The third edition of the UEFA Nations League is off to a good start, with three matchdays played and three more to come before the finals in June 2023. UEFA.com provides an update ahead of matchday four matches.
All matches
Sunday June 12
A2 Spain – Czech Republic
A2 Suisse – Portugal
B4 Norway – Sweden (18 hours)
B4 Slovenia – Serbia
C2 Northern Ireland – Cyprus (15 hours)
C2 Greece – Kosovo
C4 Georgia – Bulgaria (18 hours)
C4 North Macedonia – Gibraltar (18 hours)
D2 Malta – San Marino
Monday, June 13
A1 Denmark – Austria
A1 France – Croatia
B2 Iceland – Israel
B2 Russia (suspended until further notice) – Albania
C3 Kazakhstan – Slovakia (16 hours)
C3 Azerbaijan – Belarus (6 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 14
A3 England – Hungary
A3 Germany – Italy
A4 Netherlands – Wales
A4 Poland – Belgium
B1 Armenia – Scotland (18 hours)
B1 Ukraine – Republic of Ireland
B3 Bosnia and Herzegovina – Finland
B3 Romania – Montenegro
C1 Luxembourg – Faroe Islands
C1 Turkey – Lithuania
D1 Moldova – Andorra (18 hours)
D1 Liechtenstein – Latvia
Kick-off at 8:45 p.m. unless otherwise stated
Netherlands and Portugal are almost there
The fact that no team has reached the halfway mark with maximum points in League A shows how even the Nations League is, even if the Netherlands came close, Memphis Depay having taken a penalty on the post late in the game as his side were held to a 2-2 draw by Poland. “Everything we learned today we will use in the next game,” midfielder Denzel Dumfries told UEFA.com.
The Oranjes and Portugal nevertheless have the best total, seven points, in League A and can increase to ten respectively against Wales and Switzerland on matchday four.
Only five teams go into their last meeting in June with a full card: Ukraine in League B (although they have only played twice), League C teams Georgia, Greece and Turkey , and Latvia in League D. Georgia, Greece and Latvia could be promoted if the results of the fourth day are favorable.
England and France struggling
Deprived of their first victory by Italy on Saturday, England find Italy who beat them on the first day in Budapest in Group A3. “With England, you have to win every game”, reminds coach Gareth Southgate, but he is not the only one struggling to score points: defending champions France have still not won in Group A1, and England’s Group A3 rivals Germany have drawn all three of their meetings so far.
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The situation is not so good for Switzerland, the only team in the first two leagues to have lost their three matches. Murat Yakin’s side travel to Portugal on Sunday to try to close the four-point gap that separates them from their closest rivals, the Czech Republic. The Swiss lost 4-0 to Fernando Santos’ side in Lisbon on Matchday 2 but were unlucky to lose to Spain in their last outing. “We’ve improved a lot,” admitted Yakin. “But of course we won’t be able to control the game for 90 minutes (against Portugal). »
Haaland mute for Norway
Norway dropped points for the first time on Matchday 3. Erling Haaland was unable to add to his tally of three goals in the 0-0 draw against Slovenia in Group B4. Greece’s Tasos Bakasetas, Georgia’s Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Latvia’s Jānis Ikaunieks and Kazakh’s Abat Aimbetov are all level with Manchester City’s new signing with three goals in the Alipay top scorer chart, but one player has done better.
As Turkey host a pointless Lithuania, Serdar Dursun has scored 4 of his 12 Group C1 goals. Haaland is on 18 goals in 20 appearances for Norway and Dursun, 29, has a seven-for-seven record since winning his first cap in October 2021. “Wearing this shirt is every football player’s dream. Turkish,” he said. Dursun is used to celebrating his goals like Cristiano Ronaldo but if he continues he will be able to work on his own to celebrate his goals!
And the next…
• The UEFA Nations League is taking a break in July and August, ahead of the postponed opening match between Scotland and Ukraine on Wednesday 21 September. Kick-off between Kazakhstan and Belarus on Thursday 22 September will mark the start of matchday five, with Italy’s home game against England perhaps the most important…
• Matchday 6 will take place from Sunday 25 September to Tuesday 27 September, after which relegation and promotion issues will be largely decided for each league. The winners of each of the four League A groups will also be known. They will play the final phase, which will take place in June 2023.
Dates
Day 4: June 9-14, 2022
Days 5 and 6: September 22-27, 2022
Final phase draw to be determined
Semi-finals: June 14 and 15, 2023
Final and match for third place: June 18, 2023
Relegation play-offs: 21-23 and 24-26 March 2024
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