Nations League Round up: England, Italy and Ireland shine with crucial wins; France struggles without Mbappe

The Nations League returned with some exciting action on Thursday as four games took center stage across Europe. England, Italy, and Ireland all earned important results as the tournament continues to heat up, while Kylian Mbappe-less France struggled in a goalless draw against Israel.

England Dominate Greece 3-0

England took a commanding step towards topping their Nations League group with a dominant 3-0 victory over Greece in Athens. The match started brightly for the visitors, who took the lead early through Ollie Watkins, finishing off a pass from Noni Madueke. Greece struggled to create chances in the first half, with Kostas Tsimikas' header being their best effort before the break. England continued to control the game in the second half, with Jude Bellingham coming close to doubling the lead as his shot hit the post, while Rico Lewis also tested Greek goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Despite Greece's increased pressure in search of an equalizer, England maintained their composure, and Bellingham doubled the lead with a fortuitous second goal, following a drive at the Greek defense that saw his shot ricochet off the post and past the goalkeeper. Greece's efforts were thwarted as they could not break down England's defense, even as they introduced fresh attacking options. Curtis Jones added a third in the final stages with an elegant backheel flick into the corner, capping off an impressive performance and making his first start for England a memorable one. The victory left England well-positioned to finish top of the group.

Italy Narrowly Defeat Belgium to Stay Unbeaten

Italy extended their impressive 2024 form with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a lackluster Belgium, a result that could have been more convincing for the visitors. The Azzurri dominated the early stages, maintaining nearly 80% possession in the first 15 minutes. Their pressure paid off when Giovanni Di Lorenzo delivered a precise cross to Sandro Tonali, who finished from close range to put Italy ahead. Belgium struggled to break down Italy’s defense in the first half, managing just one shot on target and failing to create meaningful chances.

Belgium improved after the break, with Arne Engels, Zeno Debast, and Leandro Trossard all coming close to scoring in the early stages of the second half. However, Italy remained the more dangerous side, with David Frattesi and Di Lorenzo both squandering opportunities to extend the lead. Despite Belgium's late pressure, Italy held firm to secure their fourth win from five Nations League games. The victory leaves them needing only a point from their final match against France to ensure they top the group.

France Held to Goalless Draw by Israel

France, who was without their star player Kylian Mbappe, were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Israel in a match marked by low quality and a lack of clinical finishing. Despite dominating possession early on, Didier Deschamps' side struggled to break down Israel's resolute defense. Randal Kolo-Muani came closest to scoring with a header that was saved, while N'Golo Kante also saw an effort denied by Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. The French team had plenty of opportunities but lacked the sharpness needed to find the back of the net before halftime.

The second half continued in a similar vein, with France piling on the pressure but failing to seriously test Peretz. Israel, in contrast, only managed two attempts on goal throughout the game. With 23 shots fired by the hosts, France's inability to convert their chances left them with just one point from the match. The result leaves them needing to beat Italy by two goals in their final game to secure top spot in the group.

Ireland Hold Off Finland to Secure Vital Win

Ireland and Finland played out an evenly contested first half, with both teams creating chances, but it was the hosts who took the lead just before the break. Mikey Johnston’s impressive work on the wing led to a cross that found Evan Ferguson, who rose above the defenders to head home his fourth international goal. This gave Ireland a narrow 1-0 advantage at halftime, and they looked to build on their momentum in the second half.

Finland responded strongly after the interval, pressing for an equalizer, and were handed a golden chance when Ferguson was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area. However, Joel Pohjanpalo’s penalty was superbly saved by Ireland’s goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, keeping the scoreline in Ireland’s favor. That save proved pivotal, as Ireland held on to their lead and secured a crucial 1-0 win, condemning Finland to relegation to the third tier of the Nations League with a game to spare.