European Super Football

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-final. I

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 gives each game a t

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 Saturday

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 Bruyne scoring t

Montenegro 1 - 2 Wales Craig Bellamy secured his first victory as Wales head coach in a high-octane Nations League clash against Montenegro, played in dreadful conditions in rain-soaked Niksic. Kieffer Moore gave Wales an early lead just 37 seconds in with a sharp finish, followed by Harry Wilson doubling the advantage with a brilliant 25-yard shot two minutes later. Great memories in the Nations League for Wales fans. https://t.co/4bqtHt7LQr https://t.co/axWiOLvszN — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) September 10, 2024 The relentless rain wreaked havoc on the pitch, making the game at times seem chaotic, but it also added to the excitement of a thrilling match with opportunities at both ends. Montenegro’s captain, Stevan Jovetic, came close with a remarkable effort from his own half that struck the crossbar, while Driton Camaj saw his chance blocked on the line by Ben Davies. Moore missed a golden chance to make it 3-0 in the second half when he fired over from close ran

Portugal 2 - 1 Scotland Cristiano Ronaldo’s late winner shattered Scottish hopes in Portugal, continuing Steve Clarke’s team's miserable run of form. Video and pictures from the European Super Football YouTube Scotland stunned everyone by taking a surprise lead in the seventh minute with a header from Scott McTominay, and they defended resolutely against Portugal’s 16 shots before half-time. However, another mistake cost them the lead. Angus Gunn failed to stop a long-range effort from Bruno Fernandes after the break, letting the ball slip into the net. Ronaldo, who came on at half-time, struck the post twice before finally breaking through, tapping in a brilliant cross from Nuno Mendes for his 901st career goal. The defeat, coming on the back of a loss to Poland on Thursday, means Scotland have now gone eight competitive games without a win —the worst run in their history—and have won just one of their last 14 matches. Despite this, Clarke might find some hope in how his

San Marino 1 - 0 Liechtenstein San Marino made history by securing their first-ever competitive win, defeating Liechtenstein in the Nations League. With this victory, the world’s lowest-ranked team in FIFA's rankings ended football’s longest winless streak, which stretched over two decades and 140 matches.  For two small countries, the match has now gained a lot of attention across the world. San Marino were even trending on Twitter/X and other social media websites at one point. The video below is from the Esir Sports YouTube account. Their last triumph was a friendly in 2004, also against Liechtenstein and with the same scoreline.This marks only their second win in history. The decisive goal was scored by 19-year-old Nicko Sensoli, who plays in Italy’s fourth division. The teenager, who wasn’t even born when San Marino last tasted victory, found the net in the 53rd minute, lofting the ball over goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel and sparking wild celebrations from his teammates. San

Republic of Ireland 0 - 2 England Lee Carsley started his time as England’s interim manager with a win in the UEFA Nations League against the Republic of Ireland. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish both scored against the team they once represented. Carsley, who also played for the Republic of Ireland during his career, will oversee England for at least two matches following Gareth Southgate's departure after Euro 2024. He had a smooth start as the Three Lions triumphed in a vibrant atmosphere at a packed Dublin stadium. Rice, who earned three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland before switching allegiance in 2019, quietened the home fans with a goal in the 11th minute after Harry Kane’s shot was blocked. Rice opted not to celebrate. However, former Irish youth player Jack Grealish put his fingers in his ears in response to scoring on his return to the England squad, following his exclusion from Southgate’s Euro 2024 team. Does an exciting new era await? When Lee Carsley walk

Scotland 2 - 3 Poland Scotland's tough 2024 continued in heartbreaking fashion as Poland were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, crushing a spirited Nations League comeback at Hampden. Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay scored second-half goals to revive Scotland after Sebastian Szymanski's long-range strike and Robert Lewandowski's expertly-taken penalty put the visitors ahead. However, as Steve Clarke's men pushed for a late winner , Nicola Zalewski was brought down by a reckless challenge from Grant Hanley. Zalewski, who had also won the earlier penalty, stepped up to slot home the decisive goal in the 97th minute. Scotland, who made a tame exit from this summer's Euros with just one point from three group games, now face a daunting trip to Portugal on Sunday. They have managed only one win in 13 matches in 2024, suffering five defeats. The manner in which this game ended was hard to believe, especially given Scotland’s poor first-half performance.  Clarke'