Italy-France reach the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals
Italy-France reach the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals
Blog Article
Italy and France have booked their places in the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 UEFA Nations League.
The Azzurri defeated Belgium 1-0 away at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday morning (ET) in the fifth leg of their 2024-2025 UEFA Nations League (UNL) Group A matchup.
Italy remained unbeaten with four wins and one draw (13 points), extending their lead at the top of the table to three points over second-placed France (W3 D1 L1 D1 - 10 points).
The Azzurri also have a nine-point lead over third-placed Belgium (W1 D1 L3 D4 P4) heading into the final group game, with the quarterfinals reserved for the first and second-place finishers in each group.
France drew 0-0 with Israel earlier in the day, but secured at least a second-place finish in the group and also qualified for the quarterfinals.
At the bottom of the group is Israel (D1, L4, P1).
Italy shattered Belgium's quarterfinal dreams with Sandro Tonali's first goal of the tournament in the 11th minute of the first half.
Giovanni DiLorenzo played a two-on-one pass with Nicolo Varela down the right side of the opposition goal area before cutting the ball back to the center of the box, 토토사이트 where Tonali slipped between the crotches of the defense and slotted home with a simple left-footed finish.
Belgium pushed Italy hard in the second half in search of a comeback, but were unlucky to see Boutefas's header hit the post in the 38th minute and be denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the opposition goal.
France had to settle for a goalless draw at home against Israel at the Stade de France outside Paris to add a point to their tally.
According to UEFA statistics, France failed to find the Israeli goal despite recording 23 shots and eight on target. Israel managed just three shots (one on target).
The game was played under tight security after Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on July 7.
Boos and whistles were heard from the stands during Israel's national anthem, and there were clashes between supporters of the two countries early in the match, which were quickly broken up by security personnel.
Meanwhile, England defeated Greece 3-0 in Athens, Greece, in their fifth League B Group 2 match.
England moved to 4-1-1 (12 points), level on points with Greece, and lead the group on goal difference (England +8, Greece +5).
In League B, the first place finisher in each group earns automatic promotion to League A.
England handled Greece with ease, despite the absence of several top English Premier League (EPL) players, including Jack Grealish, Phil Foden (Manchester City), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Alexis Sanchez (Chelsea), Cole Palmer (Liverpool), and Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool).
England broke the deadlock early, with Ollie Watkins finishing off Noni Madueke's pass from the right side of the goal area in the seventh minute.
The lead was extended in the 33rd minute when Jude Bellingham's mid-range shot from the edge of the box hit the post and then the leg of goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos for an own goal.
Then, in the 38th minute, Curtis Jones added the icing on the cake with a sensational back-footed finish from Morgan Gibbs-White's ball from the right side of the goal area. Jones also tasted goal on his A-match debut.
The England national team will be led by Thomas Tuchel, who will succeed Gareth Southgate as head coach from 2025, with Lee Carsley serving as acting head coach during November's A-Match.