England’s footballers won 1-0 at the start of the League of Nations over Iceland, even though they played 20 minutes at ten on the opponent’s field. Raheem Sterling struck a 30 meter free kick home 90 minutes into the match.
The English, debuted from the beginning by Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden and as alternate by the striker of the city rivals United Mason Greenwood, were more active in the match. After seven minutes of play, their captain Harry Kane hit, but his goal did not pay due to offside.
England’s pressure weakened in the 70th minute, when Kyle Walker was sent off after a second yellow card for tripping. However, the home players did not take advantage of the numerical advantage and, on the contrary, allowed the opponent to score.
Sverrir Ingason struck a 30 meter free kick home 90 minutes into the match. Iceland also had a penalty kick in the end, but Birkir Bjarnason headed outside.
He is at the head of group A2 after a 2-0 win over Denmark by Belgium. The winning goal of the match in Copenhagen was scored in the 9th minute after a corner kick by Jason Denayer, for whom it was a premier hit in the national team. Three points for the guests were confirmed less than a quarter of an hour before the end of Dries Mertens.
Defending champion Portugal managed 4: 1 smoothly with the finalist of the last world championship in Croatia, even without a resting record holder in the number of starts and goals in the Portuguese jersey Cristian Ronald. Before the half, Joao Cancelo sent the ball to the gallows, after the break Diogo Jota, Joao Felix and André Silva were also successful. Bruno Petkovič’s goal in the setting did not get the guests back into the match.
France has found a recipe for defending the Swedes only once. In the 41st minute, Kylian Mbappé awarded points to the world champions with an individual penetration and a shot from a sharp angle. Antoine Griezmann was allowed to score at the end of the match, but he scored from the penalty area.
Match of the 1st round of the Football League of Nations:
Group A2:
Iceland – England 0: 1 (0: 0)
Branka: 90. Sterling with pen. Cheka: 90. Ingason – 70. Walker.
Denmark – Belgium 0: 2 (0: 1)
Goals: 9. Denayer, 77. Mertens.
Group A3:
Sweden – France 0: 1 (0: 1)
Branka: 41. Mbappé.
Portugal – Croatia 4: 1 (1: 0)
Goals: 41. Cancelo, 58. Jota, 70. Felix, 90. + 5 A. Silva – 90. + 1 Petkovic.
Group C1:
Azerbaijan – Luxembourg 1: 2 (1: 0)
Goals: 43. Shaydiv – 48th own Krivocjuk, 72. Rodrigues. Red Cross: 26. Emreli (Azerbaijan).
Cyprus – Montenegro 0: 2 (0: 0)
Goals: 60th and 73rd Jovetic.
Group C2:
Northern Macedonia – Armenia 2: 1 (2: 0)
Goals: 5. Alioski from pen., 38. Nestorovski from pen. – 90. + 4 Barsegjan with pen.
Estonia – Georgia 0: 1 (0: 1)
Branka: 32. Kacharava.
Group D2:
Gibraltar – San Marino 1: 0 (1: 0)
Branka: 42. Torilla.
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