Portugal, without their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, got their Nations League campaign under way with a 1-0 victory against Italy in their Group A3 clash at Benfica’s Estádio da Luz.
The hosts did not have to get out of second gear to take the points against a much-changed side fielded by Roberto Mancini. After a dominant first-half display the hosts finally made the breakthrough at the start of the second half when André Silva scored what turned out to be the only goal of the game in the 48th minute.
Italy began with a 1-1 home draw against Poland in their inaugural Nations League clash last week and Mancini made wholesale changes from that match, with only goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and midfielder Jorginho retaining their places in the team. That lack of cohesion told, with Patrício in the Portugal goal not being called on to make a meaningful save.
The night’s biggest drama came in Stockholm, where Turkey produced a remarkable comeback from two goals down to earn a Group B2 win over Sweden. Isaac Thelin and Viktor Claesson appeared to have put the hosts out of sight within 49 minutes but Hakan Calhanoglu quickly pulled one back and Turkey turned things round in the closing minutes. The substitute Emre Akbaba was the hero, scoring in the 88th and 92nd minutes to give the visitors their first away win in seven attempts.
Serbia and Romania fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw in Belgrade, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic twice putting the home side ahead – the second time with a stunning volley – but seeing Nicolae Stanciu and a neat George Tucudean finish level the scores. Montenegro, who join those two in Group C4, beat Lithuania 2-0 in Podgorica thanks to a Stefan Savic penalty and Marko Jankovic’s strike.
Andorra caused a ripple in Group D1 by battling back to draw 1-1 at home to Kazakhstan, Jordi Aláez equalising with four minutes to play after Yuri Logvinenko had appeared to win it for the away side. It meant Andorra have taken a highly creditable two points from two games.
Malta and Azerbaijan traded goals in Group D3, Andrei Agius’s penalty swiftly being equalised by a fine effort from the latter’s Tamkin Khalilzade. But a far more memorable story came out of the meeting between Kosovo and Faroe Islands, their group rivals. Goals from Arber Zeneli and Sheffield Wednesday’s Atdhe Nuhiu put Kosovo top of the group and, more poignantly for them, sealed a 2-0 victory in their first competitive fixture on home soil, played at the stadium named after Fadil Vokrri, their late football association president.
