NETHERLANDS THUMP GERMANY; IRELAND, DENMARK SHARE SPOILS
AMSTERDAM: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk led the Netherlands to a crushing 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday in the Nations League to ramp up the pressure on German coach Joachim Loew.
A first-half header by Dutch skipper Van Dijk gave the hosts the lead in Amsterdam.
With the German defence in disarray, late goals from Memphis Depay and Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum sealed the win on a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena.
This is the first time the Dutch have beaten Germany for 16 years and the comprehensive defeat leaves Loew under increasing pressure to resign after 12 years in charge.
These are dark days for the Germans, still reeling from their woeful World Cup display when they crashed out early after finishing bottom of their group.
Defeat in international means Germany are once again last -- this time bottom of Group One in the Nations League.
Van Dijk opened the scoring with a well-taken header after Ryan Babel had headed against the crossbar on 30 minutes.
Depay then compounded Germany’s misery by stroking home a pass from Quincy Promes three minutes from time after the pair got in behind the defence.
Depay then hit the Germany crossbar moments before Wijnaldum netted Holland’s third goal just before the final whistle.
Germany now face France in Paris on Tuesday and Loew can ill afford another heavy defeat.
IRELAND, DENMARK DRAW
Denmark dominated possession but couldn’t find a way to break down a dogged Republic of Ireland team as the two sides played out a dull scoreless draw in their UEFA Nations League B, Group 4 clash in Dublin on Saturday.
Denmark winger Pione Sisto skimmed the outside of the far post in first-half stoppage time and Danish captain Simon Kjaer had a header cleared off the line from a corner in the second period, while the Irish barely managed an attack of note.
Cyrus Christie forced Kasper Schmeichel to make a diving save in the 71st minute, but the Irish seemed content to settle for a draw that leaves Denmark top of the group on four points, with Wales a point behind and the Irish bottom on one point with all the teams having played two games.
CZECHS PIP SLOVAKS
A late header by substitute Patrik Schick gave the Czech Republic a 2-1 win over neighbouring Slovakia on Saturday and earned the visiting side their first point.
The Slovaks had squandered a slew of chances before the 22-yearold Roma forward broke the deadlock in the 76th minute when he headed into the top corner from captain Borek Dockal’s cross.
The goal came minutes after Schick had replaced Michael Krmencik, who scored the first goal of the match after 52 minutes when he held off a marker and side-footed home following a nifty through ball from Dockal. The Slovaks responded minutes later when Marek Hamsik, who was winning his record 108th cap, smashed a rebound into an empty goal after Czech keeper Tomas Vaclik did well to save an Adam Nemec header following a corner.
Czechs had the best chance when Matej Vydra’s volley from the edge of the box was cleared on to the post in the ninth minute.
1ST WIN FOR GIBRALTAR
Gibraltar won a competitive international for the first time with a 1-0 Nations League victory over Armenia in Yerevan on Saturday — after being mistaken for Liechtenstein.
The tiny British overseas territory beat an Armenia team including Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan thanks to Joseph Chipolina’s 50thminute penalty.
It was the first time they had won a match other than a friendly since joining UEFA in 2013 and their players danced with joy at the final whistle.
BULGARIA DEFEAT CYPRUS
Bulgaria fought back from a goal down to beat Cyprus 2-1 at home on Saturday.
The visitors took the lead shortly before half time when Grigoris Kastanos hit a bouncing right-footed shot in after a good cut-back from Andreas Avraam on Saturday night.
Bulgaria rallied in the second half, and got their equalizer just shy of the hour-mark through Kiril Despodov’s bullet header.
The comeback was complete eight minutes later when Todor Nedelev volleyed in at the back post after good interplay down the right side.