UEFA Nations League: Les Blues Upend Portugal To Advance To Semifinal Round

 Group-stage play in the UEFA Nations League resumed on Saturday with nine games.

LEAGUE A:

Group Three:

At Lisbon:

N'Golo Kante scored the game's lone goal in the 54th minute as France defeated Portugal 1-0 on the road to win Group Three and secure a spot in the semifinal round.

At Solna, Sweden:

Marcus Danielson converted a penalty kick late in the first half (45'+1) for the game winning goal as Sweden staved off relegation to League B by holding off visiting Croatia 2-1.

Group Three Standings:

1. y-France (GP: 5; GD: +5; PTS: 13)

2.    Portugal (GP: 5; GD: +7; PTS: 10)

3.    Croatia (GP: 5; GD: -6; PTS: 3)

4.    Sweden (GP: 5; GD: -6; PTS: 3)

y-Won Group Three and advanced to the tournament's semifinal round.

Group Four:

At Leipzig, Germany:

Timo Werner scored twice (33', 64') Germany as defeated visiting Ukraine 3-1.

At Basel, Switzerland:

Gerard Moreno Balaguero's equalizer in the 89th minute kept Spain's hopes of winning the group and securing a semifinal-round berth as the guests gained a 1-1 road draw with Switzerland.

Remo Freuler scored for the hosts, who still have hopes of avoiding relegation to League B,  in the 26th minute.

Group Four Standings:

1. Germany (GP: 5; GD: +3; PTS: 9)

2. Spain (GP: 5; GD: +4; PTS: 8)

3. Ukraine (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 6)

4. Switzerland (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 3)

LEAGUE C:

Group One:

At Zapresic, Croatia (due to the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict):

Azerbaijan and Montenegro battled to a 0-0 stalemate.

At Nicosia, Cyprus:

Gregoris Kastanos scored twice (PK-34', 74') as Cyprus defeated visiting Luxembourg 2-1.

Group One Standings:

1. Montenegro (GP: 5; GD: +4; PTS: 10)

2. Luxembourg (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 9)

3. Azerbaijan (GP: 5; GD: -2; PTS: 5)

4. Cyprus (GP: 5; GD: -4; PTS: 4)

LEAGUE D:

Group One:

At Ta'Qali, Malta:

Jurgen Degabriele scored the winning goal in the 59th minute as Malta kept their faint hopes of promotion to League C alive by upending visiting Andorra 3-1.

At Riga, Latvia:

Gunnar Vatnhamar's equalizer in the 60th minute lifted the Faore Islands to a 1-1 road draw with Latvia that all but salted away promotion to League C for the Islanders .

Vladimirs Kamess scored for the hosts in the 59th minute.

Group One Standings:

1. Faroe Islanders (GP: 5; GD: +4; PTS: 11)

2. Malta (GP: 5; GD: +2; PTS: 8)

3. Latvia (GP: 5; GD: -1; PTS: 4)

4. Andorra (GP: 5; GD: -5; PTS: 2)

Group Two:

At Serravalle, San Marino:

Gibraltar all but locked up promotion to League C by holding hosts San Marino to a 0-0 deadlock as La Serenissima's involvement in the tournament came to an end.

Group Two Standings:

1. Gibraltar (GP: 3; GD: +2; PTS: 7)

2. Liechtenstein (GP: 3; GD: +1; PTS: 4)

3. San Marino (GP: 4; GD: -3; PTS: 2)