The match between Portugal and Croatia ended with a historic score of 2-1 in the opening of the Nations League.
In this match, Pepe was honored for his long-term contribution, as he “hung up his boots” at the age of 41. Meanwhile, his companion throughout all these years, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored the 900th goal of his career when he netted the 2-0 in the 34th minute.
The remaining goals were scored by Diogo Dalot, one for each team! The Manchester United defender opened the scoring in the 7th minute, while he reduced the deficit for Croatia with an own goal in the 41st minute.
Also, in the same group (Group 1) of League A, Poland triumphed over Scotland with a 3-2 victory in a thrilling match that was decided by Zalewski’s penalty in the 7th minute of injury time.
In Group 4, the defending champion, Spain, drew 0-0 against Serbia in Belgrade, while at the Parken in Copenhagen, 20-year-old Patrick Dorgu clinched a 1-0 victory for Denmark over Switzerland in the 82nd minute. It was an incident-filled match, and the visitors finished with 9 players as Elvedi (52′) and Xhaka (87′) were sent off.
Global historical event: San Marino won
The moment the national team of San Marino had been waiting for 34 years, since their first official match in November 1990, has finally arrived.
The team from the independent microstate of 35,000 residents achieved today their first victory in their history in an official competition, winning 1-0 against Liechtenstein in the opening of the Nations League (Category D).
A 19-year-old, Niko Sensoli, wrote his name in golden letters in history by scoring in the 53rd minute to give his compatriots absolute relief!
In more than 200 matches, San Marino had 194 losses (!), 10 draws, and only one win, but in a friendly match.
That was 20 years ago, in April 2004, when they also defeated Liechtenstein 1-0.
Sensoli wasn’t even born then! Perhaps today’s victory will prove sufficient for San Marino to ascend from the last (210th) position in the FIFA rankings, which they have occupied for about a year.
The results and the scorers of the 1st matchday in the Nations League:
LEAGUE A
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Group A
———
1st matchday
Portugal – Croatia 2-1
(7′ Dalot, 34′ Ronaldo – 41′ own goal Dalot)
Scotland – Poland 2-3
(46′ Gilmour, 76′ McTominay – 8′ Simanski, 44′ pen. Lewandowski, 90+7′ pen. Zalewski)
2nd matchday
Croatia – Poland 8/9
Portugal – Scotland 8/9
Group B
———
1st matchday
Belgium – Israel 6/9
France – Italy 6/9
2nd matchday
France – Belgium 9/9
Israel – Italy 9/9
Group C
———
1st matchday
Germany – Hungary 7/9
Netherlands – Bosnia 7/9
2nd matchday
Hungary – Bosnia 10/9
Netherlands – Germany 10/9
Group D
———
Denmark – Switzerland 2-0
(82′ Dorgu, 90+2′ Højbjerg)
Serbia – Spain 0-0
2nd matchday
Denmark – Serbia 8/9
Switzerland – Spain 8/9
LEAGUE B
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Group A
———
1st matchday
Georgia – Czech Republic 7/9
Ukraine – Albania 7/9
2nd matchday
Albania – Georgia 10/9
Czech Republic – Ukraine 10/9
Group B
———
1st matchday
Ireland – England 7/9 (19:00)
Greece – Finland 7/9
2nd matchday
England – Finland 10/9
Ireland – Greece 10/9
Group C
———
1st matchday
Kazakhstan – Norway 6/9
Slovenia – Austria 6/9
2nd matchday
Norway – Austria 9/9
Slovenia – Kazakhstan 9/9
Group D
———
1st matchday
Iceland – Montenegro 6/9
Wales – Turkey 6/9
2nd matchday
Montenegro – Wales 9/9
Turkey – Iceland 9/9
LEAGUE C
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Group A
———
1st matchday
Azerbaijan – Sweden 1-3
(65′, 71′ Isak, 80′ Gjökeres)
Estonia – Slovakia 0-1
(70′ Suslov)
2nd matchday
Slovakia – Azerbaijan 8/9
Sweden – Estonia 8/9
Group B
———
1st matchday
Kosovo – Romania 6/9
Lithuania – Cyprus 6/9
2nd matchday
Cyprus – Kosovo 9/9
Romania – Lithuania 9/9
Group C
———
1st matchday
Belarus – Bulgaria
(
N. Ireland – Luxembourg
(11′ McNair, 16′ Ballard)
2nd matchday
Luxembourg – Belarus 8/9
Bulgaria – N. Ireland 8/9
Group D
———
1st matchday
Faroe Islands – N. Macedonia 7/9
Armenia – Latvia 7/9
2nd matchday
Latvia – Faroe Islands 10/9
N. Macedonia – Armenia 10/9
LEAGUE D
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Group A
———
1st matchday
San Marino – Liechtenstein 1-0
(52′ Sensoli)
2nd matchday
Gibraltar – Liechtenstein 8/9
Group B
———
1st matchday
Moldova – Malta 7/9
2nd matchday
Andorra – Malta 10/9
Source: APE-MPE