Roundup: Barella header gets Italy back on track
Italy returned to winning ways as Nicolò Barella’s header secured a 1-0 win over a below-par Netherlands at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Monday.
Italy showed the greater urgency and quality throughout and were full value for the win, getting the only goal just before half-time as Barella headed home Ciro Immobile’s cross. It was a welcome response from Roberto Mancini’s men after the disappointing 1-1 home draw with Bosnia.
The Netherlands interim manager, Dwight Lodeweges, suffered defeat in his second game in charge and he will be concerned at the limp display from his side. Gini Wijnaldum and new Manchester United signing Donny Van de Beek came closest for the hosts, but both were denied by Italy keeper Gianlugi Donnarumma.
In the other match in Group A1, Poland won 2-1 away to Bosnia. Kamil Glik and Kamil Grosicki netted with headers for the visitors after Haris Hajradinovic had put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot. In Group B1, Romania earned an impressive away win over Austria, with Alexandru Maxim getting the decisive goal in a 3-2 victory.
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The final whistle has gone in all tonight’s matches. Seven of the eight games were away wins; it would have been eight out of eight but for an injury-time equaliser from Israel’s Ilay Elmkies.
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-1 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway
- B1 Austria 2-3 Romania
- B2 Israel 1-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-1 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus
Full time: Netherlands 0-1 Italy Peep peep! Nicolo Barella’s header gives Italy an excellent win in Amsterdam.
Full time: Israel 1-1 Slovakia
Full time: Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland Ryan Christie’s penalty gives Scotland an unconvincing win over a scratch Czech Republic team - and puts them top of Group B2.
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Full time: Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway A grim night at Windsor Park, where Northern Ireland were taken apart by the front pair of Alexander Sorloth and Erling Braut Haaland.
Israel 1-1 Slovakia Ilay Elmkies has ruined a potential clean sweep of away victories by equalising in injury time for Israel.
Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland Another near miss for the Czech Republic, with Jemelka’s looping header hitting the post. Scotland are hanging on desperately.
With around five minutes remaining, these are the latest scores:
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-1 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway
- B1 Austria 2-3 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-1 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
“Hi Rob,” says Mahmoud Eltayeb. “It’s basically cheating to use Jan Koller but in Euro 2000, Czech Republic also had Pavel Kuka (1.83m) in the squad and all three strikers played together in the final minutes against Holland. Surely 5.81m has got to be an unbeatable record for a front three?”
Unless Robert Wadlow played football, that’ll be hard to beat.
Austria 2-3 Romania Karim Onisiwo has pulled one back for the home side.
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Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland The substitute Callum Paterson misses an excellent chance to seal victory, driving wide from 10 yards.
Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway Steven Davis almost grabs a consolation goal on his big night, whistling a half-volley over the bar from 25 yards.
“Good evening Rob,” says Andrew Benton. “Is there anything better than the Nations League in football? It’s not a cash cow for already bustingly rich companies and individuals, but a really good run out for underused national teams, with a bit of national pride thrown in (though not too much). It’s the perfect antidote to modern commercial football. It’s post-modern football. The future has arrived.”
Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland It hasn’t been a particularly impressive performance from Scotland, who are still searching for the right formation under Steve Clarke. He stuck with a back three tonight; I suspect he’ll go back to 4-2-3-1 for the Euro 2020 play-off agianst Israel.
Alexandru Maxim has made it Austria 1-3 Romania in Klagenfurt. That result will put Romania on top of Group B1 after two games.
The latest scores
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-1 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway
- B1 Austria 1-2 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-1 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
GOAL! Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Poland (Grosicki 67)
Kamil Grosicki’s goal means that the away team is ahead in all of tonight’s matches!
Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland David Marshall makes another superb save to keep Scotland in front. It looked like Stainslav Tecl would tap the rebound into an empty net, but he lost his balance and fell over in a heap.
“Sometime Czech pairing Jan Koller and Vratislav Lokvenc were a massive 3.98m combined,” writes Andrew Champney.
They need their own Postal Service song.
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“Re: the Alexander Sørloth goal machine,” begins Karl Ruben Weseth. “How weird is it that Roy Hodgson can’t make use of a player who scored 34 goals in all comps last season?”
Especially as that’s more than the entire Palace team scored in all competitions last season.
Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland The Czech Republic almost equalise through Marek Havlik, whose fine free-kick hits the outside of the post with David Marshall beaten.
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-5 Norway (Haaland 58)
It’s turning into a grim night for Norther Ireland at Windsor Park. Erling Braut Haaland has got his second - and Norway’s fifth - with another devastating left-foot finish.
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These are the latest scores. The away team is ahead in seven of the eight matches:
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-1 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-4 Norway
- B1 Austria 1-2 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-1 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
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A couple of goals elsewhere
- B1: Austria 1-2 Romania (Grigore 51)
- C4: Albania 0-1 Lithuania (Kazlauskas 51)
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-2 Scotland (Christie 52 pen)
Scotland are ahead! Andy Robertson is fouled just inside the area by Tomas Malinsky, and Ryan Christie drags the penalty into the bottom-right corner. It wasn’t as emphatic as his penalty against Israel on Friday, but the result was the same.
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“Hi Rob,” says Chris Martin. “Tore Andre Flo (1.93m) and John Carew (1.95m) did play together for Norway against Italy back in 2000; that’s a combined height of 3.88 metres. If England ever had Emile Heskey (1.88m) and Peter Crouch (2.01m) on at the same time they would have beaten that, but the best I could find was in the England vs USA game back in the 2010 World Cup when Crouch came on for Heskey. Capello couldn’t even get that right!”
“I think a decent result for Scotland would be holding the Czechs to three,” tubthumps Simon McMahon. “And I’ll drink to that.”
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-4 Norway (Sorloth 47)
Norway’s large-and-large partnership strike again at Windsor Park. Haaland gets behind the defence, galumphs into the area and slides the ball across to give Sorloth a tap-in.
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Half-time reading
Peep peep! It’s half-time in the various Nations League matches, and these are the scores:
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-1 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-3 Norway
- B1 Austria 1-1 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-1 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-0 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
“Surely Peter Crouch as a lone striker isn’t far off 3.8m?” hoots Matt Dony. “Hoping Scotland can get a decent result, and McMahon has a cracking case of Buckfast-brain in the morning.”
GOAL! Netherlands 0-1 Italy (Barella 45+1)
Not anymore! Nicolo Barella has put Italy ahead with an emphatic header from Ciro Immobile’s cross.
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GOAL! Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Poland (Glik 45)
Kamil Glik has equalised for Poland in Zenica. The other game in Group A1 - Netherlands v Italy - is still goalless.
Czech Republic 1-1 Scotland David Marshall makes a beautiful fingertip save from Adam Janos’s long-range strike. He’s had a busier half than most people expected.
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“The Norwegian front two is the unusual large-large partnership,” says Torbjørn O.K. “Any countries that can boast a duo with a combined height of 3.84 metres (Alexander Sørloth 193cm, Erling Braut Haaland 191cm)? Not bad footballers either.”
Did John Carew and Jostein Flo ever play together in the late 1990s? That would have been fun for a centre half.
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“Hi Rob,” says Anis Aslaam. “Still remember Craig Levein and the 4-6-0 in 2010? I guess there’s just something about Prague that freezes the Scots dead in their knees.”
Even when the game’s being played in Olomouc.
The latest scores
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-0 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-3 Norway
- B1 Austria 1-1 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-1 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-0 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-1 Scotland (Dykes 27)
Lyndon Dykes gets his first goal for Scotland! It was a classic poacher’s goal, the sort Scotland want him to score. The move started when Robertson clipped the ball out to his fellow wing-back Liam Palmer. He slid a dangerous low cross towards the near post, where Dykes got away from Jemelka and roofed the ball from five yards.
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Czech Republic 1-0 Scotland The Czech Republic have been the better side and fully deserve to be ahead.
GOAL! Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 Poland (Hajradinovic 24 pen)
A bit of Premier League news
“Scotland are on a hiding to nothing tonight against a makeshift Czech side,” says Simon McMahon. “Which I suppose makes a change from just being on a hiding. You could even say it’s a no-win situation for Steve Clarke. Insert your own punchline here.”
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-3 Norway (Sorloth 17)
Norway are on fire at Windsor Park. Haitam Aleesami’s gorgeous cross from the left is volleyed in from close range by Crystal Palace goal machine Alexander Sorloth.
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GOAL! Austria 1-1 Romania (Baumgartner 17) An equaliser for the home side in Klagenfurt.
Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for Covid-19, so he’ll miss France’s match against Croatia tomorrow.
The latest scores
- A1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0-0 Poland
- A1 Netherlands 0-0 Italy
- B1 Northern Ireland 1-2 Norway
- B1 Austria 0-1 Romania
- B2 Israel 0-1 Slovakia
- B2 Czech Republic 1-0 Scotland
- C4 Albania 0-0 Lithuania
- C4 Kazakhstan 1-2 Belarus (FT)
Another goal in Scotland’s group: Michal Duris has made it Israel 0-1 Slovakia.
“Rob, is it safe to like the Dutch football team now?” says Charles Antaki. “Memories of poor old Nigel de Jong and his fearsome kick into Xabi Alonso’s chest might now have faded from memory. (Perhaps not Xabi Alonso’s memory.) And they have cleancut young men playing attractive football, if not quite winning much. Probation over I think.”
I quite enjoyed the guilty comedy of their Neanderthal phase. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a football liveblog much as the filthy free-for-all against Portugal in 2006.
GOAL! Czech Republic 1-0 Scotland (Pesek 12)
Oh, Scotland. The Czech Republic have taken the lead with a really good goal. Tecl turned and slipped an excellent through pass to Jakub Pesek, who drew Marshall and clipped the ball over him.
Czech Republic 0-0 Scotland Nothing much to report in Olomouc, though the all-new Czech Republic side have made a decent start.
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-2 Norway (Haaland 7)
Three goals in seven minutes at Windsor Park! Erling Braut Haaland runs onto a bouncing ball 20 yards from goal and slams it into the far corner with his left foot. Brilliant finish.
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-1 Norway (McNair 6)
That didn’t take long either. Paddy McNair has equalised straight away for Northern Ireland, tapping into an empty net after Conor Washington’s shot was saved.
Austria 0-1 Romania Another early goal in Group B1: Denis Alibec has given Romania the lead in Austria.
GOAL! Northern Ireland 0-1 Norway (Elyounoussi 2)
That didn’t take long. Celtic’s Mohamed Elyounoussi has given Norway an early lead at Windsor Park with a smart chest-volley from Stefan Johansen’s long pass.
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Peep peep! The seven matches are under way. Two eyes aren’t really enough on a night like this, but we’ll do our best.
This is the penultimate night of Nations League action for this international break. There are some decent games tomorrow, including Sweden v Portugal, Denmark v England and, best of all, France v Croatia.
“Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “With such obvious Holes in the Czech defence, even Scotland should have no trouble scoring.”
Those funny little plans, that never work quite right.
Czech Republic v Scotland team news
As expected, there are nine debutants in the Czech Republic side.
Czech Republic (4-3-3) Mandous; Holes, Hubnik, Jemelka, Zeleny; Janos, Budinsky, Havlik; Malinsky, Tecl, Pesek.
Scotland (possible 4-2-3-1) Marshall; Palmer, Cooper, McKenna, Robertson; McTominay, McLean; Christie, Fleck, Armstrong; Dykes.
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Northern Ireland v Norway team news
It’s a big night for Steven Davis, who equals Pat Jennings’ record of 119 Northern Ireland caps.
Northern Ireland (possible 4-3-3) Peacock-Farrell; Smith, Cathcart, Ballard, Ferguson; McNair, S Davis, Saville; Dallas, Washington, Thompson.
Norway (4-4-2) Jarstein; Elabdellaoui, Ajer, Hovland, Aleesami; Johansen, Henriksen, Normann, Elyounoussi; Haaland, Sorloth.
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Netherlands v Italy team news
Netherlands (4-3-3) Cillessen; Hateboer, Veltman, van Dijk, Ake; De Roon, Van de Beek, F de Jong; Wijnaldum, Depay, Promes.
Italy (4-3-3) Donnarumma; D’Ambrosio, Bonucci, Chiellini, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Locatelli; Zaniolo, Immobile, Insigne.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina v Poland team news
Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-3-3) Begovic; Kvrzic, Bicakcic, Sanicanin, Civic; Besic, Hadziahmetovic, Hajradinovic; Hodzic, Koljic, Gojak.
Poland (4-2-3-1) Fabianski; Kedziora, Glik, Bednarek, Rybus; Goralski, Krychowiak; Jozwiak, Zielinski, Grosicki; Milik.
Pre-match listening
Preamble
Hello and welcome to another bumper night of Nations League action. Netherlands v Italy is the glamour match of the night, while there’s British interest in groups B1 and B2. Northern Ireland, who earned an excellent draw in Romania on Friday, are at home to Norway. And Scotland, who had a slightly frustrating draw at home to Israel the very same night, play the Czech Republic C team in Prague.
You probably know the story, but just in case: a couple of the Czech Republic players had to self-isolated after coming into contact with a backroom member of staff who tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the Czech FA to pick an entirely new squad of players and coaching staff to face Scotland. Only two of the new squad have international experience. It’s a great opportunity for Scotland to add to a list of infamous results that includes Iran, Costa Rica, the Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan.
One match has already been played, with Belarus winning 2-1 away to Kazakhstan in Group C4. There are seven other games, all kicking off at 7.45pm BST:
Group A1
- Bosnia and Herzegovina v Poland
- Netherlands v Italy
Group B1
- Northern Ireland v Norway
- Austria v Romania
Group B2
- Israel v Slovakia
- Czech Republic v Scotland
Group C4
- Albania v Lithuania
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