Few sensations as particular as that of the illusion of summer in football. But this Nations League may represent the opposite. It is the epilogue of a campaign still in progress, no matter how much there are footballers determined to transmit that illusory halo that is usually noticed in the preseason. That time when reality tends to romp with fiction.
Wales 1 – Belgium 1 (A4)
Eden Hazardthe captain of Belgium, and Gareth Bale, who wears the bracelet in Wales, met -although without meeting on the pitch- this Saturday in Cardiff under the protective mantle of their national teams. Hazard, in the last Champions League won by Real Madrid, played 83 minutes (66 of them in the defeat against Sheriff Tiraspol at the Bernabu). Bale, just seven and distributed in two breaths between the Parque de los Prncipes and Stamford Bridge. The Belgian has promised a revival stuffed in the white shirt. He is 31 years old and has a checkered history of injuries. So does the Welshman, who turns 33 in July. Without a team as of June 30, he only says he knows that he will not play in Getafe. Although he also does not clarify what destination he will take to arrive in shape at that World Cup in Qatar from which he separated Ukraine in the last corner.
Neither Bale, who played 72 minutes, nor Hazard, who entered the field just as his Real Madrid partner was being substituted, exhibited virtues in a duel that Belgium Robert Martinez never knew how to face. In fact, had it not been for the VAR, at dawn he would have already conceded the first goal after a volley from Ethan Ampadu. The action was invalidated for offside.
Rough and without too many offensive ideas despite keeping possession of the ball, Belgium managed to advance thanks to some Youri Tielemans shortly after the start of the second act. But Aaron Ramsey, sad protagonist of the last Europa League final after his error in the penalty shootout against Eintracht, showed that his boots still have a lot of football. Already in the sunset, the former Arsenal player executed a turn, apparently meaningless, but it served to give way to Brennan Johnson, who had been Bale’s replacement. And the 21-year-old striker from newly promoted Nottingham Forest didn’t shake his feet to reach the final equalizer in the 86th minute.
Wales, in any case, continues last in the group with a single point, behind Poland, Belgium (both with four points), and the Netherlands (seven).
Netherlands 2 – Poland 2 (A4)
Barcelona fans might have a certain interest in what happened in Rotterdam. Though Robert Lewandowskibig claim laportista for an uncertain new era, he stayed in the stands; Frenkie de Jong, whom the Barça club intends to sell to Manchester United, did not have the expected impact on the match; Y Memphis Depaywho has more and more numbers to stay at the Camp Nou, missed a penalty in added time that would have given victory to the selection of Louis van Gaal.
The party, in any case, was the most entertaining. After Poland took a surprising 0-2 thanks to goals from Matty Cash y Piotr Zielinskithe selection Orange He tried to make a comeback. In just three minutes, between 51 and 54, he linked two goals (Davy Klaassen y Denzel Dumfries). Although his offensive outburst, which Memphis had to finish from eleven meters, ended at the post.
Inglaterra 0 – Italia 0 (A3)
Italy, with five points, is the one who dominates their group in the Nations League after intimidating the prized England of Gareth Southgate in Wolverhampton, a stadium that could barely accommodate 3,000 children due to the sanction imposed by UEFA on the English federation after the altercations of the last European Championship final at Wembley.
Who knows if it was because of the memory of that victory in the penalty shootout against the Three Lions in the continental tournament; who knows if it was because of the energy of that beardless and inexperienced Italy that is inventing Alberto Mancini after falling in the World Cup playoffs. The fact is that the Nazionale knew how to put England in trouble by lining up footballers like Federico Gatticentral defender on loan from Juventus to Frosinone in Serie B, Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Salvatore Esposito (SPAL Series B) or Wilfried Gnonto (FC Zrich).
What else? The hero for England had to be the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdalewho kept the final goalless tie thanks to his three saves, one of them spectacular from Pessina’s shot.
Hungra 1 – Alemania 1 (A3)
The one who continues to be baffled is the Germany of Hansi Flick, who did not manage to get past the tie in Budapest either and who have not yet achieved a single victory in this Nations League. The team She is third in the group with three points. Behind is England (two), and ahead Hungary (four) and Italy (five).
Although the meeting promises strong emotions after the goals in the first leg of the Hungarian Zsolt Nagy and from german Jonas Hofmann, Germany ended up delivered to that lack of control that suits the Magyar team so well. Neither Timo Werner in Kai Havertz offered too many solutions in an attack that was only meant to stir up the young Jamal Musiala. Anyway, who stood out was the veteran Manuel Neuerwho saved the Germans from defeat with a save to Daniel Gazdag when the night is over.
Germany, who will be Spain’s rival in the next World Cup in Qatar, continues to take steps backwards after their impeccable qualifying phase.
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