CORNERFLICK
The UEFA Nations League delivered an eventful night on Thursday as the third round of matches produced several eye-catching results. Germany secured their first victory under Jürgen Klopp, Portugal overcame Denmark without Cristiano Ronaldo, while the Netherlands fought back from two goals down to rescue a point against Greece.
In Group A2, Germany defeated Serbia 2–0. Tom Bischof opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Florian Wirtz doubled Germany’s advantage in the 61st minute. The hosts dominated proceedings from the outset and were particularly impressive before half-time, registering 16 shots compared with none for Serbia during the opening 45 minutes. The victory marked Klopp’s first win in his third match in charge of Germany and also ended a seven-match run without a clean sheet for the national team.
Elsewhere in the group, Greece and the Netherlands played out a 2–2 draw in a dramatic encounter. Greece took a commanding 2–0 lead through Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgos Masouras, leaving the Dutch facing an uphill battle. The Netherlands, however, responded strongly after the break. Virgil van Dijk pulled one back in the 59th minute before Tijjani Reijnders struck in the 89th minute to secure a valuable point. The result kept Greece at the top of the group, while the Netherlands remained firmly in contention.
In Group A4, Portugal defeated Denmark 4–2 despite the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. João Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha and João Félix were on target for Portugal, while Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Højlund scored for Denmark. The result highlighted Portugal’s attacking depth and demonstrated that Roberto Martínez’s side can remain a major force even without their veteran captain.
Another notable result came from Wales, who defeated Norway 2–1. Oscar Bob initially put Norway ahead, but Dan James and Neco Williams turned the game around for the Welsh. Norway’s task became even more difficult following Torbjørn Heggem’s early second-half red card. The victory was particularly significant for Wales, marking their first win at League A level in the Nations League.
In League B, Ireland and Austria shared the points in a 2–2 draw, while Israel and Kosovo played out a goalless draw. In League D, Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein finished 0–0, while Malta and Gibraltar drew 1–1.
Overall, Thursday’s action underlined just how competitive the Nations League remains. With several groups still tightly contested, the latest results have increased the pressure on the leading sides and ensured that the coming rounds could prove decisive in determining who advances and who faces relegation.