Ukraine achieved a surprisingly convincing 3:1 victory over Belgium in the first play-off match for a place in League A of the Nations League tournament, BTA reported.
The Ukrainians, who finished 2nd in Group B/1, will try to take the place of the “red devils". The match was played at the stadium in the Spanish city of Murcia because of the war that Russia is waging on the territory of Ukraine against this country.
In the first match of the new coach Rudi Garcia, the Belgians started very well. After several misses, it was Romelu Lukaku's turn to score in the 40th minute. The powerful striker chested down a pass from Kevin de Bruyne from a free kick.
But in the 66th minute, Oleksiy Hutsuljak capitalized on a mistake by the Belgian defense to make it 1:1. Vladislav Vanat turned the match around in the 73rd minute from close range, sending the ball under the diving Thibaut Courtois, who had returned to the Belgian national team. And four minutes later, Ilya Zabarny made it 3:1 with his first touch very beautifully after a pass from Oleksandr Zinchenko.
In another match from the playoffs for a place in League A, Austria and Serbia had a very exciting match with two beautiful goals and ended 1:1. First, Marko Arnautovic missed for the Austrians, but then in the 37th minute, Michael Gregoric scored a spectacular goal after a ball dropped by Arnautovic.
In the 61st minute, Lazar Samardzic, with a solo dribble, fired a real projectile with his left foot and left no chance for goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic saved his team from another goal in the 88th minute, blocking a shot by Patrick Wimmer.
Also in the flow between Leagues A and B, Scotland left with a 1-0 victory over Greece, with the only goal scored by Scott McTominay in the 33rd minute from a penalty awarded for a foul against himself.
And while before the break, the Scots controlled the ball and the situation, then they unleashed a real whirlwind in front of their goal. The Greeks had 18 shots, scored a goal that was disallowed for offside, but never even managed to equalize.
Earlier today, Turkey, who will be Bulgaria's opponent in the World Cup qualifiers starting in September, defeated Hungary 3-1.
In the battle for a place in League B, Kosovo took a narrow lead over Iceland 2-1, while in the most contested match, Slovakia and Slovenia finished 0-0.
In the same level of the tournament, Bulgaria lost 1-2 to the Republic of Ireland in Plovdiv, and earlier today, Georgia defeated Armenia 3-0 as a guest without the participation of their big star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgians are the opponent of the Bulgarian national football team in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in the fall.
In Pristina, CSKA-Sofia defender Lumbard Delova opened the scoring for Kosovo against Iceland. Milot Rashica crossed from a free kick, the Icelanders tried to clear, but the ball was held around the arc. Finally, Amir Rahmani returned it and Delova opened the scoring with a technical right-footed shot on goal in the 19th minute.
But just three minutes later, Ori Stein Oscarsson equalized for the guests after an assist from Isak-Bergman Johannesson. The final 2:1 for Kosovo was made by Elvis Rexhecai in the 58th minute, who fought for the ball in front of the penalty area and finished the counterattack himself.