2018 UEFA Nations League

[hatterson]

Also, going back a few minutes, I'm fine with that being a pen. That cross came in from the sideline without a ton of pace and he had a ton of time to get his arm out of the way.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Croatia with the 93rd minute winner! Game really opened up with both teams going for the win and Jedvaj with his second goal, of all players

 

[hatterson]

Really good ending.

Spain was absolutely moronic at the end. Literally seconds left and whoever was at the back decided the best option was to cycle back to De Gea and the final whistle blew before he could get it back upfield.

 

[koyvoo]

Just as I thought, with the prospect of being relegated into the B league and all that means for future seedlings in qualification and tournaments, the big nations are slowing starting to take this a bit more seriously, whether they want to or not.

No one wants to go into the B league if they feel they are one of the best in Europe. No one wants to lose seeding position and have to deal with tougher qualifying groups.

 

[Corto]

Really good ending.

Spain was absolutely moronic at the end. Literally seconds left and whoever was at the back decided the best option was to cycle back to De Gea and the final whistle blew before he could get it back upfield.

Modric sprinted to pressure him. He reads the game like that. I know he's not in his WC form, but his brain still works the same.

Also, I like football again. Some shambolic defending from both teams, another cheap handball pen we give up (this was I would give, there was a Spanish player behind Vrsaljko), Rebic and Kramaric could (and should) have put the game away, but overall, great game - in the 2nd half, at least.

And oh yes, Vrsaljko is world class, top-5 RB and I'll fight anyone who says differently.

 

[HajdukSplit]

League A
Belgium - Iceland 2:0
Match doesn't change much, Belgium need only a point in Switzerland to win the group while the Swiss need to win. Iceland were already relegated but with this loss they will officially fall to Pot 2 in the Euro 2020 draw (UEFA are using NL results rather than coefficients going forward with seeding)

Croatia - Spain 3:2
Wild match with all five goals coming in the second half and both teams probably should have scored more (especially Spain who missed two sitters). Croatia's winner came in the 93rd minute when the game was really stretched but Spain defended poorly and not the best goalkeeping by De Gea. Spain now must watch and wait for England-Croatia on Sunday. Spain cannot get relegated but to win the group they must hope ENG-CRO ends in a draw. Winner of ENG-CRO will win the group, loser will relegate.
If ENG-CRO ends in a draw....
0:0 = Spain win group, England safe, Croatia relegated
Scoring draw = Spain win group, Croatia safe, England relegated

League B
Austria - Bosnia-Herzegovina 0:0
BiH promote to League A next edition while Austria are safe; Northern Ireland relegated

League C
Greece - Finland 1:0
Hungary - Estonia 2:0
Despite losing, Finland promote to League B with a game to spare as they have a better H2H over Greece. Estonia relegated while Hungary are still in danger

League D
Kazakhstan - Latvia 1:1
Andorra - Georgia 1:1
This group was already decided with Georgia already winning it (no relegations in League D); believe it or not Andorra could avoid bottom with a result at home to Latvia if that matters much outside of football fanatics

San Marino - Moldova 0:1
Luxembourg - Belarus 0:2
Massive win for Belarus who are a win away at San Marino away from winning the group

 

[maclean]

Also, I like football again.

This was my feeling too after watching the Czech - Poland friendly tonight. I hadn't watched any of the games from the Nations League yet because I was so sick of seeing our team look half-assed and outclassed but tonight they actually looked like they were trying out there and even had something resembling a game plan. A 1-0 friendly win is nothing extraordinary of course, but we were losing these against much worse teams not that long ago, so it's promising anyhow, and most of all it was fun to watch.

 

[Ivan13]

Lovern going wild after the game

Man does he hate Ramos or what

 

[Ceremony]

Was it @Duchene2MacKinnon who tried to claim there's a bigger clownshow in international football than the SFA? Kieran Tierney: Celtic defender drops out of Scotland squad through injury

 

[YNWA14]

Lovern going wild after the game

Man does he hate Ramos or what

He's like best friends with Salah so it makes sense.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Was it @Duchene2MacKinnon who tried to claim there's a bigger clownshow in international football than the SFA? Kieran Tierney: Celtic defender drops out of Scotland squad through injury

Did they almost kill him? Because that's what the AFA did to their players.

 

[Evilo]

He's like best friends with Salah so it makes sense.

It makes sense that he thinks he's better than Ramos too?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Lovern going wild after the game

Man does he hate Ramos or what

He needs to calm down a bit, it was only last month he was saying how pointless this tournament is and now complete 180

 

[Ivan13]

He needs to calm down a bit, it was only last month he was saying how pointless this tournament is and now complete 180

Yep, he is all over the place, needs to chill, but funny nonetheless.

 

[Ceremony]

Did they almost kill him? Because that's what the AFA did to their players.

I'm pretty sure Alex McLeish's life has been shortened by about ten years after he took the job again

 

[robertmac43]

Just got tickets to the England game this Sunday. Should be fun as a neutral, the game actually meaning something is also nice!

 

[YNWA14]

Why someone like Babel is starting when you have Dilrosun and Promes available...against France no less.

Frenkie is so smooth in midfield.

 

[YNWA14]

Clear foul on Memphis in a prime spot missed.

 

[YNWA14]

Gini!!!

 

[koyvoo]

Gini!!!

So if this result stands, Germany is automatically relegated into the B league and Holland needs a draw in groups closing game vs an already related Germany to win the group.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Germany are also in danger of falling to Pot 2 in the Euro 2020 draw, obviously not the end of the world for them as they should still qualify but they could land in a qualifying group with France, Spain, England etc..though they would be the Pot 2 team everybody dreads

 

[YNWA14]

So if this result stands, Germany is automatically relegated into the B league and Holland needs a draw in groups closing game vs an already related Germany to win the group.

Pretty amazing turnaround given not many gave us a chance in this group (myself included).

Netherlands have definitely been the better team so far, but anything can happen in the 2nd half, can't look too far ahead.

 

[koyvoo]

Germany are also in danger of falling to Pot 2 in the Euro 2020 draw, obviously not the end of the world for them as they should still qualify but they could land in a qualifying group with France, Spain, England etc..though they would be the Pot 2 team everybody dreads

This is exactly why I’ve argued that regardless of if the players or teams want to take this league seriously, at a certain point they’d have to. There are implications to getting relegated that the national program bosses will force everyone to take it seriously.

Italy fell into pot 2 seeding last important tournament qualification, caught Spain, and the rest is history. The failed to qualify.

 

[koyvoo]

Also, just on a point of pride, a nation with the pedigree of Germany can’t be pleased with being relegated to a “B” league of any sort. Particularly after their debacle in Russia this summer.

If in fact they do get relegated here, are they not going to care to get promoted back to the A league in the next edition of this league?

 

[YNWA14]

Digne should be on 2 red cards by now.