Domenico Tedesco said Belgium's lengthy injury list was to blame after they were stunned by Israel in their final Nations League group-stage game on Sunday.

Belgium were beaten 1-0 in a game played in neutral Budapest, having also lost to Italy by the same scoreline three days earlier.

Tedesco's team were already unable to finish in the top two of Group A1 and make next year's quarter-finals, and they must now face a Group B runner-up in a promotion/relegation playoff.

Belgium were hit by something of an injury crisis during this international break, which captain Kevin De Bruyne opted to skip as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Romelu Lukaku was then among five players to withdraw from their squad on Saturday, while both Leandro Trossard and Zeno Debast were substituted with injuries on Sunday.

"Some players played 90 minutes three days ago, and tonight they were somewhat compelled to play another 90 minutes," Tedesco said afterwards, as quoted by UEFA.com.

"Overall, the lessons learned were also part of the plan; it was about getting to know many players, as we will be there in March.

"I believe we had 21 injured players in the previous qualifying stage, and today we lost Leandro Trossard and Zeno Debast to injuries. 

"We had a team that had never played together, never trained together. We started well, but ultimately, under really difficult circumstances, this is not the result we hoped for, and that's why we are very disappointed."

 

Despite attempting 649 passes in Sunday's game, their most in a single match in this edition of the Nations League, Belgium only managed 12 shots to Israel's 10.

Their total expected goals figure of 0.91 xG, meanwhile, was only marginally higher than the 0.77 created by Israel, who saw Yarden Shua come off the bench to net an 86th-minute winner.

Despite the loss, Tedesco has seen enough to believe his team will remain in the top tier of the competition when March's playoffs roll around.

"We will remain in League A, I am sure of it, because we know how to play in such matches," he said. "This will be important; that is our goal, as is qualifying for the World Cup."

Adrien Rabiot believes Sunday's win over Italy showed "the true face of the France team" as they secured top spot in Nations League Group A2.

The midfielder headed home twice in their 3-1 victory, meeting excellent deliveries from Lucas Digne on both, with his second goal restoring the all-important two-goal cushion that ensured they finished above the Azzurri in the group.

This comes after France had failed to find a way past Israel in a frustrating 0-0 draw last time out.

However, Sunday's victory ensured France will be seeded in the quarter-finals draw as they seem to have put their disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, in which they won just twice as they struggled in front of goal, behind them.

Les Bleus also avenged the 3-1 defeat to Italy on home soil in the reverse fixture, something Rabiot said was playing on their minds while they prepared for their trip to San Siro.

"It's been a long time since we've played a match like this, that we haven't fought in this way all together, until the end," he told TF1.

"We also had the objective of winning with a two-goal difference, we did it. But frankly, the mutual aid that there was in this match, the combativeness, the team spirit, it's to be highlighted. Frankly, we enjoyed playing this match.

"It was a different context [Thursday]. Above all, there was a revenge to be taken compared to the previous match against Italy, who had come to win at home. It's a great evening. I hope we will continue to show this face. It's the true face of the France team."

Digne officially got two assists in the victory, but he also played a big role in France's other goal – his free-kick rattled the crossbar before bouncing in off the unfortunate Guglielmo Vicario.

In fact, France scored three goals from set-pieces in a match for the first time since 1991, when they netted three times from dead-ball situations against Albania.

"[The free-kick is] a technical gesture that is worked on in training. The more you do, the more automatic it becomes, and it pays off," Digne said.

"Offensively, it's not bad at all. As a defender, I would have preferred to finish with a clean sheet, but we can't have everything. We finished first, it's great.

"We had a revenge to take from the first leg, we wanted to show a completely different face. And in addition to our slightly worse match against Israel... We really wanted to show that this jersey is close to our hearts. The whole group was present. It was really a complete match."

France's Nations League quarter-finals will be played in March. 

Relegated Israel stunned Belgium 1-0 in their final Nations League game as Yarden Shua's late goal earned them their first win in the competition this season.

The Red Devils, who were without a number of key players for the tie in Hungary, were masters of their own downfall as they gifted Israel the winner with four minutes left on the clock.

In a cagey first half, Eli Dasa breached Belgium's backline 24 minutes in and beat Koen Casteels with a crisp low effort, only to be denied by the foot of the far post.

Casteels was alert just before the break, getting down low to push Dor Peretz's low drive away from the bottom corner.

Domenico Tedesco's half-time team talk looked to have buoyed his side as they upped the pressure, with Lois Openda hitting the side netting before Johan Bakayoko forced a fingertip save out of Daniel Peretz just after the hour.

However, in their rush to find a winner, Belgium were caught playing out from the back. Dor Peretz latched onto Matte Smets' loose backpass, and though he was bundled over in the box, Shua coolly picked out the bottom corner.

Israel finish bottom of Group A2 and are automatically relegated to League B, while Belgium sit above them due to a superior goal difference in their head-to-head record –they now have a relegation play-off to overcome.

Data Debrief: Tough times for Tedesco

It has been a Nations League campaign to forget for Belgium, who managed just one win and finished with a whimper as they went winless in their final four matches (D1 L3).

They just edged the shot count in Budapest, having 12 attempts to Israel's 10, but without the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne to call on, they lacked a clinical edge.

While Belgium struggled in attack, their defensive struggles will also be a worry for Tedesco. They failed to win any of the four games in which they fell behind in the group, earning just one point from a losing position.

France secured top spot in Nations League Group A2 as they beat Italy 3-1 thanks in large part to the efforts of Adrien Rabiot and Lucas Digne.

Rabiot headed home twice at San Siro on Sunday, each time from excellent Digne dead-ball deliveries.

Digne also played a pivotal role in France's second goal, with his exceptional free-kick clattering the crossbar and bouncing in off the unfortunate Guglielmo Vicario.

And though Italy hit back through Andrea Cambiaso just two minutes after Vicario's own goal to make it 2-1, they could not find a second wind after Rabiot had restored Les Bleus' two-goal cushion midway through the second half.

Mike Maignan, playing in his home stadium, made a fantastic save from Moise Kean deep into stoppage time to preserve France's advantage and ensure Didier Deschamps' side, who were frustrated by Israel last time out, kept hold of top spot.

The result means France, who did not feel Kylian Mbappe's absence this time out as they had done against Israel, will be seeded in the quarter-finals draw, with those matches to be played in March.

Data Debrief: Delight for Digne and Rabiot

Both playing for France for the 50th time, Digne and Rabiot were the stars of the show as Les Bleus gained revenge for their 3-1 defeat to Italy on home soil back in September.

Rabiot's first goal – a fine header from a brilliant Digne corner – came after just one minute and 59 seconds, marking the earliest goal Italy have conceded in a home match since Opta began recording such data in 2008. It was also France's fastest goal in an away match since a Patrick Battiston effort in a 4-0 win over Luxembourg in October 1984.

France scored three goals from set-pieces in a match for the first time since 1991, when they netted three times from dead-ball situations against Albania.

Les Bleus have now won each of their last three away matches against Italy, more than in their first 14.

Italy may feel hard done by given they had more shots (10 to six) and accumulated a higher expected goals figure (0.7 xG to 0.4), but France's deadly double act of Digne and Rabiot were worthy matchwinners.

Harry Kane hailed "top drawer" Lee Carsley after he closed his interim spell as England boss with a thumping win and promotion in the Nations League.

The Three Lions brushed aside 10-man Republic of Ireland 5-0 at Wembley on Sunday, with Kane scoring the opener before Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis all netted their first international goals.

Carsley finished with five wins and one defeat, as they finished top of Group B2, using his time in charge to give younger players opportunities in the first team ahead of Thomas Tuchel's arrival in January.

Kane believes he has stood England in good stead for the future and was pleased to finish the Nations League campaign on a high.

"A really important win for us. It has been a really good camp and two tough games," Kane told ITV Sport.

"We got the job done in Greece and again here. It was a tough first half, but we came out with more energy, and we finished it off.

"We spoke about new opportunities for new lads, and they've shown why they are here and a couple of good finishes. It was nice for Jarrod [Bowen] too to come on and score straight away.

"Thomas has a lot of players to choose from. A lot of young players that have come in and done well and some more experienced players that are injured and will be looking to come back, so there's a good balance. I'm sure he [Tuchel] will be looking at everyone.

"[Carsley] has been top drawer, him and all the staff. After the Euros, it was never going to be easy to come and go straight into the Nations League and sometimes the motivation is a bit less.

"I'm really glad we won today and finish off on a high."

Sunday's win marked the first time four players have scored their first England goal in the same game since October 1930 v Northern Ireland, when Harry Burgess, Jimmy Hampson, Sammy Crooks, Eric Houghton were on target.

Harwood-Bellis, who was the most used player by Carsley at Under-21 level, was the eighth player to be handed a debut by the former Ireland and Everton midfielder.

"It is a great day for me and my family. It's every young kid's dream to make their debut, and to score the goal is magical," the Southampton defender told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I had a few hints yesterday that I would be needed at some point, when I got the nod to come on, I was over the moon.

"There's always a pathway and us young ones, we do believe we can get into the seniors. We know the door is open if we take our chances. I've got to thank Lee [Carsley] for calling me up and I have repaid him with a nice goal.

"Playing for my country at every level is something I take such pride in. To play for the seniors is something you dream of; it is the pinnacle of football, to do it and score is some feeling."

Gordon netted the second of England's goals with a volleyed finish, hitting the back of the net for his country for the first time from his ninth cap.

"Better late than never. It's definitely about time!" he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It was a good feeling to see it hit the net, I got to spend it with some of the lads that I have come through the England setup, that made it a bit more special.

"They made it really hard; they were defending with 11 players behind the ball, but I said to the lads, 'They can't keep up that running for 90 minutes, it is not possible'.

"I think Lee deserves a lot of credit; he fills us with so much confidence."

Lee Carsley is eager to offer information and assistance to England's incoming head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley signed off as England's interim manager with an impressive 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland, who were reduced to 10 men.

All of England's goals came in the second half at Wembley, where Harry Kane's opener was swiftly built upon by maiden international goals for Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

The victory ensured the Three Lions were promoted back to the top tier of the Nations League ahead of Tuchel's official arrival as coach in January.

And while Carsley hinted he has not loved his time in charge of the senior side, he is keen to give Tuchel a helping hand when the German starts.

"The pool of players has increased," Carsley told BBC Radio 5 Live, having handed out eight debuts in total across his spell in charge.

"I'll give him as much information that he needs.

"I have enjoyed it in parts, the games have always been the best bit.

"I am still gutted about the Greece game at home, if anything I am not thinking about the five wins, it is the one we have lost."

Greece beat England at Wembley last month, but the Three Lions bounced back on Thursday with a 3-0 win in Athens, paving the way for victory over Ireland to ensure their promotion from League B.

"We spoke about it at the first press conference, about gaining promotion in the Nations League, and it was a relief if I'm honest," said Carsley.

"I don't think you can ever get too excited, the performance against Greece was so good. For at least three minutes on the coach driving to the airport I was excited, but then I was thinking we have got another game.

"I enjoyed watching the lads, to play with the aggression and intent that they played with.

"I loved the reaction from the crowd at half-time. If they had got a bit nervy that would have transferred to the players. I think they could tell the players were playing with intent."

England's win was the biggest by a manager in their final match with the Three Lions since Graham Taylor in November 1993 (7-1 v San Marino).

On what was their 19th meeting, this was England’s biggest ever victory over Ireland.

Having been 0-0 at half-time, this was also England’s biggest ever margin of victory (five) in a game that had been goalless at the break.

Norway made light work of Kazakhstan as Erling Haaland's hat-trick inspired them to a 5-0 victory in the Nations League on Sunday.

Without absent captain Martin Odegaard, Norway were skippered by Haaland at Ullevaal Stadion, where the Manchester City forward netted his 25th career hat-trick.

Haaland took his total of international goals to 38 in 39 appearances by scoring twice in the first half before rounding off his star turn in the 71st minute.

The 24-year-old now has 22 goals in all competitions for club and country this season, and is the leading scorer in the Nations League with seven strikes to his name.

Alexander Sorloth scored Norway's third goal, while Antonio Nusa, who was heavily involved in both of Haaland's first-half efforts, got in on the act in the 76th minute.

Norway's victory ensured they finished top of Group B3 on 13 points, two ahead of Austria, therefore promoting Stale Solbakken's team to League A.

Lee Carsley signed off as England's interim manager with an emphatic 5-0 win over 10-man Republic of Ireland that sealed the Three Lions' Nations League promotion.

England took advantage of Liam Scales' sending-off with a ruthless second-half attacking display, with four first-time scorers helping to secure top spot in Group B2 and passage back to League A.

The first half was tight, with few chances for either side after Curtis Jones' early strike was deflected wide before Kyle Walker headed over from the resulting corner.

Yet the floodgates opened with three goals in the space of five minutes after the break.

Scales received a second yellow card for tripping Jude Bellingham in the box, and Harry Kane marked his return to the side by expertly dispatching the penalty.

Anthony Gordon volleyed in his first England goal shortly after, before Conor Gallagher was alert to meet Marc Guehi's flick-on at a corner.

Jarrod Bowen then made an instant impact after his introduction, sweeping a Bellingham corner through the crowd with his first touch of the match.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis rounded things off in the 79th minute, grabbing a debut goal as he thumped a header past Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards out after meeting another Bellingham corner.

Data Debrief: First time for everything

Carsley said on Saturday that he believed he was leaving the England squad in a good place for incoming boss Thomas Tuchel, having widened the pool of young players.

He has certainly done his bit, handing out eight senior debuts in all, with Tino Livramento and Harwood-Bellis the players to benefit against Ireland. 

Meanwhile, in Gordon, Gallagher, Bowen, and Harwood-Bellis, four players have scored their first England goal in the same game for the first time since October 1930 v Northern Ireland, when Harry Burgess, Jimmy Hampson, Sammy Crooks, Eric Houghton were on target.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Kyle Walker made his 38th England appearance at Wembley, overtaking Wayne Rooney's total at the venue (37) – only Peter Shilton (52), Bobby Charlton (44), Bobby Moore (43), and Stuart Pearce (41) have now played there more often for the Three Lions.

Carsley, who has collected the biggest win as an interim England boss since Graham Taylor oversaw a 7-1 victory over San Marino in 1993, started his short reign with a win over Ireland in September, and England have now won three consecutive games against them for the very first time. 

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will be without key players Michail Antonio and Kaheim Dixon for the second leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against the United States at Energizer Stadium in St. Louis on Monday. Both players are unavailable due to lost passports, a situation that could not be resolved in time to secure visas for their travel to the United States, Head Coach Steve McLaren explained during Sunday’s pre-match press conference.

 Adding to the Reggae Boyz’s challenges, defender Mason Holgate will also miss the match after receiving a red card in the first leg, which Jamaica lost 1-0 in Kingston last Thursday. Despite these setbacks, Jamaica has bolstered its squad with the return of Ravel Morrison and the inclusion of Khori Bennett, a forward for the Las Vegas Lights in the USL. Bennett, a former Wolmer’s Boys standout, could make his senior debut in this must-win encounter.

 Reflecting on the first leg, McLaren expressed disappointment with the result but remained optimistic about Jamaica’s chances. “I think we were unfortunate to come away with a defeat, albeit by just one goal,” McLaren said. “We felt we did enough to draw the game. We didn’t in the end, but we are still in the tie. Away from home, we’ve been in good form recently. This will be a completely different game altogether. We know that USA on home soil is a totally different team, so we expect another very difficult game but come here with optimism and belief.”

 Jamaica’s task is clear: overturn the 1-0 deficit and advance to the semi-finals. “We know what our goal is,” McLaren continued. “We need to score two goals or more and win the game. The first goal in this game will be very important.”

 A significant storyline heading into the match is the return of Ravel Morrison, who has been absent from the national team for over a year. He last played for Jamaica in March 2023 against Mexico. McLaren, who worked with Morrison at Derby County, is confident the creative midfielder can make a difference.

 “I am always looking out for good players and players who can make a difference, handle the ball, big game players, and Ravel has always been one of them,” McLaren said. “He’s got a great personality and unbelievable talent. He wasn’t picked before because he wasn’t playing. He is now playing very well in Dubai, scoring goals and assisting. I think this is a perfect game, a perfect opportunity for Ravel to come into the squad. Whether he starts or comes on, he is one of those players who can win a game of football.”

 Jamaica dominated much of the second half in the first leg, coming close to equalizing on multiple occasions. Demarai Gray also missed a crucial penalty after the United States took an early lead. However, McLaren is drawing confidence from the team’s away form and believes the Reggae Boyz have what it takes to pull off a result in St. Louis.

 The stakes are high as Jamaica looks to defy the odds, overcome the absence of key players, and secure a spot in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dusan Vlahovic says he finds it "easier" to play in Serbia's tactical approach than at Juventus.

The striker has started all 16 games since Thiago Motta took over this season, scoring nine goals in all competitions, with six of those coming in Serie A.

His recent form saw him recalled to Serbia's squad for the Nations League matches this international break, and he got an assist for their equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Saturday.

Overall, Vlahovic has racked up 50 goals at Juve since his move from Fiorentina in January 2022, but he seemingly suggested his game would improve in a different system.

Motta favours a 4-2-3-1 system, with Vlahovic playing as a lone striker, whereas on international duty, he plays as part of a front two, most recently alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic.

"It is a bit easier for me when there is another striker because Mitrovic holds up the ball and engages in aerial duels, so I can make more of my own characteristics and qualities," Vlahovic told RSI when asked the differences between playing for Serbia and Juventus.

"The coach also does not require many defensive duties from me, so that makes it easier too.

"With my physicality, I can't really run that much and am not as fresh in my finishing when I've been working so hard."

Everton claimed their first Women's Super League victory of the season by overcoming rivals Liverpool 1-0 in Sunday's Merseyside derby.

Katja Snoeijs converted a contentiously awarded penalty late in the first half at Goodison Park, and despite handing the initiative to Liverpool for much of the game, Everton came away with a much-needed win that lifted them off the foot of the table.

Honoka Hayashi's goal against Crystal Palace in Everton's previous fixture had ended a run of 611 minutes without a Toffees player netting in the WSL, and the Japanese midfielder was the player fouled by her compatriot Fuka Nagano, with the referee pointing to the spot despite the challenge seemingly taking place just outside the box.

Liverpool, who attempted 569 passes – their highest total this season – could not find the equaliser despite mustering 17 shots and 1.5 expected goals (xG), with 0.78 of Everton's 0.9 xG taken up by Snoeijs' spot-kick.

Reds boss Matt Beard has now failed to win any of his last eight meetings with Everton in the WSL since winning 2-1 away from home with West Ham in October 2018 (D2 L5).

Everton, meanwhile, won at Goodison Park in the WSL for the first time at the fifth attempt, in what was their final match in the competition at the iconic stadium.

Aston Villa edged out Palace 3-2 in a five-goal thriller at Villa Park, with Ebony Salmon scoring a last-gasp winner.

Villa looked set to be denied their first win of the season when Annabel Blanchard made it 2-2 with just four minutes remaining.

Yet Salmon popped up in the 94th minute to lash home after pouncing on a loose ball on the edge of Palace's area.

My Cato put Palace ahead on the half-hour, but quickfire goals from Anna Patten and Rachel Daly put Villa ahead at the break.

Villa are now unbeaten in their last seven WSL matches against promoted teams, while manager Robert de Pauw avoided becoming the first boss since Jonathan Morgan in November 2021 to fail to win his first eight games in charge of a team in the competition.

In Sunday's other game, Manchester United downed Leicester City 2-0 to get back to winning ways after a run of three straight draws.

Norwegian duo Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet Ildhusoy got the goals for the Red Devils at the King Power Stadium, with Marc Skinner's side in fifth, six points adrift of leaders Chelsea, though the same number of points ahead of Liverpool in sixth.

Matters might have been different had Leicester's Hannah Cain not squandered a golden chance in the 38th minute when she somehow fired wide from point-blank range.

Tottenham have confirmed that Wilson Odobert has undergone surgery for a hamstring injury.

The 19-year-old joined Spurs from Burnley in August and made five appearances in all competitions for the north London side.

He managed just 162 minutes in his three Premier League matches, creating three chances in that time, but has not featured in the competition since their 1-0 loss to Arsenal in mid-September.

His last appearance was a two-minute cameo in the Europa League group stage amid ongoing hamstring problems.

"We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday (Saturday 16th November)," Spurs said on social media.

"The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training."

Frenkie de Jong believes his confidence will improve with more playing time after returning to the Netherlands starting line-up for the first time in over a year.

De Jong received widespread praise for his return to the national side in their 4-0 victory over Hungary as they confirmed a Nations League quarter-final spot on Saturday.

The midfielder returned for Barcelona in October after a six-month absence due to an ankle injury, while his last appearance for the Dutch national team came against the Republic of Ireland in September 2023.

He missed 18 matches for the Netherlands during that period, including their Euro 2024 campaign in which they reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by England.

Against Hungary, De Jong played 68 minutes and made more passes in the final third than anyone else on the pitch (31), while he also made 12 final third entries, the second-most behind team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke (17).

"I still need some time to really get into top form", said De Jong. "After an injury, I usually felt I would get back into form quickly, now after this injury that is really different.

"I need to gain back my confidence in doing certain things on the pitch. I knew it would be this way and so people are not worried. It should improve from now onwards.

"I'm happy to be back! I need games, I need rhythm, and then my good form will return. I will not start the next game, but I will stay with the national team."

Ronald Koeman was also delighted with the influence De Jong had on the side after such a long absence and is confident he can help the team going forward.

"You saw his qualities in a number of moments", said Koeman. "He helped us to create a lot more chances."

Virgil van Dijk saluted Hungary for playing on after assistant coach Adam Szalai appeared to suffer a fit during their Nations League clash.

Play was suspended for 13 minutes at the Johan Cruijff ArenA while Szalai was treated pitchside, with staff and substitutes forming a protective barrier around him.

The 36-year-old was taken to Amsterdam Hospital, where he later revealed he was "doing well" on his social media channels.

Although Hungary agreed to play on, the Netherlands ran out comfortable 4-0 winners to book their place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo were on target from the penalty spot during the first half, while goals from Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners after the break saw the Oranje secure second place in Group A3.

And Van Dijk paid tribute to his side's opponents.

"That was quite a shock, of course," he told NOS. "You see someone lying down, you see someone shaking. That is quite scary. But thankfully, at a certain point, it became clear that he was stable. I hope he is doing well and that he recovers quickly.

"They had to decide whether they wanted to continue playing. I think it shows a lot of strength that they did carry on. I have a lot of respect for that."

On his side's performance, Van Dijk added: "The pitch was very fast, but that's no excuse. It was sloppy.

"In the end, we won deservedly and that's the most important thing. We go to the quarter-finals, we win, we keep a clean sheet."

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann was impressed by his team after they inflicted a heavy 7-0 defeat on Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Nations League.

The thumping win in Freiburg secured top spot for the Germans in Group A3, with Nagelsmann's side now five points clear of second-placed Netherlands with one game to go. 

Florian Wirtz and Tim Kleindienst netted two each, while Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane were also on target in the victory that was Germany's biggest win since Nagelsmann took charge in September 2023. 

The former Bayern Munich manager, who replaced Hansi Flick, failed to take hosts Germany past the quarter-finals in the summer's Euros, but his side now have a chance of securing their first silverware under the 37-year-old.

"We have no injuries from the game and our counter-pressing was extraordinarily good," Nagelsmann said after the game. 

"And then to score seven goals against an opponent sitting so deep is something. 

"We wanted to win possession and then quickly play the ball forward, be quick in transition and find those runs, something we did not do often enough at the Euros [in June]. We did it well," he said. 

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.