Looking for Soccer News?

Three play-offs, two finals and two Indian Super League (ISL) titles - Antonio Habas knows how to win when it matters the most. 

It is not that his teams play attractive football throughout the league stage. On the contrary, Habas has never managed to finish on top of the table after the league stage. 

In 2014, ATK managed to win just four times in 14 matches and even in the previous season when they looked favourites for the top spot, a 3-1 loss to Chennaiyin in the final league game dashed their hopes for a spot in the AFC Champions League. 

But during the business end of the tournament, Habas' teams would more often than not shift that extra gear to get the better of the opponent. 

In the inaugural edition of ISL, ATK were locked in a goalless draw with FC Goa in the semi-finals after the two-legs but, the red and whites held their nerves in the tie-breakers to reach the final. And in the title-decider, Mohammad Rafique scored a late winner deep into injury time to land the coveted trophy in Kolkata. 

Whereas in 2019-20, Bengaluru FC won the first leg and even scored a vital away goal in the return leg, yet Habas managed to guide his team from troubled waters to a safe harbour as the side scored three on the trot. In the final, his men once again put their best foot forward against Chennaiyin and won the match 3-1. 

Here are the numbers for Habas' stint in India. 

*All stats sourced from ISL

** The name ATK has been used since all matches were played before the merger with Mohun Bagan. 

Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has earned the honour of being the best standing tackler in the FIFA 21 video game.

The Netherlands international is known for being difficult to dribble past and it's no exception in the game, with his 93 standing tackle rating a whopping three points more than any other player.

Van Dijk leads the trio of players with a standing tackle statistic of 90 that features Chelsea's N'Golo Kante, Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini and Paris Saint-Germain's Idrissa Gueye.

When it comes to sliding tackles in FIFA 21, three players are ranked first with a score of 90, including Real captain Sergio Ramos, Manchester United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Inter playmaker Radja Nainggolan.

Best standing tacklers in FIFA 21

Best sliding tacklers in FIFA 21

Manchester United are “missing players with identities”, according to Paul Parker, who says the Red Devils have become a “buy buy” club in recent years.

United have endured a nightmare start to the 2020-21 campaign, slipping to 16th in the Premier League standings after just three fixtures.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has seen his side lose at home to both Crystal Palace and Tottenham, with a fortuitous win against Brighton wedged in between, which has already left them playing catch up.

The Norwegian boss has been backed to the tune of over £200 million ($260m) since inheriting the managerial reigns at Old Trafford, with the likes of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek added to the squad.

However, the Red Devils are still a long way behind the elite clubs on both domestic and European stages, with there little sign of a frustrating transitional period coming to an end any time soon.

United’s 6-1 loss to Spurs heaped more pressure on Solskjaer amid fresh calls for Mauricio Pochettino to be drafted in, but Parker thinks the players should take most of the blame, with Fernandes considered to be the only man showing some pride.

“You look at those results and the players have lost their way now, you can see it,” The former Red Devils defender told talkSPORT.

“You cannot forgive them for that, because you are looking for them to add that little bit of self-motivation and pride.

“That bit of pride to say: ‘we are not going to go on and concede that many’.

“There should have been a lot more fight – football has changed, there was a lot more self-motivated players in my time than there is now.

“United are missing players with identities, who have come into the club from places where they have had to dig deep and they have come in looking to achieve and win things.

“When you look at someone like Bruno Fernandes, he wants to prove a point – he has come from a massive club, a very famous club in Portugal, and has come to United looking to prove himself again, and you cannot knock that.”

Parker added on the lack of character within Solskjaer’s squad: “Maybe some of the players they are getting in, a few of them are content, happy to be there, and think that it is an easy ride.

“At this moment in time, I am looking at Manchester United, and they have become a ‘buy buy’ club. However, a lot of the work has to be done on the training field, but with the right people.

“You have to voice an opinion at individuals, I am going to turn around and tell them the home truth, maybe at half-time or after a game.

“How are you going to deal with that? Are you going to sulk, blank me and go to talk to your agent?

“Or are you going to have the character to accept what you have or have not done, then go out and prove me wrong in the second half or in the next game?”

Romelu Lukaku paid tribute to stand-in Iceland coach Arnar Vidarsson despite a defeat to Belgium that saw them relegated from Nations League Group A2.

Lukaku scored both Belgium goals in a 2-1 away success on Wednesday, his penalty proving decisive after Birkir Mar Saevarsson had levelled for Iceland.

Hosts Iceland perhaps deserved a point after pushing for a second equaliser after half-time, subjecting the world's top-ranked side to a tense finish midweek.

Despite their demotion, Iceland's performance was made all the more remarkable by the absence of their usual coaching staff amid coronavirus measures.

With head coach Erik Hamren and his assistants in quarantine, Under-21s boss Vidarsson flew in to lead the side.

Vidarsson spent the majority of his playing career in Belgium with Lokeren and Cercle Brugge, however, also taking coaching roles with both clubs and therefore having an insight into the away team.

Lukaku told VTM: "I have to congratulate coach Vidarsson. He set his men up very well today. Okay, he knows us very well, but he made it a difficult match for us tonight."

Vidarsson, who won 52 caps for his country, lives and previously played in Belgium was well equipped for his unexpected role on Wednesday but admitted the experience was both draining and thrilling. 

"I haven't slept much and it has been an interesting 24 hours but fun," Vidarsson said post-match. 

"The game plan was well set up and us stand-ins were comfortable with following it. We are proud and the boys can be proud of themselves.

"Overall, the performance was decent, but we wanted to get the equaliser in the end.

"We won an important game against Romania last week that was our priority. Tonight it is just a nice experience and opportunity to compete against the best in the world.”

While Iceland will finish bottom of the group, Belgium regained top spot courtesy of defeat for England – winners against Roberto Martinez's men last week – at home to Denmark.

"We are top of the group again - now it's important to make the difference in the final two games," Lukaku added.

Diogo Jota felt under no added pressure to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo after starring for Portugal in Wednesday's 3-0 Nations League victory over Sweden.

The Liverpool winger scored twice in the Group A3 clash at the Estadio Jose Alvalade after laying on an assist for Bernardo Silva's opening strike.

Jota was recalled by Fernando Santos for only his second start in Portugal colours,  with Ronaldo absent after testing positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

And the 23-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Wolves last month, described the day as his best as a footballer.

"It was an excellent night, and one of my best performances for my country," he said. "We had a great result against a Sweden side that is not easy to play against, so we can be proud. 

"The coach chooses the eleven for each game. I did my best on the field. 

"There was no pressure to replace Ronaldo. We are professionals and, if the boss chooses eleven players to enter the field, these are the ones who have to work.

"I think this is my highest moment. Joining Liverpool was a big step in my career, and today I started again in the national team, I have to keep doing my best."

Portugal have won three and drawn one of their opening four Group A3 matches and lead France - 2-1 winners against Croatia in Zagreb - on goal difference.

On the back of successive 0-0 draws with Spain and France, Santos was satisfied with his side's performance against out-of-form Sweden.

"I think we controlled the game, even though I think Sweden could have scored a goal. It was not a 'top, top, top' display, but it was good," Santos said. 

"The result itself is excellent. As for the game, there were very good aspects and other less good things.

"We had 20 very good minutes when we controlled the match well. But we also had difficulty with Sweden's football, with long balls, aggressive play, putting four men up front."

Marcus Berg hit the post for Sweden at 1-0 and Rui Patricio was called into action three times in the second half.

Sweden boss Janne Andersson was issued a yellow card for protesting a decision that went against his side, meaning he will miss next month's game with Croatia.

"It's not good. You should not be suspended as the leader," he said. "There is nothing I am happy or proud of.

"If the referee shows yellows to the bench today, I think he will have a hard time in the rest of his career when it gets really heated."

Bruno Fernandes denied reports he had an argument with Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the Premier League loss to Tottenham.

Fernandes was reportedly furious at half-time of the clash earlier this month, and the midfielder was substituted at the break with United trailing 4-1 before they suffered a 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international had opened the scoring from the penalty spot, but was said to have had a bust-up with Solskjaer at half-time.

However, Fernandes rubbished those claims after Portugal's 3-0 Nations League win over Sweden on Wednesday.

"There's been a lot of speculation about that," the midfielder told Sport TV, via A Bola.

"First it was a discussion with team-mates, as it did not stick, it was a discussion with only one team-mate [Victor Lindelof], as it did not stick now, it is the discussion with Solskjaer.

"I believe it is a way to destabilise the group. What was said is in no way true.

"I was replaced at half-time, it is true, by technical option. The coach told me that the game was almost over and that we would have a lot of games ahead of us. Got it. I was not satisfied but said nothing that could harm the group."

After just one win from the opening three games of the Premier League season, Solskjaer has been under increasing pressure at United.

But Fernandes insisted Manchester United were ready to respond against Newcastle United on Saturday, while warning the speculation needed to stop.

"Do not use my name, my colleagues or the coach to make trouble at Manchester United," he said. "The atmosphere is good and the team is ready to give an answer in the next game."

The Red Devils are currently 16th in the Premier League with just three points from their first three games of the new season. 

Fernandes has enjoyed a more successful spell with his nation over the past week and believes they did well to beat Sweden in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. 

“We were not asked to play any differently, our ambition remains the same. The team has great values but it is obvious that it is easier to win with the best in the world," he said post-match. 

Ronaldo lauded countryman Neymar after being surpassed by the Paris Saint-Germain superstar to the second most goals in Brazil's history on Tuesday.

Neymar's hat-trick in a 4-2 World Cup qualifying win over Peru saw him eclipse Brazil great Ronaldo on the nation's goalscoring list.

With 64 international goals, Neymar moved past Ronaldo (62), only adrift of Pele (77) for Brazil's all-time record at the age of 28.

Ronaldo, who won two World Cups during his time with Brazil between 1994 and 2011, used social media to praise Neymar's achievement.

"All my respect for you @neymarjr!," the 44-year-old former striker wrote via Instagram on Wednesday.

"He plays a lot, gives assistance, plays, dribbles and thrashes. The sky is the limit. Fly, kid!

"What a beautiful story you are writing. A complete and increasingly mature player. Crack! Handling the pressure off the pitch is sometimes more challenging than the ball itself.

"Now tell me: where did we come from, where did we arrive...who is going to tell us what is impossible? Keep trusting your instincts because the talent is yours and nobody can take it from you.

"You have a lot of records to overcome and marks to leave. Proud to see a Brazilian at the top!"

Neymar's treble performance against Peru was also the fourth occasion he has scored three or more goals for his country in a game, but the first time in a competitive fixture.

After equalling Ronaldo's international haul, he emulated the Brazil great's iconic celebration and took to social media after the match to pay tribute. 

While Neymar is cementing his status as a Selecao great, young Brazilian Rodrygo recently declared he doesn't want to follow in his footsteps and instead leave his own mark. 

"From the beginning of my career when I started at Santos, they already compared me as the 'new Neymar' and with Robinho, I always had that weight over me," the Real Madrid youngster said. 

"I always said that I wanted to be Rodrygo and make my story, Robinho and Neymar are great idols of Santos and of all the places where they played. I'm just starting out and I think there is only one Neymar.

"I always had that weight over me, but I just want to be Rodrygo."

Thibaut Courtois backed Eden Hazard to eventually "explode" for Real Madrid after his luckless injury run.

Hazard is yet to make an appearance for Madrid this season, having suffered a muscle injury just as he neared a return from an ankle issue.

The playmaker struggled to have much of an impact for the La Liga giants in his first season following his arrival from Chelsea last year.

But Belgium and Madrid team-mate Courtois believes it is only a matter of time before Hazard delivers at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Hazard? I have no doubt, I am sure we will see the best Eden Hazard," the goalkeeper told Cadena SER on Wednesday.

"He is the first with the desire to show it. I see him very well and hopefully soon he can prove it.

"Just before his injury, he played several games very well and there he had such bad luck and getting out of that was not easy. But now this month I saw him train very well. I am sure that in no time he will explode and will to give many joys to the team."

Courtois arrived at Madrid from Chelsea in 2018 and also struggled initially, but he has turned his form around.

The 28-year-old paid tribute to coach Zinedine Zidane for continuing to back him.

"Zidane has given me a lot of confidence. I have always felt that he counted on me and it is important," Courtois said.

"In those difficult moments at the beginning of last year, if you don't feel that the coach is with you, it becomes difficult."

Courtois' save percentage in La Liga in his first season with Madrid in 2018-19 was 65.4, as per Opta. That figure improved to 79.2 last season, as he faced 302 shots in both of those campaigns. In four games so far in 2020-21, Courtois' save percentage is at 86.7, showcasing his improvement at Madrid.

Madrid, who are top of La Liga with 10 points from four games, host Cadiz on Saturday.

Christy Ucheibe was outstanding for SL Benfica as they confirmed their place in the 2019-20 Portuguese Women's Cup final following Wednesday's 2-1 semi-final win over Famalicao.

The title-holders had eased past Amora after an 11-2 victory to reach the last four and then the semi-final clash with Famalicao was scheduled for May, but postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Back then, Ucheibe was missing for Benfica as the Nigeria youth international was ineligible to feature in the quarter-final, having only joined the Portuguese side a few days before the tie in February.

On their part, Famalicao were rampant in their quarter-final test as they thrashed Grijo 5-1 on their ground to advance in February.

In Esmeriz, Benfica made a promising start to the encounter and got an early lead from their first breakthrough as the hosts conceded a penalty after a foul on Cloe Lacasse in the second minute.

A minute later, Nycole Raysla made no mistake from the spot as she sent goalkeeper Rute Costa in the wrong direction to hand the visitors a crucial lead in the semi-final contest.

Darlene almost doubled the advantage for Benfica but her fine shot from distance was stopped by goalkeeper Costa in the 27th minute.

Famalicao, however, reacted positively and managed to restore parity when Dani Neuhaus knocked down Mylena to gift the hosts a penalty which Vitoria Almeida converted from the spot.

After the break, both sides already looked to settle the contest from the spot when Canadian Lacasse struck at the death to secure the winner for the visitors and guarantee their place in the final.

Ucheibe was in action for the duration of the match on her third appearance in all competitions for Benfica this season.

Having reached the final, Benfica will face the winner of November 18's second semi-final between Estoril Praia and Sporting Braga.

Jamie Redknapp has jumped to the defence of Harry Maguire after the England defender's poor form continued with a first-half red card against Denmark on Wednesday.

Maguire picked up a booking inside the first five minutes of the Nations League match at Wembley, before he took a poor touch in the 31st minute and compounded his error by lunging in on Kasper Dolberg and earning a second yellow card.

Denmark would take the lead minutes later when Christian Eriksen converted from the penalty spot. That goal would be all Denmark needed as they defeated England 1-0 on the night.

The sending off continued a torrid spell for Maguire, who has seen his Manchester United side concede nine goals in three games to start the Premier League season, including a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham.

It was a difficult summer for Maguire, who was left out of England's squad last month after he was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery after an incident in Mykonos, Greece in August.

Maguire, who is appealing the decision, has said he was scared for his life during the incident and refused to apologise for his actions.

On Sky Sports, Redknapp urged fans to look at the bigger picture as the Man Utd captain goes through a difficult spell both on and off the field. 

"It's easy for us to sit here and rip him apart: 'He's having a nightmare, he's conceding goals,'" Redknapp said.

"He's having a moment. He's having a really bad moment in his career, he's going to have to somehow pull himself together, he's got to get back. Big weekend for him coming up for Manchester United.

"He's got to get his confidence back because he's a player really lacking confidence. There is a lot going on in his life and I think we sometimes forget that.

"When you go out on the football field you think everything is going to be right, but you can genuinely see he's really struggling with his game at the moment."

With his red card, Maguire became the third player to be sent off for the England men's team at Wembley after Paul Scholes versus Sweden in June 1999 and Steven Gerrard against Ukraine in September 2012.

After the final whistle blew, Reece James would also pick up a red card for foul and abusive language toward the referee.

England have now had three red cards in their last five international matches, having gone 71 matches and more than six years without a red card previously.

Diogo Jota scored two and assisted another as Portugal earned a 3-0 win over Sweden in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence to remain top of the Nations League Group A3 standings.

Juventus forward Ronaldo scored both goals in last month's 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture but was ruled out of this match after testing positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

Jota, brought back into the line-up for Wednesday's clash in Lisbon, stepped up by playing in Bernardo Silva for the opener and then scoring the second before half-time.

The Liverpool attacker rounded off the scoring 18 minutes from time as the Nations League holders returned to winning ways after successive stalemates with Spain and France over the past week.

William Carvalho headed against the post inside four minutes when left unmarked at the back post but the hosts did not have to wait much longer to find a breakthrough.

Bruno Fernandes turned over possession, slipped in Jota and the Liverpool winger squared for Silva to curl past Robin Olsen with a first-time finish from 10 yards.

Portugal survived a scare when Marcus Berg's shot hit the post and they had some breathing space when Jota controlled Joao Cancelo's pass and tucked a shot in a minute before the break.

Rui Patricio produced a couple of good saves to keep out Berg and Viktor Claesson early in the second half as Sweden - without a point from four Group A3 games - pushed for a route back into the game.

But it was Fernando Santos' men who scored the game's third goal through Jota, who took the ball past a few players and picked his spot past Olsen after being found by Carvalho.

What does it mean? Ronaldo-less Portugal win again

Portugal put four goals past Croatia in Ronaldo's absence in their opening Nations League game and looked very good in an attacking sense here.

Santos' men had 16 shots in total - six of those on target - with Premier League stars Jota, Fernandes and Silva linking up superbly at times.

The European champions stay above France, who were 2-1 winners against Croatia in Zagreb, on goal difference, while Sweden are still seeking their first point.

Cancelo shines out wide

Jota will steal the headlines thanks to his two goals and assist but right-back Cancelo was an unsung hero for Portugal at both ends of the field.

His pass for Jota's opening goal was sublime - one of two chances he created in a game that also saw the defender top his team's charts for open play crosses (four).

Joao Felix fails to fire

The last four games Joao Felix had been involved in prior today finished in 0-0 draws - two for Atletico Madrid and two for Portugal.

He was again on the periphery during his 75 minutes on the pitch here, firing over from a good chance in the second half and managing just 23 touches of the ball - the fewest of any home starter.

What's next?

Portugal host Andorra in a friendly in their next match on November 11, while a trip to Denmark awaits Sweden - also a friendly - on their return to action next month.

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium bounced back from a rare defeat against England on Sunday by beating Iceland 2-1 in the Nations League in Reykjavik.

The world's top-ranked side controversially lost for the first time in almost two years at Wembley to slip from the summit in Group A2, but they returned to the top of the pile with victory on Wednesday.

In the absence of Kevin De Bruyne following his injury last time out, Lukaku was predictably the star and netted either side of a Birkir Mar Saevarsson equaliser in the first half.

With England losing at home to Denmark, that brace proved enough for the Red Devils to reclaim control of the pool, surviving a slightly nervy stretch after half-time to condemn Iceland to relegation.

Lukaku quickly came to the fore and had the visitors in front after nine minutes, seizing on Hordur Magnusson's loose touch in the area and holding off Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson to slam a left-footed finish past Alex Runarsson.

But that lead lasted just eight minutes as Runar Mar Sigurjonsson's superb pass in behind Yannick Carrasco allowed Saevarsson to tuck in the equaliser.

Iceland pushed in search of a second, yet Eyjolfsson's rash lunge then saw Lukaku win a penalty for a second match running and, as against England, capitalise from 12 yards.

An entertaining first half gave way to a tense second and Belgium mustered only two attempts after the break but held on to deal Iceland a costly defeat.

What does it mean? Martinez's men made to work

Following the England game, victory was the most important measure for Roberto Martinez's side on Thursday. But having won each of their 12 prior meetings with Iceland - including three over the past two Nations League campaigns - Belgium might have expected a more straightforward success.

De Bruyne's drive was clearly missed in midfield and Iceland, typically a conservative side, would have had more than their 37 per cent of possession in the second half had they not gone direct in the closing stages.

Lukaku looks the part

Defenders simply have no answer for Lukaku right now. He has now scored six goals in his past five games for Inter and Belgium and was as dominant in Iceland as he had been in the first half in England.

As well as scoring with his only two shots and creating a further chance, the striker was involved in eight duels as he kept the home defence occupied.

Carrasco caught out

Timothy Castagne has been in fine form for Leicester City this season, but he dropped to the bench for this match, meaning Carrasco lined up as Belgium's left-sided wing-back.

Far happier in an attacking role, the Atletico Madrid man was preyed upon for Iceland's equaliser and failed to make a single tackle, clearance or interception.

What's next?

November brings another set of triple-headers. Belgium's focus will be on the return game against England but they first face Switzerland in a friendly, while Iceland have a do-or-die Euro 2020 play-off with Hungary.

Donny van de Beek scored his first Netherlands goal in a 1-1 draw with Italy that saw both teams lose ground to Poland in Nations League Group A1.

Lorenzo Pellegrini polished off a lovely move to put Italy in front in Bergamo on Wednesday, before Manchester United midfielder Van de Beek opened his Oranje account on his 14th international appearance.

Neither side was able to find a winner in the second half, with Roberto Mancini's men extending their unbeaten run to 19 games – 16 in competitive matches – and denying Frank de Boer a first victory in charge of the Netherlands.

Poland now sit in pole position to advance to the Nations League Finals following a 3-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, piling the pressure on Italy and the Netherlands.

Nicolo Barella scored the only goal when these teams met in Amsterdam in September and he laid on the opener for Pellegrini with a beautiful curling pass around the back of the defence following an exchange on the right with Federico Chiesa.

The Netherlands' high line continued to make them look vulnerable but they drew level in the 25th minute when Van de Beek slammed into the top-right corner after getting in the way of an effort from Memphis Depay.

Luuk de Jong steered a tame header wide from a glorious position as De Boer's team gained a foothold in the game, though they still needed a good save from Jasper Cillessen to keep out Danilo D'Ambrosio before half-time.

Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a stunning stop to deny Depay in the 55th minute and Ciro Immobile was unable to punish the visitors 94 seconds later when he failed to beat Cillessen in a one-on-one situation after an error from Hans Hateboer.

It proved to be the last solid opening of the game, with impressive last-ditch defending from both teams ensuring the spoils were shared at the end of a disappointing second period.

What does it mean? Twists and turns to come

With the spoils being shared in Bergamo, Poland took full advantage to take control of Group A1. Robert Lewandowski scored twice in their win to ensure his team went a point clear of Italy and two ahead of the Netherlands. A place in the semi-finals is now Poland's to lose, though they face Italy and the Netherlands in their final two group games.

A bright spark

Depay said he hopes to retain Barcelona's interest for the January transfer window by continuing to impress this season and was the Netherlands' best player against Italy. His assist may have been fortuitous, but he was a persistent threat and created four chances for team-mates.

No joy for Immobile

Immobile wasted a great chance that could have sealed the three points for Italy and remains on 10 goals after 42 caps. He had 31 touches across the 90 minutes, fewer than any player to start for the Azzurri – including goalkeeper Donnarumma.

What's next?

Italy will gear up for their final Nations League games by hosting Estonia in a friendly next month, while the Netherlands will face a far greater challenge in the form of Spain.

France edged out Croatia 2-1 thanks to Kylian Mbappe's late effort in an end-to-end Nations League encounter.

Buoyed on by a limited, albeit raucous, home crowd in Zagreb, Croatia looked well placed to push on when Nikola Vlasic cancelled out Antoine Griezmann's stunning eighth-minute opener.

Mbappe failed to convert a gilt-edged chance soon after the world champions broke the deadlock, and Croatia could have made France pay earlier if not for an excellent stop from Hugo Lloris, who was then beaten by Vlasic after the break.

Despite a superb stop from Dominik Livakovic to deny Paul Pogba, France had their winner when Lucas Digne brilliantly teed up Mbappe with 11 minutes remaining.

Griezmann drew France level in Les Bleus 4-2 triumph over Croatia in September, and it did not take long for him to open the scoring this time out as he arrowed a brilliant finish in off the woodwork.

It should have been 2-0 seven minutes later, only for Mbappe to slice wide with the goal gaping, with Anthony Martial seeing a penalty appeal turned down following a tussle with Domagoj Vida.

Mario Pasalic looked set to restore parity when he pounced on a loose ball six yards out, only for Lloris to make an outstanding save with his feet.

Vlasic drilled wide from the edge of the area eight minutes into the second half, yet the playmaker showed no such profligacy soon after when he prodded a fantastic finish across Lloris and into the left-hand corner.

Substitute Pogba made an instant impact, though, and would have restored France's lead if not for Livakovic's reactions.

However, the Manchester United man was to prove decisive, with his raking pass finding Digne, who volleyed in a cross for Mbappe to keep France level pegging with Group A3 leaders Portugal.

What does it mean? France keep pace with Portugal

While Portugal, without Cristiano Ronaldo, easily cast aside Sweden in Group A3's other match, it was an altogether more difficult task for Didier Deschamps' side on Wednesday, but the victory, which came despite them having only 47.6 per cent of the possession, keeps them right on the heels of the group leaders. Croatia, meanwhile, remain third on three points.

Griezmann a thorn in Croatia's side 

Following his opener, Griezmann has now scored three goals against Croatia for France. He has only netted more against Germany.

Injury halts superb Digne display

The first-time cross from full-back Digne for Mbappe's winner was exquisite, but the 27-year-old was also excellent defensively, making a game-high seven tackles.

However, his match came to a concerning end late on when he suffered an apparent knee injury, which will be a huge worry for Everton ahead of the Merseyside derby on Saturday.

What's next?

France play Finland in a friendly on November 11, while Croatia are due to play Turkey a day earlier.

Roma forward Borja Mayoral has suggested Zinedine Zidane wanted him to stay at Real Madrid and for Luka Jovic to instead be sold.

Mayoral was a bit-part player for Zidane in 2017-18 and spent the following two La Liga campaigns on loan with Levante, where he scored 14 goals in 69 appearances in all competitions.

He returned to Madrid for the start of this season and was brought on as a substitute in two league games but has since joined Roma on an initial two-year loan deal.

However, Mayoral has claimed things could have turned out differently as Zidane preferred him to Jovic, who has struggled to make an impact since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

"After doing pre-season with Real Madrid, I was going to leave the club quickly, but Zidane wanted me to stay," he said upon being presented by Roma on Wednesday. 

"I told him I had to leave to get more opportunities. I think the club listened to Zidane and that's why they instead wanted to offload Jovic. 

"Everything was done very late, but in the end, I called [Zidane's] office again and asked him if he could let me leave. 

"I thought I would have more opportunities to play and improve. In the end it's done, I'm here and this is the most important thing."

Roma paid €2 million for the temporary deal and have an option to make the move permanent for a fee next season. 

Mayoral has yet to make his debut for the Serie A club but is raring to get going in a new league.

"I arrived a little late, but the important thing is that I am here now," he said. "I consider myself a young striker, who is very eager, very hungry, who gained some experience already in La Liga. 

"I'm a striker who scores, who plays well in the penalty area, but who also moves well, who can help the team with his movements, making assists.

"I have been here for just 10 days and I am very satisfied with my choice, happy with the club and the team-mates. I feel comfortable."

Reece James has become the first England player to be sent off on his starting debut as Gareth Southgate's Three Lions again suffered issues with their discipline in the 1-0 Nations League loss to Denmark on Wednesday.

James was shown a red card after the final whistle for dissent against referee Jesus Gil Marzano, while Harry Maguire was also given his marching orders following a second yellow in the first half at Wembley.

Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot shortly after Maguire's sending off, as England dropped to third position in Nations League group A2 and face a battle to qualify for the competition's finals.

Despite the disappointing end to his full international debut, James impressed in a right-wing back role, with team-mate Declan Rice saying the 20-year-old looked like a seasoned international veteran.

"Reece James looked like he'd been out here for 30-40 caps tonight," Rice said to BBC's 5Live post-match. "I've been with him since the Under-8s and I know he's capable of that.

"He's a fantastic young player and gives us another option going forward and I don't think that sending off should affect how positively we look at his performance.

"Until [Maguire's] sending off happened I thought we were playing really well and using the ball really well. Reece James and Mason Mount were creating some great chances for us but we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net."

The red cards received by James and Maguire means England has had three players sent off in a calendar year for the first time, with Kyle Walker shown two yellows against Iceland in September.

Maguire was sent from the field in the 31st minute after a poor first touch saw him catch Kasper Dolberg - with the Man Utd skipper arguably lucky to not see red when he was flashed a yellow card after five minutes for a lunge on Yussuf Poulsen.

England skipper Harry Kane believed that the two incidents were a by-product of the team's desire to win the match, and said he felt James would deal with the frustration better next time.

"I think it's one of those games, when as professional athletes, you lay your heart on the line and a few things don't go your way, it's part of the learning curve," Kane said to Sky Sports.

"I'm sure Reece will learn from it. When you're going at 120% and things don't quite happen it's frustrating."

England now rank third in their Nations League group as they sit level with Denmark on seven points but are behind on goal difference.

With two matches remaining, Belgium lead the group on nine points with only the top spot set to qualify for the Nations League finals.

Gareth Southgate has admitted that Harry Maguire is going through a difficult period after the England defender picked up a first-half red card against Denmark.

Maguire was cautioned within five minutes of Wednesday's Nations League match before he was shown a second yellow on the half-hour mark. 

The Three Lions were unable to overcome the centre-back's expulsion, as Christian Eriksen's goal from the penalty spot gave Denmark a 1-0 victory on the evening. 

"I think the first yellow was a challenge he didn't need to make, and that puts him on edge," Southgate told BT Sport after the game. "The second one, it's an interception and his momentum takes him through and into the player."

The England boss would also offer his backing to the defender, who has had a trying couple of months both on and off the pitch. 

Maguire has played his part in Man Utd conceding nine goals in their first three league matches, while he was also found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery after an incident in Mykonos, Greece in August.

"For me, he's a top player," Southgate said. "He's a massive part of what we do. He's having a period where he's getting a lot of stick thrown his way. And he's big enough to deal with that, he'll come through it, he'll be stronger for it. He's got our full support and I know his club will be the same. 

"I think for any person, none of us like to be the centre of that sort of storm. When you're a bit older, you can rationalise it and you've experienced it before and you can move forward with it. 

"He is experiencing it really for the first time I would say - not that he's never had setbacks in his career before, because no player gets to the level he is without having had setbacks.

"But his profile has changed over the last couple of years because of the club he plays at, because of the success he's had with us. And he's having one of those periods where things are going against him, but you have to hang in and it will turn."

England captain Harry Kane also gave words of encouragement to his team-mate after a difficult evening. 

"It's all part of the learning curve, and the experience of international football," Kane told Sky Sports.

"Obviously he'll be disappointed, but he'll bounce back. He's had a great three or four years. Football is all about working hard and I'm sure that's what he'll do."

Frank de Boer decided to change the Netherlands' system for their Nations League game against Italy after one training session because they looked like "young hyenas".

Italy won the first meeting of the Group A1 rivals in Amsterdam in September 1-0, with interim boss Dwight Lodeweges deploying a 4-2-3-1 on that occasion.

After beginning his Netherlands tenure with a 1-0 loss to Mexico and a goalless draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina, De Boer switched to a 5-3-2 for the meeting in Bergamo in a bid to limit the impact of Italy's attacking full-backs.

Oranje fell behind to Lorenzo Pellegrini's goal in the 16th minute but quickly drew level when Donny van de Beek opened his international account.

Though the Netherlands were unable to find a winner, De Boer knew his team were ready for the new approach after a promising dry run.

"I wanted to play with five at the back so that my forwards didn't have to keep chasing back with their overlapping players," De Boer told NOS.

"Basically, it's just a question of looking very rationally at the opponent and working out what we can offer in return. In this case it meant sacrificing a player like Steven [Berghuis].

"I thought we had the better of the game, say 60 to 40 per cent in our favour, and that was because of our own quality.

"The critics would have been harsh [if the Netherlands lost], but in training I saw how the players chased their prey like young hyenas. I told them: 'If we show this in the game, it shouldn't be a problem.'

"But I am not satisfied with the result, because we want to be top of the group. Now we have to make sure we win the last two games."

The draw meant Poland moved top of Group A1 following a 3-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina, with Italy a point behind and the Netherlands two adrift.

Oranje captain Virgil van Dijk felt the visitors should have done more with their 14 attempts on goal – twice the amount mustered by Italy.

"The coach handled it well. All credit to him for that," said Van Dijk of the change in formation.

"We knew we had to do things differently to the first game. We wanted to get a result and I think a draw here is a good performance to build on.

"We did well and worked hard but we should have got more out of the counter-attack in the second half.

"We created a lot of opportunities against a fantastic team. We could have done more."

Italy extended their unbeaten run in competitive fixtures to 16 – one shy of their all-time record set between June 1997 and June 1999.

Roberto Mancini admitted he was caught off guard by the Netherlands' tactical shift but still has designs on a place in the Nations League Finals.

"It's the first time they changed to this system and it was a surprise, but we knew it was going to be a tough game," Mancini told Rai Sport.

"Opponents are there too, they can create problems and that's what happened this evening. We attacked and I think we created the most clear-cut opportunities, overall.

"The performance was tough, it was a good game, a real battle. Now we go head-to-head with Poland for the top spot. We'll win the next two and then qualify."

Bruno Fernandes says Portugal did not change their playing style to compensate for Cristiano Ronaldo's absence against Sweden, but he admits the 3-0 win would have been even easier had "the best in the world" been able to play.

Ronaldo was unable to feature in Wednesday's Nations League match in Lisbon after he tested positive for Covid-19 and went into isolation.

But Fernando Santos' men coped well without him, as Bernardo Silva gave them the lead when Diogo Jota found him in a dangerous position.

Jota went on to score two of his own to ensure Portugal remain top of their group, level on points with France.

Fernandes says it felt like business as usual despite not having the Juventus star leading the attack.

“We were not asked to play any differently [without Ronaldo], our ambition remains the same," the Manchester United midfielder told reporters.

"The team has great values but it is obvious that it is easier to win with the best in the world."

Jota scored his first goal just before half-time when he brought down a Joao Cancelo cross before smashing past Robin Olsen.

With 18 minutes left on the clock, the 23-year-old tore down the wing and cut inside before sending in his side's third, and he was proud of himself for playing such a key role for his country. 

​“It was an excellent night, one of my best performances," Jota said. "Representing my country for a second time and putting in a performance like this? It was a great result against Sweden and it wasn't easy. We can be proud.

“Pressure to replace Ronaldo? No, we are professionals and if the coach chooses 11 players to take to the field, those are the ones who have to work."

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves last month in a deal worth £41 million ($53m) and has one goal from two Premier League appearances for the reigning champions.

And he is happy that everything is going smoothly for both club and country just now.

“I think [moving to Liverpool] was the highest moment in my career and today I started again in the national team. I have to do my best," he added.

England boss Gareth Southgate has defended his decision to snub Jack Grealish as the Three Lions crashed to a 1-0 Nations League defeat against Denmark on Wednesday.

Following his man-of-the-match performance in the 3-0 win versus Wales last week, Grealish was an unused substitute in Sunday's win against Belgium and that was again the case as England failed to pull back Christian Eriksen's first-half penalty at Wembley.

Southgate's side was forced to play for more than an hour with 10 men after Harry Maguire was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence. Starting debutant Reece James also saw red after the final whistle for dissent against referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

The Three Lions manager was asked post-match about his failure to utilise Grealish, to which he explained Maguire's sending off changed his plans for the match. Southgate insisted that his team needed pace down the flanks with their player disadvantage.

"We had to go with speed in the wide areas and athleticism in the wide areas because with 10 you've got to do such a shift, Mason [Mount] and Marcus [Rashford] did that really well," Southgate said to Sky Sports.

"They defended well and gave us a threat and Mason nearly scored with the header.

"Getting Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] and Jadon [Sancho] on, Harry [Kane] was winning every header and winning fouls which meant we could get set pieces into the box. The red card threw a lot of plans out of the box unfortunately."

Grealish has only made two appearances for England, with his senior debut coming as a 76th-minute substitute in September's 0-0 draw with Denmark, before he produced a stunning performance in his first start against Wales last week.

The Villa skipper regularly sliced apart the Welsh defence, playing an inch-perfect cross for Calvert-Lewin's first international goal and looking impressive when he got on the ball.

England have slipped to third in Nations League group A2 behind Belgium and Denmark and now face a battle to finish in the top qualifying position for the tournament's finals.

To secure qualification, England will need to defeat Belgium in Brussels and Iceland at Wembley - while hoping Denmark drop a point in their final two matches.