
Take a look at our newest merchandise
Key occasions
82 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. This second half has been performed on a tilted pitch. The whole lot funnelling in the direction of the Scottish field. However the guests proceed to carry agency.
78 min: Italy 1-2 Germany. Maldini sends a few corners in from the left. Each in the direction of the close to submit. The primary causes a little bit of bedlam, the second is well cleared. However Italy weren’t 1,000,000 miles away from equalising briefly order.
GOAL! Italy 1-2 Germany (Goretzka 76)
It’s Kimmich to Goretzka once more … and this time the latter flicks the previous’s supply from the left throughout Donnarumma and into the online!
77 min: Bulgaria 1-2 Eire. One blocked shot from Kraev aside, the hosts haven’t seemed like levelling issues up. Eire comparatively snug proper now.
75 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Kieran Tierney returns to the pitch in a Scotland shirt for the primary time since choosing up that damage at Euro 2024 in opposition to Switzerland. He replaces Kenny McLean.
72 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Greece didn’t have a single nook within the first half. They’ve pressured six through the second. To this point. However the guests maintain on.
69 min: Italy 1-1 Germany. The guests reply to that shut shave instantly. Kimmich crosses from the proper and Goretzka steers a header throughout Donnarumma and vast of the left-hand submit. He ought to have hit the goal on the very least. Someplace, in a parallel universe, it’s 2-2.
67 min: Italy 1-1 Germany. Italy embark on some collective juggling down the proper flank. An elaborate transfer practically ends in spectacular type, as Tonali backheels in mid-air from the byline, Kean sending a screaming volley inches over the bar. That might have been one for the showreels.
68 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. … so having stated that, the Greeks go shut once more. A cross whipped in viciously from the proper by the prodigy Karetsas. Tzolis merely has to comply with it in, six yards out, on the far stick, however by some means hammers his shot in opposition to that stick as a substitute of into the welcoming web. Karetsas seems a participant all proper.
65 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Adams sprays a wild shot over the bar from lengthy distance. Nonetheless, this can be a higher spell for Scotland, who’ve been reasonably below the cosh for the reason that restart.
63 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Roberson practically advantages from some hectic pinball within the Greek field, however Tzolakis claims with the ball threatening to fluke its manner into the bottom-left nook.
60 min: Netherlands 2-1 Spain. Huijsen, successful his first cap in opposition to the nation of his birthplace, earns his first worldwide reserving by scything by his Bournemouth team-mate Kluivert. A satisfying symmetry, of types, to all this.
57 min: Bulgaria 1-2 Eire. It’s been a little bit of a non-event for the reason that restart, which can swimsuit Eire simply tremendous.
58 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Karetsas continues to guide Scotland a merry dance. He attracts a foul from McLean out on the proper. Tsimikas sends a harmful ball into the mixer. Scotland wrestle to cope with it. Nook, from which Mavropanos heads vast proper. The guests clinging onto this lead by the fingertips.
54 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. The hosts despatched on 17-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas at half-time. Previously of the Belgian youth system, Karetsas switched allegiances to the house of his mother and father and appears the actual deal. His first contact of his full worldwide debut was a cross that went straight out of play; he’s shortly received up to the mark, although, practically planting a roller into the top-left nook.
GOAL! Italy 1-1 Germany (Kleindienst 49)
Kimmich crosses and Kleindienst ranges up, planting a tremendous downward header into the underside left. Kleindienst, on on the break, didn’t take lengthy to make his Deutsch mark.
51 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. A few corners for Greece. One from the proper, then one other from the left, which Tsimikas swings lengthy. A deflection takes it vast proper. … just for Mantalos to hook it again into the mixer for Tzolis to bash residence from a few yards. Greece have fun the purpose, however come on and are available off it, that ball was miles behind the byline. Certainly it was, after a examine, and nothing comes of the ensuing third nook.
GOAL! Netherlands 2-1 Spain (Reijnders 46)
A mere 39 seconds into the second half, the Dutch take the lead! Frimpong romps down the proper, drifts into the field, then cuts again for Reijnders, who goals a exact drive throughout Simon and into the underside left! Unstoppable! The hosts flip it round!
46 min: Bulgaria 1-2 Eire. Bulgarian keeper Dimitar Mitov didn’t precisely cowl himself in glory within the first half. Maybe he was carrying an damage. Both that, or he’s been hooked, as a result of on comes Plamen Iliev in his stead.
The second-half story. Begins right here.
The half-times
-
Croatia 2-0 France
-
Denmark 0-0 Portugal
-
Italy 1-0 Germany
-
Netherlands 1-1 Spain
The play-offs
Croatia’s bid to get some payback for the 2018 World Cup ultimate goes nicely. Ivan Perišić arrange Ante Budimir’s opener halfway by the primary half, earlier than notching one himself simply earlier than the break. Christian Eriksen in the meantime has missed a penalty for Denmark.
45 min: Netherlands 1-1 Spain. Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, born in Amsterdam however having spent most of his younger life in Marbella, makes his worldwide debut for Spain, changing the injured Pau Cubarsí.
44 min: Italy 1-0 Germany. Some comedian cuts as Burkardt competes for a low cross from the proper, and manages to take out Donnarumma, Calafiori and Di Lorenzo suddenly. No actual hurt accomplished.
44 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. The Scots are racking up the probabilities. Now Adams is available in from the proper and larrups a low drive throughout the keeper and inches vast of the left-hand submit. Tzolakis wasn’t attending to that.
GOAL! Bulgaria 1-2 Eire (Doherty 42)
Eire have turned it round! A easy ball floated in from the left by Cullen. Mitov involves the sting of his field, however is soundly crushed within the soar by Doherty, who heads into an unguarded web! Doherty didn’t even need to get that far off the bottom. Very questionable goalkeeping, just like the Irish care about any of that.
43 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Then one other large likelihood as Adams, one on one with Tzolakis, slams his shot straight on the keeper.
42 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. Gilmour dribbles into the field from the proper, then slices horribly vast. He claims a shove within the again by Tsimikas, however the referee’s having none of it.
39 min: Greece 0-1 Scotland. A reminder that Scotland haven’t gained this sport but. Like anybody in darkish blue is considering that. Konstantelias crosses excessive from the proper. Ionnidis bashes a header excessive and vast.
36 min: Netherlands 1-1 Spain. Depay lotions a shot in the direction of the underside proper. Simon does exceptionally nicely to readjust and block together with his chest. No person in oranje available to slam residence the rebound.
33 min: Bulgaria 1-1 Eire. An equaliser has led to a change in momentum in Bulgaria, too. Eire practically full the turnaround as Parrott fizzes a low cross in from the proper, Collins (of all folks) practically assembly it within the center with an prolonged leg. Had he not minimize his toenails final night time, Collins was poking Eire into the lead there.
33 min: Netherlands 1-1 Spain. The hosts are instantly nicely on prime. Gakpo whistles a low cross by a crowded mixer. Then the identical participant tries to launch Depay down the left and into the field, however the cross is a smidgen too robust.
GOAL! Greece 0-1 Scotland (McTominay pen 33)
There’s a VAR examine over the award of the penalty, however Rota positively kicked into McTominay’s standing leg. McTominay takes the ensuing spot kick himself, and sweeps into the right-hand facet of the online, sending Tzolakis the improper manner. It’s that man once more!
31 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. PENALTY FOR SCOTLAND! McTominay strides into the Greek field down the inside-left channel. Upon getting into the field, he’s clipped by Rota, and the referee factors to the spot!
GOAL! Netherlands 1-1 Spain (Gakpo 28)
Cody Gakpo, after that aforementioned below-par week, is again, child! He sweeps a first-time shot into the underside left, assembly Kluivert’s completely weighted tee-up fantastically.
27 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. … Robertson’s supply causes all method of mayhem within the Greek six-yard field. Some pinball. Then an opportunity falls to the susceptible McTominay, who swivels on his bottom earlier than hooking vast left of purpose. It was simpler for McTominay to hit the goal, given the quantity of seat-of-pants shoogling required to reposition himself, although the flag went up for some infringement or different anyway.
26 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. Robertson seems for McTominay with a low cross from the proper. McTominay prepares to slam residence however Tsimikas comes throughout to hack out for a nook. And from the set piece …
24 min: Bulgaria 1-1 Eire. Kick for kick, that Azaz purpose wasn’t precisely the identical as this stone-cold traditional. But it surely had the identical gloriously queasy zig-zag rhythm.
GOAL! Bulgaria 1-1 Eire (Azaz 21)
A free kick for Eire simply to the proper of the centre circle. Doherty sprays it vast left to Brady, who launches it diagonally in the direction of Parrott on the right-hand nook of the six-yard field. Mitov goes to gather however Parrott hooks the ball again throughout the face of purpose, and Azaz can’t miss from six yards!
22 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. One other Scottish nook from the proper. Robertson loops it straight down Tzolakis’s throat for the second time.
19 min: Netherlands 0-1 Spain. Cucurella crosses lengthy from the left. Morata rises on the far stick and isn’t far-off from guiding a header throughout the keeper and into the left-hand facet of the online. Simply vast.
18 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. Ferguson dribbles with menace down the proper to win Scotland’s first nook of the night. However the set piece is well claimed by Tzolakis within the Greek purpose. Scotland shall be content material sufficient with issues up to now.
16 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. The guests look snug … one cross in from the proper aside, however Ralston offers with it nicely, with attackers lurking on the again stick.
13 min: Bulgaria 1-0 Eire. The Irish had began fairly confidently, till Bulgaria scored with their first assault of the match. Now they’re wanting nervous, and Despodov glides in from the left earlier than aiming in the direction of the highest proper. He doesn’t get sufficient whip on his shot and it’s a great declare by Kelleher.
GOAL! Italy 1-0 Germany (Tonali 9)
A lot for Germany’s respectable begin. Barella strokes a cross down the proper to feed Politano, whose low cross is just half cleared. Racing in from the left, one in every of Newcastle’s hoodoo-busting heroes, Sandro Tonali, who hammers residence. A tremendous few days’ work for Tonali all proper.
GOAL! Netherlands 0-1 Spain (Williams 9)
Ronald Koeman seems on, sporting a face, as Hato is robbed within the left-back place. The ball’s labored proper to left by Spain in the direction of Williams, who spins elegantly six yards out and slots. Verbruggen no likelihood. Hato undressed.
GOAL! Bulgaria 1-0 Eire (Petkov 6)
Krastev, his again to purpose on the sting of the Irish D, backheels cutely to Petkov, who threads a forensic first-time shot throughout the flat-footed Kelleher and into the underside proper.
4 min: Italy 0-0 Germany. The Germans on prime in these early levels. A nook in from the proper. A free kick in from the left. The Italian defence does what Italian defences have accomplished for therefore lengthy. Straightforward sufficient.
3 min: Netherlands 0-0 Spain. The Dutch reply by Gakpo, who has seemed awfully unfit in Liverpool’s current defeats to PSG and Newcastle, however seems a bit sharper already tonight. In from the left he zips, and goals a roller in the direction of the highest proper. All the time vast, at all times excessive.
2 min: Netherlands 0-0 Spain. The primary shot on the right track in Rotterdam comes courtesy of Pedri, who slaps it straight at Verbruggen. A straightforward declare.
2 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. … however they get the ball again and win a free kick out on the proper. It’s swung in and half cleared, however when McGinn makes an attempt to whistle the ball by a crowded field, the whistle goes for an excessive amount of Caledonian pushing and shoving. A confident-enough begin by the Scots, although.
And we’re off! Scotland kick off in Greece, and lose the ball throughout the first six seconds. Onwards and upwards.
Piraeus, Rotterdam, Milan, Plovdiv … all people’s speaking about Pop Musik! … the groups are out! Throughout Europe, we’ll be off as soon as the anthems are accomplished.
Heimir Hallgrímsson makes seven adjustments to the Irish beginning XI after the 5-0 thumping at Wembley. Six of them are enforced: Liam Scales and Jayson Molumby are suspended, whereas Sammie Szmodics, Callum O’Dowda, Mark McGuinness and Festy Ebosele are injured. Evan Ferguson drops to the bench. In come: Mikey Johnston, Robbie Brady, Troy Parrott, Matt Doherty, Ryan Manning, Finn Azaz and Jason Knight.
Steve Clarke talks to BBC Scotland: “Come into the stadium and also you’re buzzing already … was tempted to go to a again 5 however determined to stay with the 4 … the 4 over the group stage labored nicely … we created slightly bit extra … extra midfield gamers on the pitch … it’s a very fast begin on a Thursday … the one time I had all of the gamers on the pitch was on Wednesday simply earlier than we flew to Greece so we didn’t have a whole lot of time to vary the system … so we caught with what we labored on for the earlier six video games.”
Steve Clarke sticks to 4 on the again … by the seems of it, given how the returning Kieran Tierney is on the bench. There are simply two adjustments to the group that began the dramatic 2-1 win in Poland final November: Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams step up with Ben Doak and Lyndon Dykes lacking out altogether.
Greece v Scotland groups
Greece: Tzolakis, Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas, Siopis, Mantalos, Masouras, Konstantelias, Tzolis, Ioannidis.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Mandas, Vagiannidis, Retsos, Zafeiris, Pelkas, Fountas, Pavlidis, Mouzakitis, Hatzidiakos, Karetsas, Giannoulis.
Scotland: Gordon, Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson, Gilmour, McLean, McGinn, McTominay, Ferguson, Adams.
Subs: Kelly, Slicker, Tierney, Conway, Wilson, Hendry, Porteous, McKenna, Nisbet, Hirst, Miller, Johnston.
Bulgaria v Rep. Eire groups
Bulgaria: Mitov, Popov, Atanasov, Alex Petkov, Nurnberger, Despodov, Krastev, Gruev, Lukas Petkov, Andrian Kraev, Marin Petkov.
Subs: Sheytanov, Plamen Iliev, Antov, Kirilov, Nikolov, Bozhidar Kraev, Shopov, Nedyalkov, Simeon Petrov, Minkov, Panayotov, Ilian Iliev.
Republic of Eire: Kelleher, Doherty, Collins, O’Shea, Manning, Knight, Cullen, Azaz, Johnston, Brady, Parrott.
Subs: Bazunu, Travers, O’Brien, Ferguson, Idah, Dunne, Sykes, Vata, Moran, Taylor, Armstrong, Abankwah.
The quarter-final groups
Croatia: Livakovic, Stanisic, Caleta-Automotive, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Modric, Kovacic, Perisic, Baturina, Kramaric, Budimir.
Subs: Kotarski, Ivusic, Pongracic, Moro, Mario Pasalic, Vlasic, Fruk, Jakic, Sosa, Ivanovic, Petar Sucic, Juranovic.
France: Maignan, Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Digne, Guendouzi, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Muani, Mbappe.
Subs: Samba, Chevalier, Pavard, Upamecano, Camavinga, Doue, Olise, Kone, Zaire Emery, Barcola, Clauss, Hernandez.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Kristensen, Vestergaard, Andersen, Isaksen, Hjulmand, Eriksen, Norgaard, Maehle, Biereth, Lindstrom.
Subs: Hermansen, Jorgensen, Nelsson, Frendrup, Dorgu, Hojlund, Hogsberg, Skov Olsen, Wind, Tougher, Froholdt.
Portugal: Costa, Dalot, Dias, Veiga, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Fernandes, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto, Ronaldo, Leao.
Subs: Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, Antonio Silva, Joao Palhinha, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Inacio, Quenda, Ruben Neves, Trincao, Jota.
Italy: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Politano, Barella, Rovella, Tonali, Udogie, Kean, Raspadori.
Subs: Meret, Vicario, Buongiorno, Ricci, Maldini, Lucca, Frattesi, Ruggeri, Zaccagni, Casadei, Gatti, Bellanova.
Germany: Baumann, Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Raum, Gross, Goretzka, Sane, Musiala, Amiri, Burkardt.
Subs: Ortega, Nubel, Andrich, Stiller, Leweling, Undav, Adeyemi, Kleindienst, Mittelstadt, Schlotterbeck, Bisseck, Koch.
Netherlands: Verbruggen, Geertruida, van Hecke, van Dijk, Hato, de Jong, Reijnders, Frimpong, Kluivert, Gakpo, Depay.
Subs: Olij, Flekken, Simons, Koopmeiners, Brobbey, de Ligt, Taylor, Lang, Malen, Wieffer, Baas.
Spain: Simon, Porro, Le Normand, Cubarsi, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Zubimendi, Fabian, Yamal, Morata, Williams.
Subs: Raya, Remiro, Grimaldo, Merino, Perez, Olmo, Aghehowa, Mingueza, Huijsen, Garcia, Baena, Oyarzabal.
Preamble
Welcome to this Nations League version of our ever-lovable Clockwatch function. There are two big quarter-final showdowns …
-
Italy v Germany
-
Netherlands v Spain
… plus the beginning of Scotland’s try to finish their Homeric League A survival bid …
… so we’ll be retaining shut tabs on all of these. However that’s not all, as a result of the opposite quarters are fairly tasty too …
-
Croatia v France
-
Denmark v Portugal
… and Eire are searching for to lock down League B soccer subsequent time spherical …
… so there’s loads to be getting on with tonight. All of the matches, that includes repeats of the 1982, 2010 and 2018 World Cup finals, kick off at 7.45pm GMT. It’s on!