The UEFA Nations League kicked off its fourth edition with a thrilling start on Matchday 1. This competition, which has quickly become a staple in international football, saw all of the top teams in Europe battling it out on the first matchday.
The league phase promises to deliver exciting matches, and the opening fixtures did not disappoint. Let's dive into the action from Nations League Matchday 1, covering the match results, goalscorers, top performers, and sendings off.
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France took the lead after just 13 seconds through Bradley Barcola, but they could not improve on that as Italy bounced back through goals from Dimarco, Frattesi and Raspadori to secure a huge win and break a run of three successive losses to the French team.
Germany's renaissance under Julian Nagelsmann continued with a thumping 5-0 win over Hungary, a team they had beaten 2-0 in the Euros just a few months ago. Goals from Niclas Fullkrug, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Aleksandar Pavlovic and a Kai Havertz penalty were enough to give the Germans a fantastic start in their group.
It had been 140 games since San Marino last tasted victory in an international game and they started this game as the underdogs once again. However, FIFA's lowest ranked team secured a memorable 1-0 win thanks to an opportunistic strike from Nicko Sensoli on 53 minutes to end the longest run without a win in international football.
Georgia gave notice of their improving status in European football at the Euros this past summer and they showcased that by thumping a talented Czech Republic team 4-1 in Tblisi. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Georges Mikautadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili scoring the goals in an outstanding win for the home side.
Scotland went down to a 3-2 defeat to Poland in an exciting game at Hampden Park. Poland led 2-0 at half time and seemed on course for a routine win but the Scots came back thanks to goals from new Napoli duo Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay. However, a penalty for the Poles late in injury time secured a nail-biting win for the visitors.
Wales fought hard for new boss Craig Bellamy in his first game as head coach, but the Welsh Dragons were held 0-0 at home by a Turkey side who were reduced to ten men in the second half, but who hung on gamely to secure a point.
It was better news for Northern Ireland who got their campaign underway in League C with a 2-0 win over Luxembourg. Defenders Paddy McNair and Daniel Ballard scoring the goals early on in the first half to secure a win for Michael O'Neill's team.
Finally, England travelled to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland in Group B2 and the Three Lions ran out 2-0 winners. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scoring the goals for Lee Carsley's team in what proved to be a straightforward win for the visiting team. It was a good start for England following their relegation from League A in the 2022/23 tournament.
The following players all received red cards (either as a direct red card, or as a result of two yellow cards) on Matchday 1, meaning they will be suspended for at least the next fixture.
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The first matchday of the UEFA Nations League delivered thrilling action, with several key matches setting the tone for the competition. Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, and Denmark secured important victories, while Italy pulled off a surprising 3-1 win against France.
For the home nations, it was something of a mixed start. Scotland were beaten by Poland in dramatic fashion and Wales were held at home, but England and Northern Ireland both started with comfortable 2-0 victories in their opening games.
San Marino surprised many with their first win in 140 matches, a 1-0 win over Liechtenstein.
As the league phase progresses, fans can expect more exciting matches and intense competition. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the Nations League unfolds.
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