In a thrilling round of UEFA Nations League fixtures, several key matches delivered dramatic outcomes.
Cristiano Ronaldo found the net as Portugal, Denmark, and Poland all enjoyed victories on a night of historic significance for San Marino.
Portugal 2 Croatia 1
In Lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo ended his goal drought for Portugal with a decisive performance, supported by Diogo Dalot, who made headlines by scoring at both ends.
Dalot initially put Portugal ahead by converting a pass from Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes with composure. Ronaldo soon followed, finishing off a brilliant cross from Nuno Mendes with a powerful strike.
Croatia’s hopes were briefly rekindled when Dalot inadvertently deflected Borna Sosa’s cut-back into his own net just before halftime.
This set up a tense finale as Croatia sought an equalizer. Although Igor Matanovic brought a commanding presence in the box, he was unable to beat goalkeeper Diogo Costa, and Andrej Kramarić’s late attempt missed the target, hitting the side-netting instead.
Scotland 2-3 Poland
In an exhilarating clash at Hampden Park, Poland emerged victorious over Scotland thanks to a late penalty by Nicola Zalewski.
Despite Scotland dominating the first half, Poland seized control with a stunning long-range effort from Sebastian Szymański and a penalty converted by Robert Lewandowski, awarded after Anthony Ralston fouled Zalewski.
Scotland responded with intensity in the second half. Billy Gilmour scored just 22 seconds after the restart, and Scott McTominay equalized shortly after.
However, Poland had the final say. Grant Hanley fouled Zalewski again in the dying moments, leading to Zalewski’s decisive penalty, securing a dramatic 3-2 win for the visitors.
Denmark 2-0 Switzerland
Denmark secured a solid 2-0 victory over Switzerland, who finished the game with nine men.
Patrick Dorgu, making his international debut, scored within 45 seconds of coming on, giving Denmark an early advantage.
Despite Switzerland’s attempts, which included a notable save by Gregor Kobel to deny Kasper Dolberg, the situation worsened for the Swiss.
Nico Elvedi was dismissed early in the second half for a foul on Dolberg, and Granit Xhaka received a second yellow card towards the end.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Denmark’s new captain, sealed the win with a goal, capping off a tough night for the Swiss.
Serbia 0-0 Spain
In Belgrade, European champions Spain started their Nations League campaign with a goalless draw against Serbia. Despite dominating possession, Spain struggled to break through a determined Serbian defense.
Luka Jović missed Serbia’s best chance before the break, while Lamine Yamal came close for Spain in the second half. Both teams had to settle for a hard-fought point.
San Marino secure historic win
San Marino celebrated their first competitive victory in 20 years with a 1-0 win over Liechtenstein. This milestone ended a long winless streak for the nation.
Sweden 3-1 Azerbaijan
Sweden’s Alexander Isak was the star of the show as he scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan.
This early kick-off saw Sweden take control early, with Isak’s goals providing a comfortable cushion.
Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg
Northern Ireland had a strong start with two goals in the first 16 minutes, securing their second win in 17 Nations League matches against Luxembourg.
Thursday’s Results
A1: Portugal 2-1 Croatia, Scotland 2-3 Poland
A4: Denmark 2-0 Switzerland, Serbia 0-0 Spain
-C1: Azerbaijan 1-3 Sweden, Estonia 0-1 Slovakia
C3: Belarus 0-0 Bulgaria, Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg
D1: San Marino 1-0 Liechtenstein
Friday’s Fixtures
A2: Belgium vs Israel, France vs Italy
B3: Kazakhstan vs Norway, 16:00, Slovenia vs Austria
-B4: Iceland vs Montenegro, Wales vs Türkiye
C2: Kosovo vs Romania, Lithuania vs Cyprus, 18:00.
All matches kick off at 20:45 CET unless otherwise stated.
