a well-struck shot. Mbappe came on in the second half and had two good chances but was unable to score. Click here for more news and stories from across France What next for Belgium? They opened their Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win against Israel - with De Bruyn...