The new record-breaking European national player experienced a very bitter evening against Switzerland. In the night’s cracker, France beat Portugal – thanks to a rare scorer.
Switzerland provided the German national soccer team in Nations League Division A with support in the fight for victory in Group 4. The Swiss still without a win came 1: 1 (1: 0) against ex-world champions Spain, so that the team of national coach Joachim Löw on Tuesday at the preliminary round at the Iberians already a draw to participate in the “Final Four” October 2021 is enough.
Switzerland, for which five Bundesliga professionals were in the starting line-up, took the lead through Remo Freuler (26th). Before Gerard Moreno (89th) equalized the Iberians, Sergio Ramos of all people was too tragic for the guests. In his 177th appearance for Furia Roja, through which the star defender of Spain’s champions Real Madrid rose to become Europe’s sole international record holder in front of Italy’s iconic goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, the 34-year-old failed with a hand penalty (58th) and later Borussia Mönchengladbach’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer with a penalty (80th). His club colleague Nico Elvedi saw the yellow-red card after his foul before the second Ramos miss.
The duel between the German opponents had been on the brink of a corona case in the hosts’ team until a few hours before kick-off. The authorities in Basel only gave the go-ahead for the match when all the players had negative results in another series of tests on Saturday.
Portugal lost their chance to defend their title
World champion France has already reached the final in Group 3 with a 1-0 (0-0) duel between Germany’s EM group opponents at European champions Portugal.
Portugal and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo have no chance of defending their title at the finals next year after their home defeat against France. Despite the failure of the injured star striker Kylian Mbappe with Bayern Munich’s trio Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard and Kingsley Coman in the starting line-up, the French managed to make amends for the 2-0 defeat against Finland and thus the jump to the finals with the winning goal from N. ‘Golo Kante (54th).
Leipzig’s Forsberg scores in Sweden victory
Meanwhile, Sweden kept their chance of staying in the same group with a 2-1 (2-0) win against relegation rivals and World Cup runners-up Croatia.
Under pressure, Sweden set the course for victory in the first round with Emil Forsberg from Leipzig against Croatia. Dejan Kulusevski (36th) and China Legionnaire Marcus Danielson (45th + 2) provided the reassuring break ahead. The guests with the Wolfsburg duo Marin Pongracic and Josip Brekalo, who had to do without Marcelo Brozovic, who tested positive for the corona virus, only got to the connecting goal through an own goal by Danielson (82nd).
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