Roundup and England news
Further reading from across the Guardian football site:
Our man Stuart James has filed his match report from Cardiff, where Denmark have beaten Wales in the Nations League. That’s all from me. Thanks for reading. Night!
Gareth Bale speaks! “We had good chances that maybe we could have taken on another day,” the Wales forward says. “We had a lifeline at the end. Tried to get it forward. Maybe rushed it a little bit.”
Nations League results
GROUP A1
- Netherlands 2-0 France
GROUP C3
- Cyprus 1-1 Bulgaria
- Slovenia 1-1 Norway
GROUP D4
- Gibraltar 2-6 Armenia
- Liechtenstein 0-1 FYR Macedonia
GROUP B1
- Slovakia 4-1 Ukraine
GROUP B4
- Wales 1-2 Denmark
Full-time: Wales 1-2 Denmark
There’s to be no famous comeback from Wales despite that late goal from Gareth Bale. Denmark, who took control thanks to goals from Nicolai Jorgensen and Martin Braithwaite, have won Group B4 and relegated the Republic of Ireland in the process. Wales gave it everything, but they lacked composure in both boxes against a good side.
Full-time: Netherlands 2-0 France
It’s all over. That’s a huge win for the Netherlands, who have deservedly seen off the world champions thanks to goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay, giving them a chance to reach the Nations League finals when they host Germany on Monday. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, this win for the Dutch means Germany have been relegated. Ouch.
GOAL! Netherlands 2-0 France (Depay pen, 90 min+5)
Depay chips the penalty down the middle and the world champions are beaten!
PENALTY TO THE NETHERLANDS!
Moussa Sissoko’s poor touch gives Frenkie de Jong a chance to nip in and win the ball. Sissoko compounds his error by tripping De Jong!
GOAL! Slovenia 1-1 Norway (Johnsen, 85 min)
A late equaliser for Norway in Group C3.
GOAL! Wales 1-2 Denmark (Bale, 89 min)
Or is it? A hopeful long ball from Ashley Williams runs through to Bale, who controls brilliantly and rounds Schmeichel before slotting into the empty net. There are likely to be five added minutes.
Updated
GOAL! Wales 0-2 Denmark (Braithwaite, 88 min)
After all that nonsense, Denmark dust themselves down and Braithwaite makes the game safe. A throw-in from the right’s somehow allowed to bounce to Braithwaite, who takes a touch before whacking a rising shot into the top corner. Ampadu was dozing. The group should be Denmark’s.
Updated
Tempers are frayed in Cardiff. Age Hareide and Ryan Giggs are having words on the touchline, the two coaches clashing after Ethan Ampadu, enraged by a nasty challenge from Kasper Dolberg a few minutes ago, picks up a booking for a slightly ridiculous foul.
Updated
It is now 5-2 to Armenia, but Gibraltar have scored twice in a competitive game for only second time in their history. Adam Priestley, of Ossett United, scores their second.
— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) November 16, 2018
It’s Gareth Bale. He takes that familiar run-up and wobbles a brilliant effort over the wall and towards the top-left corner. Yet Schmeichel’s behind it all the way and the Denmark goalkeeper leaps to make a superb save. Wales can’t believe it.
Delaney picks up a booking for bringing down Harry Wilson. A free-kick to Wales in a promising position. Wilson or Bale?
Denmark counter and Eriksen slips a disguised pass through to Poulsen, who lashes over. That should have ended up in the back of the Welsh net.
Virgil Van Dijk’s error almost lets in Antoine Griezmann, but the France forward can’t bring the ball under his spell. Up the other end, Hugo Lloris mkakes two more outstanding saves from Memphis Depay.
Hugo Lloris keeps France in the game, beating Memphis Depay’s low free-kick to safety. A fine save from the France goalkeeper.
Ousmane Dembele is on France, who are starting to spend a lot of time in the Dutch half.
Over in Rotterdam, the Netherlands still lead 1-0 against France, who aren’t doing much. As it stands, Germany are getting relegated. It’s not been their year.
Updated
Now Roberts goes down in the Denmark area, claiming a push from Andreas Christensen. The Welsh appeals are waved away.
With Wales pressing for an equaliser, the unmarked Roberts heads wide from eight yards. That was a decent chance.
Gibraltar were beating Armenia 1-0. Yura Movsisyan has responded by scoring four goals for Armenia, who lead 4-1.
A red smoke bomb has been thrown on to the pitch in Cardiff. I’m not sure the home fans have helped their team with that banter.
Updated
GOAL! Slovakia 4-1 Ukraine (Mak, 61 min)
Make that a three-goal lead.
GOAL! Slovakia 3-1 Ukraine (Zrelák, 52 min)
Slovakia have their two-goal lead back!
Updated
Brooks twists and turns and tries to curl one into the top corner from 20 yards. Schmeichel watches it float wide.
An email! “Your post on the Holland-France ‘greatest final that never happened’ and link to highlights of their Euro 2000 group-stage clash at the Amsterdam Arena reminded me of this photo, taken by the German photographer Andreas Gursky and turned into a work of art,” Peter Oh says. “I remember seeing it in its full glory at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art about 15 years ago.”
GOAL! Liechtenstein 0-1 Macedonia (Bardhi, 53 min)
It’s all happening.
GOAL! Slovakia 2-1 Ukraine (Konoplyanka, 47 min),
The visitors have one back at the start of the second half.
Another problem for Wales at the back: James Chester has a knee injury. On comes Chelsea’s Ethan Ampadu.
Here come Wales, Bale surging down the right and swerving a cross into the midfield. Under pressure from the flying Schmeichel, Brooks somehow volleys over!
Peep! The second halves are underway.
Half-times
GROUP A1
- Netherlands 1-0 France
GROUP C3
- Cyprus 1-0 Bulgaria
- Slovenia 1-0 Norway
GROUP D4
- Gibraltar 1-1 Armenia
- Liechtenstein 0-0 FYR Macedonia
GROUP B1
- Slovakia 2-0 Ukraine
GROUP B4
- Wales 0-1 Denmark
Half-time: Wales 0-1 Denmark
Nicolai Jorgensen’s goal means that the visitors have a deserved lead at the break. If it stays like this they’ll have Group B4 wrapped up.
Half-time: Netherlands 1-0 France
Gini Wijnaldum’s goal is the difference in Group A1.
Wales press for an equaliser, attacking down the left, and Bale has an effort deflected over. Corner.
GOAL! Netherlands 1-0 France (Wijnaldum, 44 min)
A mistake from N’Zonzi sees a long ball reach the pink-haired Ryan Babel in the France area. The Dutch forward sees his firm low shot saved by Lloris, but Wijnaldum is in the right place to convert the rebound and give the hosts the lead against the world champions!
Updated
GOAL! Wales 0-1 Denmark (Nicolai Jorgensen, 43 min)
This is a wonderful goal. Denmark break and Poulsen’s brilliant touch sends Jorgensen through, allowing the No9 to slot a clinical low finish under Wayne Hennessey.
Updated
By the way, Armenia have equalised against Gibraltar. Yura Movsisyan got the goal.
Paul Dummett’s evening’s over. The Wales left-back can’t continue. On comes Chris Gunter for his 92nd cap, equalling Neville Southall’s record.
Wales probe down the right. In comes the cross. Bale rises highest and looks certain to score, only to nut the ball wide from six yards! He claims it came off a defender last, but a goal-kick’s awarded. Not that he can complaint too much given that Martin Braithwaite had a good goal disallowed for offside a few moments ago.
Updated
Ryan Babel uses his pink hair to head Blaise Matuidi’s snapshot off the line. That’s the closest France have come.
GOAL! Slovakia 2-0 Ukraine (Kucka, 26 min)
Juraj Kucka doubles Slovakia’s lead!
A free-kick to France on the left. Wijnaldum heads Griezmann’s delivery away, but Pavard runs on to the loose ball and rips a fierce shot just over the angle of post and bar from 25 yards. Shades of that goal against Argentina. But not quite.
GOAL! Cyprus 1-0 Bulgaria (Zachariou, 24 min)
A left-footed shot from Panayiotis Zachariou gives Cyprus the lead.
N’Golo Kante makes an error - honest - and the Dutch almost break through on goal. But Memphis Depay’s offside.
Updated
Virgil van Dijk steps across to stop Kylian Mbappe going on a power surge. Obviously that means Liverpool will beat PSG.
Ryan Babel has dyed his hair pink. That is all.
The rather excellent David Brooks skips down the right, holding off Delaney and surging inside before finding Tom Lawrence. The midfielder’s deflected shot flies over. Wales are pushing hard.
Wales have stepped it up in the last few minutes, Bale testing Schmeichel from long range and Williams heading a good chance wide. This is a good, open game.
Updated
GOAL! Gibraltar 1-0 Armenia (De Barr, 10 min)
This is what it’s all about.
GOAL! Slovenia 1-0 Norway (Verbic, 9 min)
Benjamin Verbic is credited with the last touch, giving the hosts the lead in Group C3.
GOAL! Slovakia 1-0 Ukraine (Rusnak, 6 min)
Marek Hamsik finds Albert Rusnak, who finishes coolly to give Slovakia the lead against the dominant force in Group B1.
Denmark cause more problems, Larsen escaping down the left. His cross is poor but it almost drifts inside Hennessey’s far post. The Wales goalkeeper is grateful to see the ball sail away from goal. Moments later Delaney rattles one over from long range.
France look pretty rattled at the moment, with Kante giving away a free-kick after handling on the halfway line. Holland are playing with plenty of intensity. Can they keep this up? Or are France sucking them in?
Denmark threaten in the third minute, Christian Eriksen letting fly from 25 yards. The midfielder’s shot whistles inches over the Wales goal.
Holland look to make a fast start and break down the right flank. France are opened up and a cutback from Depay reaches Wijnaldum, who sees his shot pushed away by Lloris! The Liverpool midfielder might have been more clinical with that effort.
Peep! Off we go. It’s noisy in Rotterdam, where the French fans are making themselves heard.
We’ve had the football. It’s time for the Nations League to rock and roll.
Here come the teams! They’re also out in Rotterdam. Holland, all in orange, are going to receive tremendous backing from the locals as they take on France, the world champions.
There’s a cracking atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium. The teams are about to emerge. Ryan Giggs has just called this a cup final. In the Sky studio, James Collins says that he never really enjoyed playing at the Millennium Stadium.
In a list of great finals that never happened, Holland v France at Euro 200 is up there. But let’s enjoy what happened when they met in the group stages.
📂 Open opstelling #NEDDUI
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 16, 2018
🏟 Aanpassen achtergrond
➡️ Exporteren voor #NEDFRA
Met deze elf spelers gaan we straks beginnen! pic.twitter.com/dPIj9wN5eq
Here's our starting XI for tonight's clash with the Netherlands! 💙#FiersdetreBleus #NationsLeague #NEDFRA pic.twitter.com/1qPofS7s55
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) November 16, 2018
🏴🇩🇰
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 16, 2018
Here's the official #WALDEN #NationsLeague team sheet. #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/1bPNmKEMir
Preamble
Hello and welcome to another night of strangely compelling Uefa-sanctioned F.U.N. For all the weirdness of the format, you have to admit that there’s something delightfully moreish about the Nations League, so much so that it’s impossible to imagine a better way to soend a Friday evening than watching Gibraltar versus Armenia and Liechtenstein versus Macedonia in Group D4.
However, less adventurous Nations League nuts might have their eyes on events in Group A1, where Holland host France in Rotterdam. France can seal their spot in the semis with a draw and will start as heavy favourites against Ronald Koeman’s side. Yet the Dutch, who are still reeling from their failures to qualify for the last two international tournaments, will be buzzing after last month’s win over Germany and will be a point off top spot with one game left if they beat the world champions.
As an added motivation for Holland, they’ll also relegate the struggling Germans with a win this evening. They visit Joachim Low’s ailing side on Monday and would love nothing more than the chance to have a chuckle at the expense of their old rivals. Yet pulling off an upset against France will not be easy. The French boast class and experience in every position and will probably have too much for the Dutch if they hit their top level.
It promises to be an intriguing encounter. But that’s not all! Moving down a level, the eye falls on Denmark’s visit to Wales in Group B4. The Welsh, who are two points above the Danes, will guarantee top spot if they win. But Ryan Giggs won’t underestimate opponents who reached the last 16 of the World Cup. His team were outplayed when they suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Denmark in September and are going to need Gareth Bale to be at his absolute best, else the visitors may well secure the draw or win that would relegate the Republic of Ireland relegated. It’s all to play for!
Tonight’s full Nations League fixtures (7.45pm GMT kick-offs):
GROUP A1
- Netherlands v France
GROUP C3
- Cyprus v Bulgaria
- Slovenia v Norway
GROUP D4
- Gibraltar v Armenia
- Liechtenstein v FYR Macedonia
GROUP B1
- Slovakia vUkraine
GROUP B4
- Wales v Denmark
