Croatia and Netherlands into Nations League semi-finals as France survive relegation

26.09.2022 - 09:05 thenationalnews.com

Croatia and the Netherlands booked their places in the last four of the Nations League as holders France avoided relegation from the top tier despite losing to Denmark on Sunday.

Les Bleus lost 2-0 in Copenhagen to finish with just one win from their six group games, but Croatia's 3-1 win away to Austria saved the world champions from the drop.

Didier Deschamps will be hoping to have a number of key men back from injury by the time France's defence of the World Cup begins against Australia on November 22. "It was a young French team, which for the most part does not yet have experience of the highest level," said Deschamps. "Tonight is a dose of reality and what will be waiting for us in two months." France will also come up against the Danes in the group stage in Qatar and the Euro 2020 semi-finalists showed they are more than capable of causing more trouble in two months' time.

Both goals came before half time as Kasper Dolberg stretched to turn home Mikkel Damsgaard's cross before Andreas Skov Olsen volleyed in from the edge of the area.

Boxing FIFA semi-finals as Didier Deschamps Paul Pogba Luka Modric Les Bleus Antoine Griezmann Hugo Lloris Olivier Giroud Jules Kounde Dejan Lovren Christoph Baumgartner Qatar France Croatia Denmark Netherlands Australia Austria county Dane Copenhagen

By Matias Grez, CNN

Croatia and Netherlands into Nations League semi-finals

Croatia and the Netherlands booked their places in the last four of the Nations League as champions France needed a favour to avoid relegation from the top tier on Sunday.

Croatia, Netherlands into Nations League semi-finals as France survive relegation

Les Bleus lost 2-0 in Denmark to finish with just one win from their six group games, but Croatia's 3-1 win at Austria saved the world champions from the drop. Didier Deschamps will be hoping to have a number of key men back from injury by the time France's defence of the World Cup begins against Australia on November 22. "It was a young French team, which for the most part does not yet have experience of the highest level," said Deschamps.

Nations League wrap: Netherlands, Croatia reach semis

Captain Virgil van Dijk netted a second-half winner as the Netherlands beat neighbours Belgium 1-0 on Sunday to ensure top spot in their Nations League group and a place in next year's finals tournament. Van Dijk powered home a header from a corner in the 73rd minute at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday to ensure the Dutch finished runaway winners in League A Group Four. They finished with 16 points, six more than Belgium who had a chance to leapfrog their neighbours, and take first place, but needed to win by three goals or more on Sunday to do so. Any hopes of a goal feast were quickly stymied, however, as the two sides effectively cancelled each other out in a tight tactical battle. The Dutch pressing game frustrated Belgian efforts at building up attacks, while a five-man defence for the visitors meant there was little room for the home strikers. It meant the winner came from a simple setpiece with Van Dijk leaping over his marker, the 18-year-old Zeno Debast, to give Louis van Gaal his 37th victory in his three spells in charge of the national side, equalling the record for a Dutch coach held by Dick Advocaat.

Nations League: Denmark stun France while Van Dijk sinks Belgium

Nations League holders France lost 2-0 to Denmark in their final Group A game but salvaged their place in the top tier at the end of a dismal campaign on Sunday.