That’s all from me. Thanks for reading and for your emails on a day/night of absolutely bonkers, preposterous association football. Cheers!
Congrats to Germany, Portugal, France and Spain!
Nations League roundup!
France’s Kylian Mbappé speaks to the cameras:
We know that in penalty shootouts we have a goalkeeper [Maignan] who makes the difference. We needed a match like that to get the public back with us.
This is the complete line up for the Nations League semi-finals:
Germany v Portugal
Spain v France
Probably the four best teams in Europe, so can’t really argue with that.
Wooooooow. Croatia were so close to the stingiest of victories there but just couldn’t quite get over the line in the shootout. Nobody can say that France didn’t deserve to progress.
France beat Croatia in the penalty shootout!
Upamecano scores! France are through to the Nations League semi-finals! Les Bleus will face Spain in the last four!
Full-time: France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg, 5-4 pens)
Stanisic’s penalty for Croatia is saved by Maignan! That means Upamecano has a chance to win the Nations League quarter-final for France …
Both sides score their next penalties in sudden death: Croatia’s Duje Caleta-Car and France’s Désire Doué convert. The score is 4-4 in the shootout!
France v Croatia penalty shootout goes to sudden death!
After two missed penalties by Croatia, Theo Hernández has the chance to clinch the tie for France … but the Milan man spurns his spot kick!
Germany will face Portugal in the first Nations League semi-final. Woof.
Updated
Spain beat Netherlands to win the penalty shootout!
Both Netherlands’ Noah Lang and Spain’s Lamine Yamal failed to convert their penalties, which sent this shootout to sudden death. Villa’s Malen saw his effort saved for the Netherlands, and Pedri is the matchwinner, curling his spot kick into the top corner, beyond Verbruggen! Right in the side netting! An end to a sensational game of football.
Full-time: Spain 3-3 Netherlands (5-5 agg, 6-5 pens)
Full-time: Portugal 5-2 Denmark (aet, 5-3 agg)
Portugal book their place in the last four of the Nations League after two goals in extra time!
End of extra-time: France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
Croatia hold out for penalties! What drama!
GOAL! Portugal 5-2 Denmark (Ramos 116, 5-3 agg)
Portugal have surely done it now! Jota, on as a sub, sprints beyond a weary Danish defence and picks out Ramos at the back post with a low cross. It’s a simple tap-in for the PSG striker! Portugal are just a few minutes away from securing their semi-final spot.
End of extra-time: Spain 3-3 Netherlands (5-5 agg)
We go to penalties in Valencia! What a game!
Spain 3-3 Netherlands (5-5 agg)
120 min: Maatsen with a chance at the death! Ooooooo, so nearly a winner for the Netherlands, who have not once led in this tie. Spain’s Porro makes a risky tackle in the box but comes away with the ball, before instantly losing it. Taylor intercepts Porro’s pass and finds Maatsen, who steps inside and squeezes a shot towards Simon’s near post! The Spanish keeper flies to his left and saves! Crucial!
Portugal 4-2 Denmark (4-3 agg)
115 min: Just as he did in the Euro 2016 final, the sidelined Cristiano Ronaldo is marching around the technical area, barking instructions and whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Portugal are five minutes away from victory.
France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
112 min: Mbappé is through on goal, but Livakovic comes out to rush the French striker into a decision and manages to get something on the Real Madrid forward’s shot! Croatia survive.
France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
109 min: Croatia are desperately holding on for penalties. they have had five attempts on goal, France 25. The French have had 15 corners to Croatia’s zero.
GOAL! Spain 3-3 Netherlands (Simon pen 108, 5-5 agg)
The Netherlands have done it! Dutchman Simons is felled by Spain’s keeper, Simon, inside Spain’s penalty area. Simons, who spent his youth in Spain at the Barcelona academy, steps up and slots his penalty into the corner to tie things up on the night, and on aggregate. What a preposterous game of football!
Half-time in extra time
Spain 3-2 Netherlands (5-4 agg)
Portugal 4-2 Denmark (4-3 agg)
France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
GOAL! Portugal 4-2 Denmark (Trincão, 4-3 agg)
Trincão has done it again! For the first time in this tie, Portugal lead! Ramos swipes a shot at goal, Schmeichel palms it wide but only into the path of Trincão, who sidefoots a fine finish into the far corner! Schmeichel really should have saved that, but the Danish keeper was off balance from the Ramos effort and never got his feet set. Portugal lead 4-3 on aggregate!
GOAL! Spain 3-2 Netherlands (Lamine Yamal 103, 5-4 agg)
Spectacular from Lamine Yamal! The teenager breaks the offside trap and latches onto a long diagonal ball. It’s a sumptuous first touch to cushion the ball, another flick to move inside Maatsen and a devastating third touch, a curled finish into the far corner past Verbruggen! An R2 finish, for all you Pro Evo heads. That is ridiculous from Lamine Yamal, nothing that Maatsen could have done. The Aston Villa man was on absolute skates.
Updated
France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
90+6 min: It won’t surprise you that France are laying siege to Croatia in extra time. Mbappé and Désiré Doué are looking the most likely to score the crucial third goal for France, which would give them an aggregate lead.
“I realise I’m risking a hot take, but the Nations League might be good, actually,” emails Kári Tulinius. “I know two-legged ties have a different rhythm to knock-out games, but if tonight’s matches had been the quarter-finals of a Euros, we’d be talking about it as a rival to 1984 and 2000 as an all time great tournament.”
Yep, it seems that all the teams care, which is certainly something, even if there is not the jeopardy to rival a major tournament. But the quality and drama have been high, so hard to really hate on the footy this evening. I just wish I had more fingers to type a bit faster.
Into extra-time we go, then. Ronaldo has had to come off for Portugal against Denmark, with the veteran pointing to a problem with his leg. Gonçalo Ramos is on.
Full-time: Republic of Ireland 2-1 Bulgaria (4-2 agg)
Congrats to the Irish to staving off relegation from League B. They had to battle back from 1-0 down on the night, but that’s a good win.
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 2-1 Bulgaria (4-2 agg)
Idah wraps up the aggregate win with a back-post volley, latching onto a deep cross and celebrating at a rampany Aviva Stadium! Republic of Ireland now 4-2 up on aggregate, they will surely now stay in League B!
End of 90 minutes: extra time for three of the four Nations League quarter-finals!
Spain 2-2 Netherlands (4-4 agg)
Portugal 3-2 Denmark (3-3 agg)
France 2-0 Croatia (2-2 agg)
Full-time: Germany 3-3 Italy (5-4 agg)
Germany were 3-0 up at half-time. Italy clawed them back, but could not find an equaliser! Germany through to the Nations League semi-finals!
GOAL! Germany 3-3 Italy (Raspadori pen 90+5, 5-4 agg)
Italy have got another one! Raspadori, who has had such an impact since coming off the bench, has scored a penalty. Now Italy will throw everything forward to try to find an equaliser on aggregate! They have just one or two minutes left!
GOAL! Portugal 3-2 Denmark (Trincão 86, 3-3 agg)
Portugal are level! What a game this is. Schmeichel flaps under a high ball, Nuno Mendes collects on the edge of Denmark’s box and lays a pass off to Trincão, who slams a bouncing shot past the retreating Schmeichel! We are headed to extra time in Lisbon!
GOAL! France 2-0 Croatia (Dembélé 84, 2-2 agg)
Croatia can’t hold on! Mbappé and Olise combine down the right, the latter pulling a ball back to Dembélé on the penalty spot, and the PSG man sweeps a right-footed finish into the far corner!
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 1-1 Bulgaria (Ferguson, 3-2 agg)
Ferguson plays a brilliant one-two and lashes a fierce shot into the top corner. Republic of Ireland lead in the tie now!
GOAL! Portugal 2-2 Denmark (Eriksen 77, 2-3 agg)
Denmark lead again with a goal made and finished by Manchester United players! Dorgu gets to the byline on the left and rolls a perfectly weighted ball across Portugal’s six-yard box between goalkeeper and defenders. Eriksen stretches at the back post and tucks the ball home. A suckerpunch for Portugal!
GOAL! Portugal 2-1 Denmark (Ronaldo 73, 2-2 agg)
Bruno Fernandes tries his luck from range. Schmeichel gets down to his left but Ronaldo is there to tuck home the rebound! Portugal are not dead yet! Ronaldo has made up for his saved penalty (earlier)!
Updated
GOAL! Spain 2-2 Netherlands (Maatsen 79)
We are all level again! Dutch substitutes Lang and Simon combine on the edge of Spain’s area, the latter playing a lazer through ball to Maatsen, who takes a wondrous first touch before lashing into the top corner from an acute angle. We are all square on the night and on aggregate. What a game, what a tie. Either side could win this, although the Spanish are looking a little leggy. Pedri comes on for Olmo, that should help.
Updated
GOAL! Germany 3-2 Italy (Kean, 5-3 agg)
Kean has his second of the evening! Raspadori finds a pocket of space in midfield, finds Kean with a pass. The Fiorentina striker wiggles one way to throw Tah off balance and sidefoots a finish past Baumann into the top corner! Italy have just a few minutes left to find two goals and force extra time!
France 1-0 Croatia (1-2 agg)
73 min: Just as I suspected, France are throwing the kitchen sink at Croatia, who are just about holding firm. Mbappé, Saliba and Tchouaméni have all missed chances in the last few minutes. Croatia are just over 15 minutes from the most unlikely of aggregate wins. Croatia are keeping the game scrappy and Kovacic is lucky to escape a second yellow card after scything Dembele down from behind.
GOAL! Spain 2-1 Netherlands (Oyarzabal 67, 4-3 agg)
The Dutch are uncharacteristically hit on the counter-attack! The Netherlands throw men forward and are undone. Nico Williams streams forward, driving inside and plays a delightful reverse pass to the unmarked Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad has time to take a touch in the Dutch box, and tries a dink but Verbruggen makes a save. But the ball falls kindly back to Oyarzabal, and he nods the rebound into the net for his second of the evening! Spain are 4-3 up on aggregate!
Updated
GOAL! Portugal 1-1 Denmark (Kristensen, 1-2 agg)
Denmark level the scores on the night and re-take the lead on aggregate! It’s almost a carbon copy of the Portugal goal, except there is no own goal this time. Kristensen connects with a corner at the back post, heading back across goal and into the net. That’s a huge goal!
Updated
GOAL! Germany 3-1 Italy (Kean, 5-2 agg)
Germany lose the ball cheaply in midfield and Kean picks up the loose ball, drives forward and unleashes a howitzer of a shot inside Baumann’s near post! Game on? It’s still a long way back for the Italians, who have been much improved since those changes at the break.
Updated
Spain 1-1 Netherlands (3-3 agg)
60 min: It’s so hard to keep abreast of the other scores when the football in this game is so good. Both teams have had chances to take the lead on the night and in the tie since the Dutch equaliser: Depay had an excellent long-range strike saved and Nico Williams has just scampered down the left for Spain, getting to the byline before trying to squeeze a shot under Verbruggen. The Brighton keeper was equal to it.
GOAL! France 1-0 Croatia (Olise 52, 1-2 agg)
Olise with a wonderful free-kick! The former Palace man curls his shot over the wall and into the top corner. Livakovic didn’t move! France are back in this, 2-1 down on aggregate! They have been knocking at the door all game: over 60% possession, and have 14 shots to Croatia’s three (although France have had just two on target). I would expect Croatia to continue to park the bus. It’s not likely to be a similar game to the 2018 World Cup final.
Updated
Spain 1-1 Netherlands (Depay 54 pen, 3-3 agg)
Depay scores on his 100th international appearance, his 47th goal! He is now just three goals behind Van Persie, the all-time Dutch goalscorer. It was a soft spot kick to give away, Le Normand wrestling Depay to the ground, but the Dutchman dusted himself down and cracked his penalty into the top corner. Simon would have had no chance even if he had guessed the right way (he didn’t).
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (3-2 agg)
48 min: Great save from Simon to deny the Dutch! That was probably the best opening the Netherlands have created, as Gakpo slipped in the underlapping Kluivert down Spain’s right. Simon came out sharply, though, spread himself and stopped Kluivert getting a meaningful shot off. Might the Bournemouth winger have cut the ball back instead? Depay was lurking.
Peeeeeeeeeep!
We’re underway in all four of the quarter-finals.
Hardly surprising at 3-0 down, but Italy make a double change and a change in formation. Politano, the Napoli winger, comes on for Gatti, the Juventus centre-back. Frattesi is also on for Maldini.
Half-time: Republic of Ireland 0-1 Bulgaria (2-2 agg)
We are all square in the Nations League promotion/relegation play-off.
Updated
Half-time scores: Nations League quarter-finals
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (3-2 agg)
Germany 3-0 Italy (5-1 agg)
Portugal 1-0 Denmark (1-1 agg)
France 0-0 Croatia (0-2)
Updated
GOAL! Germany 3-0 Italy (Kleindienst 45, 5-1 agg)
That is surely that! Five-one on aggregate. Italy self-destruct again as Schlotterbeck wins a brilliant tackle high up the pitch for Germany, who work it to the right. Kimmich stands up a lovely little cross to the back post, and Kleindienst rises over Di Lorenzo to nod past Donnarumma. The Italy keeper clawed the ball out but it had already gone over the line.
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (3-2 agg)
41 min: Van Dijk is the best centre back in the world, but it is his Netherlands partner, Brighton’s Van Hecke, who has been impressive in this half, despite giving away the penalty. Spain have looked likely on the counter attack with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, but Van Hecke has stepped in expertly on a few occasions now. He’s a brilliant defender, and still just 24.
GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Denmark (Andersen OG 38, 1-1 agg)
Portugal are back in it! Ronaldo may have had a penalty saved earlier in this game, but he rises to meet a Fernandes corner. Joachim Andersen actually beats the Portuguese legend to the ball but inadvertently heads towards his goal. Schmeichel is completely flat footed and the ball dribbles into the net! We’re level on aggregate, 1-1.
Updated
GOAL! Germany 2-0 Italy (Musiala 36, 4-1 agg)
An absolutely extraordinary goal! This is Sunday League stuff from Italy, who give Germany the softest of second goals on the night. Donnarumma makes an expert save to deny Kleindienst’s header, turning the ball over the bar. But as Kimmich trots across to take the corner, the Italian defenders are all arguing each other around the penalty spot with Donnarumma coming out of his goal to take part in the conversation. Musiala is completely unmarked on the six-yard box and with no Italian defenders between him and the goal, Kimmich crosses low from the corner and Musiala taps the ball into an empty net! One of the most remarkable international goals I have ever seen. Absolutely dreadful stuff from Italy and from Donnarumma in particular!
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 0-1 Bulgaria (Antov 30, 2-2 agg)
Bulgaria level the tie with their first real chance of the second leg! From a corner, the visitors play the ball to the edge of Ireland’s area. There is a shot and brief scramble before Antov pounces on the rebound to score for Bulgaria!
GOAL! Germany 1-0 Italy (Kimmich 30 pen, 3-1 agg)
Buongiorno clatters into Kleindienst in the area and it’s a penalty! Kimmich makes no mistake from 12 yards and slots cooly past Donnarumma, going to the keeper’s right.
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (3-2 agg)
30 min: Another person making his 100th appearance for his country tonight is Memphis Depay, who now playing (very well) for Corinthians in Brazil.
Portugal 0-0 Denmark (0-1 agg)
28 min: In the absence of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Denmark’s captain (who is injured), there is a lot of responsibility on Brentford’s Norgaard at the base of the Dane’s midfield. He has to contend with Fernandes, Vitinha, and Bernardo Silva (who is making his 100th cap tonight for Portugal) in the middle of the park tonight. Gulp.
Spain 1-0 Netherlands (3-2 agg)
24 min: The Mestalla looks such an amazing stadium. Large and simultaneously compact, the atmosphere looks electric. It’s a place I have always wanted to visit but never got around to it. Valencia CF will leave the stadium for ‘Nou Mestalla’, which was first started in the 2000s and only recently re-commenced construction in January.
Updated
Republic of Ireland 0-0 Bulgaria (agg 2-1)
22 min: It’s been an even contest so far in Dublin. Ireland started the stronger – with Jake O’Brien having a header cleared off the line – but Bulgaria are enjoying a good spell of possession and are coming back into it.
Germany 0-0 Italy (2-1 agg)
16 min: Daniel Maldini gets his first start for Italy jersey, 8,314 days (nearly 23 years) after his father Paolo’s final appearance for the Azzurri. Maldini and Kean lead the Italy attack tonight and will try to beat Baumann in the Germany goal (and who was excellent between the sticks in the first leg).
Germany 0-0 Italy (2-1 agg)
13 min: Just as they did in the first leg, in which they conceded two goals from headers, Italy are really struggling with Germany’s aerial threat. Donnarumma is flapping wildly at crosses and Di Lorenzo is forced to hed behind for a corner at the back post under heavy pressure. It’s all Germany. Italy clinging on.
France 0-0 Croatia (0-2)
10 min: It will surprise nobody that France are having all the early running at home to Croatia as they chase a 2-0 deficit from the first leg. Both Mbappé and Upamecano have had early efforts for the hosts.
GOAL! Spain 1-0 Netherlands (Oyarzabal 7, 3-2 agg)
Oyarzabal won the penalty after tangling with Van Hecke, and the Real Sociedad forward calmly curls the ball into the right bottom corner. Spain lead on the night and in the tie!
Updated
Ronaldo's penalty is saved!
Portugal 0-0 Denmark (0-1 agg)
5 min: Schmeichel guesses right and dives left, if that makes sense. Ronaldo simply rolls a limp shot into the Denmark keeper’s arms! Denmark still lead on aggregate.
Penalty to Portugal!
Portugal 0-0 Denmark (0-1 agg)
3 min: Dorgu pulls back Ronaldo in the area as a cross comes in from the left, and the referee points at the spot!
Spain 0-0 Netherlands (2-2 agg)
1 min: De Jong oh-so-nearly passes the ball into his own net, Verbruggen just sticks out a leg, right on his own goalline, and is able to clear to touch!
Peeeeeeeeeeep!
We’re underway in all four quarter-finals.
Spain v Netherlands (2-2 agg)
Germany v Italy (2-1 agg)
Portugal v Denmark (0-1 agg)
France v Croatia (0-2)
Spain v Netherlands is another sell-out at the Mestalla. The Spaniards haven’t beaten tonight’s visitors on home soil since 1983. Dean Huijsen was excellent when he came off the bench in the first leg and the teenage Bournemouth defender is rewarded with a start this evening. What a huge game for the Dutch-born defender.
Updated
France v Croatia team news
France: Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez, Kone, Tchouameni, Olise, Dembele, Barcola, Mbappe.
Subs: Samba, Chevalier, Pavard, Digne, Camavinga, Doue, Muani, Rabiot, Konate, Zaire Emery, Guendouzi, Clauss.
Croatia: Livakovic, Stanisic, Caleta-Car, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Modric, Kovacic, Perisic, Petar Sucic, Kramaric, Budimir.
Subs: Kotarski, Ivusic, Pongracic, Moro, Vlasic, Mario Pasalic, Baturina, Fruk, Jakic, Sosa, Ivanovic, Juranovic.
_______
It’s a sell-out in Dortmund for Germany v Italy. As they were in the first leg, the hosts will wear a special kit to mark 125 years of German football. You can watch the highlights of the first leg right here. Interesting to see that Tim Kleindienst starts for Germany after his goal off the bench in the first leg. The 6ft4in striker now has three goals in five appearances for Germany.
Updated
Germany v Italy teams
Germany: Baumann, Schlotterbeck, Tah, Rudiger, Kimmich, Stiller, Goretzka, Mittelstadt, Sane, Musiala, Kleindienst.
Subs: Nubel, Ortega, Koch, Gross, Burkardt, Amiri, Undav, Leweling, Bisseck, Adeyemi, Raum, Andrich.
Italy: Donnarumma, Gatti, Buongiorno, Bastoni, Di Lorenzo, Barella, Ricci, Tonali, Udogie, Kean, Maldini.
Subs: Meret, Vicario, Rovella, Lucca, Frattesi, Raspadori, Politano, Ruggeri, Casadei, Zaccagni, Comuzzo, Bellanova.
Portugal v Denmark teams
Portugal: Costa, Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Nuno Mendes, Fernandes, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Francisco Conceicao, Ronaldo, Leao.
Subs: Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, Antonio Silva, Joao Palhinha, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Quenda, Joao Neves, Ruben Neves, Trincao, Jota.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Kristensen, Andersen, Vestergaard, Dorgu, Eriksen, Hjulmand, Norgaard, Isaksen, Hojlund, Lindstrom.
Subs: Hermansen, Jorgensen, Nelsson, Frendrup, Skov Olsen, Biereth, Hogsberg, Wind, Harder, Froholdt, Kristiansen.
Spain v Netherlands teams
Spain: Simon, Mingueza, Le Normand, Huijsen, Cucurella, Olmo, Zubimendi, Fabian, Yamal, Oyarzabal, Williams.
Subs: Raya, Remiro, Porro, Grimaldo, Asencio, Merino, Morata, Aghehowa, Ferran Torres, Garcia, Baena, Gonzalez.
Netherlands: Verbruggen, Geertruida, van Hecke, van Dijk, Maatsen, Reijnders, De Jong, Kluivert, Frimpong, Depay, Gakpo.
Subs: Olij, Flekken, Simons, Koopmeiners, Brobbey, de Ligt, Taylor, Lang, Malen, Wieffer, Baas.
Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria teams
Rep of Ireland: Kelleher, Doherty, Collins, O’Brien, Brady, Johnston, Azaz, Cullen, Knight, Ferguson, Parrott.
Subs: Bazunu, Travers, Manning, O’Shea, Taylor, Idah, Dunne, Sykes, Vata, Moran, Armstrong, Abankwah.
Bulgaria: Plamen Iliev, Minkov, Nedyalkov, Simeon Petrov, Nurnberger, Antov, Gruev, Despodov, Milanov, Marin Petkov, Bozhidar Kraev.
Subs: Sheytanov, Shopov, Ivanov, Krastev, Panayotov, Nikolov, Stoyanov, Ilian Iliev, Kirilov, Hristiyan Petrov, Andrian Kraev, Dyulgerov.
If you’re after a little refresher of what happened in the first leg of the below ties, please enjoy this round up from a few days ago.
Hello everyone, and thanks to John. A lot of football to digest, and for those not already full, we have another feast of football kicking off at 7.45pm GMT. There are four tasty ties here, with some tasty scorelines from the first leg last week.
Spain v Netherlands (2-2 agg)
Germany v Italy (2-1 agg)
Portugal v Denmark (0-1 agg)
France v Croatia (0-2)
We will also be providing key updates from Republic of Ireland v Bulgaria, with Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side leading 2-1 from the first leg of their Nations League promotion/relegation play-off.
Updated
So, to complete a night of Caledonian misery, here’s Ewan Murray’s report.
This was an evening on which no part of the Scotland team functioned properly. They were slack in defence, non-creative from midfield and powder puff in attack. The star of the show was 17-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas, who is unlikely to remain at Genk for long. This baby-faced assassin tortured the Scots.
And with that, the evening’s fixtures will be looked after by Michael Butler.
John McGinn spoke to the BBC: “We started pretty well, had a couple of chances, we just let ourselves down with the first goal we conceded. We’ve got to reflect now before two friendlies in the summer.
“It’s an embarrassing night for us, everyone is flat in the stadium, we let ourselves down. No threat in behind, probably too easy to pick up. Greece deserved to win. That will maybe give us a kick up the backside for the World Cup qualifiers - we know they are no mugs. Tonight shows we need to be much better if we want to get to the World Cup.”
Kári Tulinius gets in touch: “Iceland have been poor. This feels like the final nail in the coffin of the golden age of Icelandic football, symbolized by the captain of the 2016 team being sent off for a stupid, unnecessary foul. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted, and we’ll always have the memories.”
“I’ve been watching the Icelandic national team lose matches for most of my four decades plus on this Earth, but it’s seldom been this grim to watch. Even at their most limited, and there were years when we had barely anyone of talent, we could at least trust the team to make an effort. Once Kosovo equalized, whatever self belief they had deserted them. The really dumb foul that got our old captain sent off was a symptom of the game already being lost, not a cause.”
Updated
Goalflash! Slovenia 1-0 Slovakia (Cerin 95) (Agg 1-0)
Nations League final scores
Hungary 0-3 Turkey (Agg 1-6)
Scotland 0-3 Greece (Agg 1-3)
Iceland 1-3 Kosovo (Agg 2-5)
Serbia 2-0 Austria (Agg 3-1)
Slovenia 0-0 Slovakia (Agg 0-0, into extra time)
Updated
Final score: Scotland 0-3 Greece (Agg 1-3)
That was painful to watch for the Scots. Greece were – and are – excellent and they will meet again in the World Cup qualifiers. The Greeks go back up to League A, Scotland relegated, and deservedly so.
Updated
90+4 min: Boos as Craig Gordon makes a bad mistake and Masouras tries to chip him. At the other end, Tierney has a shot saved. At least they mounted an attack. It’s been a sour evening. And it’s closed with boos and rancour.
90+2 min: Four minutes were added on when there is little point in continuing. Like Scotland’s Nations League hopes, this one is done. Grim, sorry scenes.
Goalflash! Hungary 0-3 Turkey (Abdulkerim Bardakci 90) (Agg 1-6)
90 min: The BBC are lamenting the loss of Ben Doak. So much riding on the Liverpool player on loan at Middlesbrough. His fitness needs to hold up. A lot of pressure on a young player.
88 min: All Greek noise now. Hampden emptying – not the easiest part of town to get out from. Scotland don’t play again until a friendly in June. Some soul-searching to do? When is there not?
85 min: This performance has been so lacking in spark from Scotland. Their heads dropped as soon as they conceded the first. That’s not a good sign. They had the tie in their grasp.
82 min: Hampden’s atmosphere decidedly flat, aside from the Greek fans, who get excited as Tzolis smashes over. Pavlidis, the skipper, takes his leave.
Goalflash! Iceland 1-3 Kosovo (Vedat Muriqi 79, hat-trick) (Agg 2-5)
Goalflash! Serbia 2-0 Austria (Dusan Vlahovic 74) (Agg 3-1)
Goal disallowed!
Updated
Update: Gernot Trauner of Austria, red card for a professional foul against Serbia.
75 min: Kieren McIntosh gets in touch: “Kicked my brother off the PS5 for this, thinking it’d be Spain v Netherlands on. This is probably the most guilty I have ever felt watching a football match. Haven’t quite got to the stage where this is background noise for YouTube (or this clockwatch), but goal number 4 should definitely push it over the line.”
As does Chris Paraskevas, completing the circle: “Our parents keep telling us we’re related. They used to dress us up in matching outfits as kids and parade us around in public places like the two apes from the third (of the original series) Planet Of The Apes movie. Personally I think there’s not a shred of shared DNA between us, but we both enjoy watching a classic BDS (Brave Scottish Defeat).”
73 min: Relief for Scotland as Konstantelias – excellent – goes off, as does Karetsas.
A new man for Scotland, James Wilson of Hearts, just 18 and looking it, is on. Good luck, the ween.
Update: There’s been a red card in the game between Iceland and Kosovo, and it’s Aron Gunarsson who’s gone off.
70 min: Stevie Clarke wearing the facial expression of a funeral director running late. So no change there, then. He’ll be back under pressure after this.
68 min: Greece are really enjoying this. They’ll be a team to watch, to fear in the qualifiers. They might fancy a shock in North America, too.
66 min: Somehow, Souttar clears the ball after Grant Hanley is sold a dummy by Pavlidis. Everybodys doing the Grant Hanley stance…
65 min: Scotland marginally improved since those subs came on. Billy Gilmour had got lost, when he can be such an influence.
64 min: James Paraskevas (any relation?) gets in touch: “Enjoying the game with a coffee and a biscuit from the wee hours of 5am in Sydney! I am not a football historian, but I believe Greece’s biggest ever win away from home was 4-0 vs Bosnia in Euro 2008 Qualifying…hope I didn’t jinx it!!”
62 min: Lewis Ferguson has just clotheslined Karestas, the kid. He takes his yellow card without complaint. The reducer, they used to call those.
Goalflash! Serbia 1-0 Austria (Nemanja Maksimovic 56) (Agg 2-1)
Updated
57 min: Shocked to see George Hirst is 26. Had him down as a promising youngster. He starts with a flick that almost finds Lewis Ferguson. The BBC broadcast I am watching seem to be terribly deflated. Quote: “it’s just not happening.”
Perhaps the Euros, where Scotland were awful, has brought that sense on. A shame, some real talent there. Though those performances will take a while for anyone to recover from.
Updated
55 min: Che Adams goes off, so does Billy Gilmour, to boos. Kenny McClean off. Lewis Ferguson, Tierney on and George Hirst, son of former England hitman David “Albert” Hirst, who was quite a good player in his Sheffield Wednesday heyday.
53 min: Steve Clarke has seen enough. Three subs imminent.
Chris Paraskevas gets in touch: “Quite enjoying Scotland’s “Six Nations” approach here: a few nice touch finders building up to the inevitable late siege / desperate panic in search of an equaliser via the classic “Up and Under” technique. Rotation / changes spot on by Jovanovic. Doing a number on the dynamic tactical duo of Clarke / Carver.”
51 min: Karetsas, the wonderboy, goes close again. Boos from the Tartan Army. Scotland play Greece in the World Cup qualifiers in a four-team group. Ach no!
50 min: James Humphries: “Big Dykes would be much more of a handful for these. Adams runs his lines but Dykes is key for bringing our actual goalscoring threats (ie our midfield) in. Sure, he has no feet, but I will die on the “Dykes fits the system better” hill. “
Sadly, Lyndon Dykes is a pundit and not a player today.
49 min: Justin Kavanagh gets in touch: “It has been said that Tzolakis, the Greek keeper travels with a GIF on his phone of every opponent who might potentially take a penalty against him. This means that even if they bring this tie to penalties, the Scots need to beware of Greeks bearing GIFs tonight.”
They’ll be lucky.
47 min: That was poor from Scotland, excellent from Greece. The visitors have attacked with real venom. Relegation beckons for Scotland.
Goal! Scotland 0-3 Greece (Tzolis, 46) (Agg 1-3)
Scotland kick off slackly and Konstantelias – outstanding – lays up Tzolis to score.
Updated
46 min: Back underway in Glasgow, where Scotland need a….
Half-time scores in the Nations League
Hungary 0-2 Turkey
Scotland 1-2 Greece
Serbia 0-0 Austria
Iceland 1-2 Kosovo
Slovenia 0-0 Slovakia
Updated
Goalflash! Iceland 1-2 Kosovo (Muriqi, 45+3) (Agg 2-4)
45 min: McTominaay heads down Robertson’s header. Pavlidis has an effort at the other end. That brings a punishing 45 minutes to an end,
43 min: Karetsas’s finish left Craig Gordon with no chance. One of the best young talents in Europe announced himself. He plays for Genk, having been born in Belgium.
Goal! Scotland 0-2 Greece (Karetsas, 42) (Agg 1-2)
Similar to the first goal, Konstantelias this time sets up Karetsas for a beauty. He’s 17, and this was his first start. Greece now lead the tie.
Updated
42 min: McTominay, McGinn and Gilmour all link before Christie misfires his pass. Real quality in Scotland’s midfield, but perhaps lacking the striker to get the job done…
40 min: Lovely run from Zafeiris sets up a shot from Mouzakitis. Pavlidis and others were waiting in vain for that one as it whistled into the stands.
38 min: Costas gets in touch: “Greece fielding a 17-year old (Karetsas) and an 18-year old (Mouzakitis), with an average age of the starting eleven at 22. Irrespective of what happens tonight the future looks bright for the white and blues.”
They’ve been decent. Scotland dominating possession but behind.
Goalflash! Hungary 0-2 Turkey (Oguz Aydin, 39) (Agg 1-5)
Updated
Goalflash! Hungary 0-1 Turkey (Calhanoglu, 38) (Agg 1-4)
Goalflash: Iceland 1-1 Kosovo (Muriqi, 35) (Agg 2-3)
31 min: Justin Kavanagh gets in touch: “Good to see Scott McTominay sporting a new, very suave and continental haircut. I’m sure the Lawman, a man who spent time in Italy too, and who is said to have inspired Rod Stewart’s famous barnet, would approve.”
John McGinn is the recipient from a fine pass from McTominasio, but the keeper is equal to the task.
30 min: Simon McMahon got in touch: “Afternoon John. Yes, Scotland’s first game at Hampden since the passing of Denis Law. A nice tribute before kickoff with a display in the stands and his granddaughter delivering the match ball. A true icon and legend of Scottish football. Hopefully a result to match tonight...(on Fergie’s part in proceedings) Suddenly got a bit dusty here. A special moment indeed.”
28 min: Greece have managed to push up and stop Scotland. This is a decent team, they beat England, of course, and Greek clubs have been improving in Uefa competitions.
26 min: Free-kick chance for Scotland. It’s wasted. The fans are getting a bit annoyed.
23 min: McTominay has another shot. Scotland still attacking plenty, and that’s where the holes came for the goal.
22 min: Steve Clarke looks like, well. Steve Clarke actually. His team rather cut up there.
Goal! Scotland 0-1 Greece (Konstantelias, 21)
Andy Robertson left isolated, as the ball is played in by Vagiannidis. Too easy.
Updated
15 min: That early Scottish blitz has slowed down, but Steve Clarke’s team still dominating.
Beyond that early Iceland goal, it’s been quiet so far.
11 min: Scotland are dominating here, with Wee Billy Gilmour passing the ball with his usual quality and Ryan Christie zipping around.
8 min: Another McTominay shot. He’s fired up. Have Manchester United ever considered this lad?
6 min: On the sidelines, Ivan Jovanović, with that Warhol grey bombshell of a hairdo, is crouched as McTominay is sent away and shoots. Adams can’t pick up the rebound.
4 min: Should Scotland have had a penalty? Che Adams went over in the box but again, waved away. Mavropanos was in all sorts of lumber.
3 min: Early penalty shout for a Greek penalty, waved away. Scott McTominay, his air grown out in the fashion of a Napoli crack player, makes a tackle.
Goalflash: Iceland 1-0 Kosovo (Okarsson, 2) (2-2 aggregate)
Away we go in Glasgow
1 min: The Hampden Roar gets us underway. The BBC coverage is lacking commentary which is fun.
Sir Alex Ferguson is there, leading the tributes to Denis Law by waving his No. 10 shirt. A big handshake and a smile for Steve Clarke. *sob* That was a rather special moment.
Here’s the Flower of Scotland, second verse a capella. One change, Ryan Christie in for Lewis Ferguson, Bournemouth for Bologna, two talent factories where Scottish football is appreciated.
Steve Clarke spoke to the BBC: “Lewis [Ferguson] is really unlucky not to be in the team. I just feel at home, hopefully we start on the front foot and Ryan [Christie] is probably slightly more attacking than Lewis and he can give us something a wee bit different.
“The good thing on the quick turnaround is we’re playing the same team, so it’s very fresh what happened on Thursday. We want to replicate the very good first half for 90 minutes.”
The Scottish fans are singing of the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond, of high roads and low roads.
At Hampden, the place he loved so much, as the proudest of Scots, there’s a minute’s appreciation for Denis Law, probably the greatest player his country produced.
An earlier score. Georgia played Armenia and won 6-1, a 9-1 aggregate win.
We start with the 5pm kick-offs, UK time, and this is a big one for Scotland. Greece are very much improved but Stevie Clarke’s team hold a lead. Now, can they do this? Or are we ready for another vale of tears?
Scotland v Greece team news
Scotland: Gordon, Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson, Gilmour,
McLean, Christie, McTominay, McGinn, Adams. Subs: Kelly,
Slicker, Tierney, Conway, Hendry, Wilson, McKenna, Nisbet,
Hirst, Ferguson, Miller, Johnston.
Greece: Tzolakis, Vagiannidis, Mavropanos, Koulierakis,
Giannoulis, Zafeiris, Mouzakitis, Karetsas, Konstantelias,
Tzolis, Pavlidis. Subs: Vlachodimos, Mandas, Retsos, Masouras,
Ioannidis, Pelkas, Fountas, Rota, Mantalos, Tsimikas,
Galanopoulos, Chatzigiovanis.
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
Preamble
Hello, and welcome to our clockwatch of the Nations League quarter-finals. There are four tasty ties here, with some tasty scorelines from the first leg last week.
Spain 2-2 Netherlands
Germany 2-1 Italy
Portugal 0-1 Denmark
France 0-2 Croatia
This is our round-up from the first legs. It’s all to play for, as these eight aim to make the semi-finals.
We’ll also be providing key updates from Scotland v Greece, with that game kicking off at 5pm. The Scots led 1-0 from the first leg and will retain their top-flight status if they avoid defeat at Hampden.
Let’s get into it.
