Portugal give Mancini’s Italy plenty to worry about

MILAN: Portugal rested Cristiano Ronaldo and still overcame newlook Italy 1-0 in their opening Nations League match on Monday, giving visiting coach Roberto Mancini plenty to think about Forward Andre Silva scored three minutes after halftime in the League A Group 3 game to give the Portuguese their first win over Italy in a competitive match since 1957.

Mancini, in only his second competitive match in charge, made nine changes to the team which started Friday’s 1-1 draw at home to Poland but his side were on the back foot for most of the match and struggled to create any real danger.

Italy, who missed out on this year’s World Cup for the first time in 60 years, are without a win in four competitive matches.

KOSOVO BEAT FAROES

PRISTINA: Kosovo clinched their first-ever win in a competitive international by beating the Faroe Islands 2-0 in the Nations League on Monday.

Two goals in a six-minute spell after halftime by Arber Zeneli and Atdhe Nuhiu earned Kosovo the points in the League D Group 3 match, which was also the first time they had staged a competitive game in Kosovo itself. Kosovo were admitted as members of UEFA and subsequently FIFA in 2016 following a long campaign.

TURKEY BEAT SWEDEN

STOCKHOLM: Turkey’s substitute Emre Akbaba got two late goals to snatch a stunning 3-2 win over Sweden in the Nations League at the Friends Arena on Monday.