The Nations League action you might have missed: Eden Hazard upstaged by brother

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The inaugural Uefa Nations League is nearing its close with the teams playing their final group stage matches.

In Sunday’s early game, England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley to secure their place in the final four of the Nations League, but that was not the only action of the day.

League A saw Switzerland take on Belgium in a straight shootout to decide who won Group 2, while in League B Northern Ireland and Austria went head-to-head in what was essentially a dead rubber.

In League C, Greece faced Estonia and Finland took on Hungary while in League D Moldova hosted Luxembourg and Belarus travelled to San Marino.

Here are eight things you might have missed from the night’s action across the Nations League.

1. Austrian duo get their first goals

Going into the game against Northern Ireland on Sunday afternoon, a lot was being made of Red Bull Salzburg’s Xaver Schlager who was making just his first competitive start for the Austrian national team.

With Marko Arnautovic only fit enough to start from the bench, Schlager, 21, took it upon himself to open the scoring for Austria with a brilliant low driven shot from the edge of the area, grabbing his first goal for the nation in the process.

If that wasn’t enough for the Burschen, Valentino Lazaro, 22, scored a late winner for Austria with a curling effort, also getting his first goal for the country.

It wasn’t enough to change anything in the group as final positions had already been confirmed prior the game, but things are looking positive for Austria ahead of the European Championship qualifiers.

2. Corry Evans ends eight-year wait

Some people wait three days between goals for their country, as Jesse Lingard did for England against the United States and Croatia. Others, they wait eight years. YEARS.

Blackburn Rovers midfielder Corry Evans made his debut for Northern Ireland in June 2009, and only took four appearances to get his first goal for the Green and White Army.

But 45 games would pass, spread over eight years, before Evans would grace the scoresheet once more for Northern Ireland to draw his side level.

3. San Marino end Nations League goalless

In the Nations League this year, Gibraltar have been making some minor waves, getting their first ever competitive win against Armenia before following it up with a second against Liechtenstein.

But everyone’s favourite minnows since the dawn of international football, San Marino, are showing no signs of changing their ways.

A 2-0 defeat to Belarus on Sunday confirmed another campaign without a win for San Marino as they finished bottom of League D2. But that wasn’t all.

The goalless game ensured San Marino would finish the Nations League without a scoring a single goal, the only team to do so across all levels.

If that isn’t bad enough on its own, San Marino have only scored 12 goals in 93 competitive games since the start of 2000.

4. Belarus reach League C on a high

While San Marino were staring at another group stage without a goal, Belarus proved they have the stingiest defence in the Nations League.

Unbeaten in their six group games, winning four and drawing two, the clean sheet against San Marino confirmed Belarus would gain promotion to League C and earn a place in the Euro 2020 play-offs without conceding a single goal.

With two goalless draws, Belarus’ other results consisted of two 2-0 wins, a 1-0 win and a 5-0 thrashing.

5. Defences go missing in Switzerland

Belgium may have gone into their game against Switzerland three points clear at the top of League AX, but with both sides still able to reach the final four, attack was the name of the game.

And what a game it was.

After just two minutes, Dries Mertens played the ball into the feet of Switzerland defender Nico Elvedi, who neatly passed it on to Thorgan Hazard giving the Belgian the easy chance of tapping in from close range.

Thorgan Hazard would get his, and Belgium’s, second 15 minutes later with a good effort from the edge of the area which looked to wrap up the game, and the group, for the Red Devils.

Switzerland, combined with Belgium’s defence, thought otherwise.

The home side were given a way back into the match from the penalty spot after Nacer Chadli tripped Kevin Mbabu inside the area, with Ricardo Rodriguez converting.

Then it was Haris Seferovic’s turn to grab a brace, turning the game on its head before half-time and put Switzerland in the ascendancy.

After half-time, the both defences tightened up but Elvedi made up for his mistake, heading in before Seferovic secured Switzerland’s place in the final four.

6. Thorgan Hazard upstages his brother

Whenever he is on the pitch, the main man of Belgium (and Chelsea) will always be Eden Hazard.

But on Sunday the 27-year-old was upstaged by his younger brother Thorgan.

Thorgan, 25, who was also once on the books at Chelsea, currently plies his trade in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach but has been linked with a move away from the German club to take a step up.

And, after his first-half showing against Switzerland, it’s easy to see why.

Putting Belgium up after two minutes, Thorgan Hazard showed the quick-thinking part of his game, still being aware despite standing offside, ready to pounce after Elvedi’s mistake.

And shortly after, he proved he can be just as dangerous when not gifted goals, driving the ball towards the edge of the box before finishing well.

7. Haris Seferovic’s perfect hat-trick

Switzerland needed a hero to guide them into the final for of the Nations League with many expecting Xherdan Shaqiri to be that man.

And while the Liverpool midfielder was impressive, one man stood out higher than the rest: Haris Seferovic.

The Benfica striker scored a three of Switzerland’s five goals on Sunday night to see them past Belgium. But if that wasn’t enough, it was a perfect hat-trick.

Drawing Switzerland level with a left-footed effort from close range, Seferovic then gave his side the lead shortly before half-time with his right from the edge of the area.

And, he then put Switzerland out of sight just before full-time, diverting in a cross well with his header, cushioned perfectly into the corner of the net.

A perfect hat-trick and a perfect way for Switzerland to join Portugal and England.

8. Why Wembley was half-empty at kick off

Despite the successes of the summer, growing relationship with the fans and the magnitude of the match, pessimists will have seen the Wembley crowd at kick-off and pointed holes in the Nations League.

England’s Home of Football looked bare during the national anthems and when the referee blew his whistle to start the match, before eventually filling out.

And this is because, reportedly, there were problems outside the ground for those with tickets trying to get in, delaying their entrances and causing queues which looked not too dissimilar to those often seen on the way out back to Wembley Park station.

The post The Nations League action you might have missed: Eden Hazard upstaged by brother appeared first on Squawka News.



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