The Netherlands assured this Sunday a place in the final phase of the Football Nations League and should be the host of the competition, in which Croatia also assured its presence, on the sixth and final day.
The Dutch team beat Belgium 1-0 and confirmed first place in Group A4, which had previously established itself as the future organizer of this edition of the ‘final four’, although the UEFA Executive Committee has not yet given ‘ green light’ to it. decision.
At the top of Group A1 was Croatia, who secured qualification with a 3-1 win in Austria and also saved defending champions France from shock relegation to League B.
These two nations now await the resolution of Group A2, with Portugal and Spain fighting for classification on the last day, and Group A3, in which Hungary and Italy still have options to advance.
In Amsterdam, a goal from central defender Virgil van Dijk, in the 73rd minute, was enough for the Netherlands to defeat neighboring Belgium and finish the group with 16 points, six more than the ‘red devils’, second, the day Wales returned. to the ‘second level’.
In Cardiff, the Welsh confirmed their return to League B with a defeat against Poland (1-0), with Karol Swiderski, in the 58th minute, scoring the only goal of the game.
With Artur Soares Dias as referee, in Vienna, Croatia secured first place in their group, despite the threat from Denmark, and gave precious help to France, still champions, who were in danger of relegation, with a defeat in Copenhagen (2-0).
Modric, in minute six, Livaja, in minute 69, and Lovren, in minute 72, scored the Croats’ goals, while Baumgartner, at minute nine, still gave hope to the Austrians, who will play in League B in the next edition.
Denmark, still with a win over the defending world champions, failed to progress to the next stage, but ended a run of 12 games in a row without losing to the Gauls, which could even have fallen if Austria had beaten Croatia.
Dolberg, at 34′, and Skov Olsen, at 39′, were the stars of the Scandinavian victory, in a match in which Bah, a Benfica winger, jumped into added time (90+1).
In League C, although promotion was already assured, Turkey was surprised in the Faroe Islands (2-1), while in League D, a draw (1-1) for Latvia in Andorra was enough to leave the last European division and advance to League C.
Source: TSF
