England’s footballers won 1-0 at the start of the League of Nations over Iceland, even though they played 20 minutes at ten on the opponent’s field. Raheem Sterling struck a 30 meter free kick home 90 minutes into the match. Belgium also celebrated in group A2 after winning 2: 0 in Denmark. Portugal entered the A3 group victoriously, losing Croatia 4: 1 at home and France after winning 1: 0 in Sweden.
English representative Raheem Sterling celebrates a goal from a penalty against Iceland.
John Sibley, Reuters
The English, for whom Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden made their debut from the beginning, and United Mason Greenwood, a striker of the city’s rivals, were more active throughout the match. After just seven minutes of play, their captain Harry Kane hit, but his goal did not pay due to offside.
England’s pressure weakened in the 70th minute, when Kyle Walker was sent off after a second yellow card for tripping. However, the home players did not take advantage of the numerical advantage and, on the contrary, allowed the opponent to score.
Sverrir Ingason struck a 30 meter free kick home 90 minutes into the match. Iceland also had a penalty kick in the end, but Birkir Bjarnason headed outside.
Denayer decided with the premiere shot
At the head of group A2 is the score of Belgium. The winning goal of the match in Copenhagen was scored in the 9th minute after a corner kick by Jason Denayer, for whom it was a premier hit in the national team. Three points for the guests were confirmed less than a quarter of an hour before the end of Dries Mertens.
Defending champion Portugal coped smoothly with the finalist of the last world championship in Croatia, even without a resting record holder in the number of starts and goals in the Portuguese jersey Cristian Ronald. Before the half, Joao Cancelo sent the ball to the gallows, after the break Diogo Jota, Joao Felix and André Silva were also successful. Bruno Petkovič’s goal in the setting did not get the guests back into the match.
France has found a recipe for defending the Swedes only once. In the 41st minute, Kylian Mbappé awarded points to the world champions with an individual penetration and a shot from a sharp angle. Antoine Griezmann was allowed to score at the end of the match, but he shot the goal from the penalty kick.
| Football League of Nations: |
| Group A2: |
| Iceland – England 0: 1 (0:0) |
| Branka: 90. Sterling with pen. Cheka: 90. Ingason – 70. Walker. |
| Denmark – Belgium 0: 2 (0:1) |
| Goals: 9. Denayer, 77. Mertens. |
| Group A3: |
| Sweden – France 0: 1 (0:1) |
| Branka: 41. Mbappé. |
| Portugal – Croatia 4: 1 (1:0) |
| Goals: 41. Cancelo, 58. Jota, 70. Felix, 90. + 5 A. Silva – 90. + 1 Petkovic. |
| Group C1: |
| Azerbaijan – Luxembourg 1: 2 (1:0) |
| Goals: 43. Shaydiv – 48th own Krivocjuk, 72. Rodrigues. Red Cross: 26. Emreli (Azerbaijan). |
| Cyprus – Montenegro 0: 2 (0:0) |
| Goals: 60th and 73rd Jovetic. |
| Group C2: |
| Northern Macedonia – Armenia 2: 1 (2:0) |
| Goals: 5. Alioski from pen., 38. Nestorovski from pen. – 90. + 4 Barsegjan with pen. |
| Estonia – Georgia 0: 1 (0:1) |
| Branka: 32. Kacharava. |
| Group D2: |
| Gibraltar – San Marino 1: 0 (1:0) |
| Branka: 42. Torilla. |
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