Spain Reach Nations League Quarters, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal Held By Scotland

European champions Spain sealed their place in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Serbia on Tuesday, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal were frustrated in a 0-0 draw with Scotland. Spain, who are also the reigning Nations League champions, became the second team to clinch a quarter-final spot as they followed in the footsteps of Germany by moving to 10 points from a possible 12 in Group A4. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, the two wing stars of Spain's triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, were not involved against Serbia on a rainy night in the Andalusian city of Cordoba.

Yet that didn't matter as La Roja went ahead through Aymeric Laporte's early header and then shook off Alvaro Morata's penalty miss at the start of the second half.

Captain Morata made it 2-0 with a lovely finish on 65 minutes and Alex Baena, who featured at the Euros before starring in the Spain team that won Olympic gold, made it 3-0 from a free-kick. Serbia finished with 10 men after defender Strahinja Pavlovic was sent off.

"We're in another final phase, which is the important thing -- it might seem easy but we're in all of these final phases in recent years, and that deserves credit," Morata told state broadcaster TVE.

Denmark are best placed to go through with Spain after they drew 2-2 away to Switzerland, who prop up the group.

The Danes twice came from behind, with Remo Freuler's opener cancelled out almost immediately by Gustav Isaksen, only for Zeki Amdouni to put the Swiss back ahead with a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

However, Christian Eriksen struck on 69 minutes to ensure Denmark left St Gallen with a point.

Portugal dropped points for the first time in Group A1 as they were forced to settle for a