The weekend witnessed thrilling action across the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals in Europe, but that was just part of the story. Let’s take a moment to review the key triumphs and defeats from around the globe!
After a lengthy struggle against a solid Croatian backline, Les Bleus began to exert their dominance on Sunday evening, ultimately clinching victory via penalties.
Michael Olise drew first blood with a stunning free-kick before Ousmane Dembele reignited hopes for the French team.
France secured their spot in the Nations League semi-finals through penalties, facing a spirited Dominik Livakovic, with time seemingly slipping away. Nonetheless, Croatia squandered numerous scoring opportunities.
Consequently, France progresses to the next semi-finals of the Nations League, scheduled for early June.
Finishing as runners-up in the previous edition, Croatia had a robust victory on Thursday, overpowering France 2-0 with goals from Ante Budimir and Ivan Perisic. However, they were unable to breach France’s defence at the Stade de France on Sunday.
Despite their solidity throughout extra time, they fell short in a penalty shootout, a scenario that had historically favoured them. Franjo Ivanovic, Martin Baturina, and Josip Stanisic all missed their attempts.
This means Croatia exits the tournament with their heads held high, notwithstanding their commendable performance in the initial leg.
Spain secured their spot in the Nations League semi-finals after a gripping clash with the Netherlands. La Roja was salvaged by a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a third goal from Lamine Yamal, despite the latter missing a crucial penalty in the shootout.
The reigning European champions will return to Germany this summer, facing the team they eliminated in the EURO 2024 semi-finals: France, on June 5.
Competing in a gripping European contest against Spain, the Netherlands fought valiantly, pushing through to the penalty shootout. However, Donyell Malen and Noa Lang missed their kicks, allowing Spain to snare a place in the semi-finals.
Prior to this, the Dutch showed determination, battling to a 2-2 draw against Croatia on Thursday (with goals from Cody Gakpo and Tijjani Reijnders) and managing to hold Spain at bay with a 3-3 draw, featuring goals from Memphis Depay, Ian Maasten, and Xavi Simons. However, they ultimately fell short.
Germany revelled in their triumph over Italy on Sunday. After winning the first leg of the quarter-finals 2-1 with contributions from Tim Kleindienst and Leon Goretzka, they rounded off an outstanding performance with a penalty from Joshua Kimmich, as well as assists for goals from Jamal Musiala and Kleindienst.
This commanding performance allowed them to maximise their advantage from Thursday’s match, preparing for their Nations League semi-final in June.
Italy aimed to bounce back from a period of reconstruction and looked competitive against Die Mannschaft for a time. However, Germany’s resilience proved decisive.
Despite a spirited comeback featuring three second-half goals from Moise Kean (two) and Giacomo Raspadori, alongside an initial goal from Sandro Tonali, Italy couldn’t flip the match in their favour.
Italy will have to focus on future opportunities, particularly with the upcoming qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Portugal comfortably secured their spot in the Nations League semi-finals, showcasing a dominant display against Denmark on Sunday, overcoming a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. They netted five goals in both normal and extra time, including an own goal by Joachim Andersen.
Even though Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty, he played a vital role in the win, while Francisco Trincao scored twice and Goncalo Ramos added another goal.
Portugal appears to have met their goals and looks forward to facing Germany next in June.
The Danes, in contrast, faced disappointment. After winning on Thursday via Rasmus Hojlund’s goal, they needed only to replicate that success on Sunday, yet underestimated Portugal’s momentum and their determination to make amends.
Despite contributions from Rasmus Kristensen and Christian Eriksen, Denmark found themselves unable to change the course of the match, resulting in yet another setback on the verge of the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the CONCACAF Nations League final saw Mexico take on Panama. In a fiery atmosphere, the Mexicans emerged victorious, lifting the cup with a 2-1 win.
Raul Jimenez was the standout player, scoring early in the eighth minute and adding a second from the penalty spot in the 92nd minute to secure the win for his team, who conceded an equaliser from Adalberto Carrasquilla in first-half stoppage time.
However, the celebratory moment was somewhat overshadowed by homophobic chants from Mexican supporters towards the end of the match.
On Friday, Uruguay faced a crucial qualifier for the 2026 World Cup against Argentina. The match was challenging, and La Celeste conceded an early goal from Lyon’s Thiago Almada, ultimately losing 1-0.
Following this outcome, Uruguay finds themselves fourth in the qualification race, and although the top six positions ensure a spot, they missed a crucial chance against a rival side that was without their talisman, Lionel Messi.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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