IMAGES from the UEFA Nations League matches played on Monday.
Italy defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo scored twice in an energising 4-1 win at home over Israel in the Nations League on Monday as Luciano Spalletti's side put one foot in the quarter-finals.
The win kept Italy top of the League A Group Two with 10 points, one ahead of France who beat third-placed Belgium 2-1. Italy need at least one point from their two remaining group games to guarantee a place in the next round.
Striker Mateo Retegui broke the deadlock by firing a penalty into the top corner in the 41st minute while after the break Di Lorenzo headed the second from Giacomo Raspadori's free kick.
Mohammed Abu Fani pulled a goal back for Israel in the 66th direct from a corner before Federico Dimarco set up Davide Frattesi for Italy's third and Di Lorenzo sealed the win with a low shot from the edge of the box.
"They were good in terms of team attitude in the first half, we surprised them a few times with Di Lorenzo's ball to Retegui," Spalletti told a press conference.
"The spaces were narrow... but the fact that we were in front of the goalkeeper so many times is a sign that the boys played a great game."
Italy dominated possession from the start but Israel managed a good chance early on through Oscar Gloukh, who struck just wide from the edge of the box before visiting goalkeeper Omri Glazer did well to block Retegui from close range.
Glazer showed off his skills again soon after, denying Retegui once more, before the striker eventually got his name on the scoresheet after Italy were awarded a penalty for Dor Peretz's foul on Sandro Tonali before the break.
Di Lorenzo doubled the lead for the hosts in the 54th minute, netting Giacomo Raspadori's free kick with a header that bounced in front of the goalkeeper and went inside the right post.
Israel pulled a goal back against the run of play, given after a VAR check.
But Italy only grew in confidence and Frattesi made it 3-1 in the 72nd minute with a low first-time finish, before Di Lorenzo wrapped up the points seven minutes later.
Since netting for Italy in September 2021 against Lithuania, Di Lorenzo has scored five goals for his country while defensive colleague Dimarco has three.
Israel, who were promoted to the top-tier League A in the previous edition, are bottom of the group standings without a point.
"You can see Spalletti's hand on this team and when they play like they did tonight it becomes really difficult for the opponents," said Israel coach Ran Ben Shimon.
Italy, who squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against the Belgians last week, next travel to Belgium in November before their final home fixture against France.
Kolo Muani brace leads France to 2-1 win in Belgium
Striker Randal Kolo Muani scored a brace as France took a giant step towards the Nations League quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over hosts Belgium in a League A Group 2 clash in Brussels on Monday.
Kolo Muani netted his opener from the penalty spot after a Wout Faes handball, but Lois Openda equalised in first half stoppage time after Belgium captain Youri Tielemans had earlier missed a spot-kick.
Kolo Muani headed in a second just past the hour-mark and France were able to hold on for the victory despite losing midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni to a second yellow card with 14 minutes remaining.
Italy head the group with 10 points from their four games, followed by France on nine. Belgium have four points and Israel zero. The top two teams qualify for the quarter-finals that will be played in March next year.
"It was a great evening, not an easy match because we knew the Belgians would cause us problems," France goalkeeper Mike Maignan told TF1.
"My six saves? It's good for me, it's positive and it reflects my form at the moment. It's good for me and for the team, the most important thing is to have won."
Belgium had hoped to end a 43-year wait for a competitive victory over France and created enough chances to have earned more from the game, but were wasteful in front a goal, an all too familiar theme for the side.
They were without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and striker Romelu Lukaku, who both asked to be excused from duty, while France were missing their talisman Kylian Mbappe as he also made himself unavailable for selection in this international window.
Openda won a penalty when he raced clear and his clever change of direction meant he was fouled in the box by a slipping William Saliba. However, Tielemans put his spot-kick over the crossbar.
France then earned a penalty of their own as Faes used his arm to knock the ball as he fell to the ground in the box and this time Kolo Muani converted easily.
Openda turned Belgium’s late first half pressure into a goal as he headed Timothy Castagne’s cross into the net, a well-constructed move having timed his run to perfection.
Ousmane Dembele flashed a shot from the edge of the box wide and Manu Kone had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed for a Kolo Muani handball in the build-up.
France did regain the lead in the 62nd minute when Kolo Muani headed in Lucas Digne’s cross from the left, though Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels will feel he should have made the save.
"We played a good match and still lost. That is the quality of France. They can score out of nothing," Faes said.
"It's really bitter to lose like this. We missed a penalty in the first half and then concede one. That's mentally very tough."
Germany advance as Leweling debut goal secures 1-0 win over Dutch
Germany booked a place in the Nations League quarter-finals on Monday after midfielder Jamie Leweling enjoyed a dream international debut by scoring the winner in a hard-fought 1-0 home success over the Netherlands in Group A3.
The 23-year-old Leweling, one of two Germany debutants, had the ball in the net in the second minute but his effort was ruled offside. He did score in the 64th though, firing into the top corner after the Dutch failed to properly clear a corner.
Germany are top on 10 points from four matches and guaranteed a place in the last eight, with the Dutch five points behind in second ahead of Hungary on goal difference. Bosnia are bottom with one point after losing 2-0 to the Hungarians.
"The first half was exceptionally good," said Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann. "After the break they switched things around and we did not defend as well.
"But we fully deserved the win. We now want to win the remaining matches. We want to have continuity when it comes to the results."
The Germans had the visitors on the back foot from the start and apart from Leweling's goal they had more chances to score through Tim Kleindienst and Maximilian Mittelstaedt as Ronald Koeman's team struggled to find a way into the game.
The hosts kept the pressure up after the break and again came close through Serge Gnabry in the 54th before Leweling drilled in the winner.
The Dutch were anonymous for most of the game but almost scored with their first chance when Xavi Simons' shot bounced off the bar in the 77th just minutes before Mittelstaedt saw his own deflected effort sail narrowly wide of the post.
"I am not satisfied by our performance," Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said. "The Germans were the better, faster and physically stronger. They created more chances.
"We lost too many balls in the midfield. We went too far back, that was not the plan. The plan was to put pressure forward on the right side. But it did not happen," he added.
Like Leweling, it was another Germany newcomer, 34-year-old keeper Oliver Baumann, who made an impact when he preserved their lead in the 90th minute, superbly punching a powerful Doneyll Malen shot wide.
Wales still unbeaten under Bellamy with 1-0 win over Montenegro
Wales forward Harry Wilson was rewarded for a fine all-round performance when he converted a penalty to secure a 1-0 victory over Montenegro in the Nations League on Monday as the hosts' new manager Craig Bellamy extended his unbeaten start.
Bellamy's side are second in Group B4 with eight points after four matches, trailing Turkey by two points after their 4-2 win away to Iceland. Montenegro are bottom without a point.
Wilson, who shone in midfield, drew the penalty when he was clipped by Vladimir Jovovic just inside the area and took the spot kick himself to send Igor Nikic the wrong way to put Wales in front after 36 minutes with his 11th international goal.
Wilson is the first Welshman to score in three successive games for his country since Gareth Bale at Euro 2016.
The goal came after several chances for the hosts as Wilson evaded a defender with some fancy footwork before his strike was saved by Nikic and then split the defence with a sumptuous through ball to Liam Cullen who fired just over the bar.
A spirited Montenegro side had a terrific chance to equalise early in the second half when substitute Andrija Radulovic hammered a long-range rocket off the crossbar.
But Wales, unbeaten under Bellamy after four matches, controlled the game and Nathan Broadhead squandered a late chance to double their lead when he got his feet caught up trying to go around the keeper.
Top spot in the group will be on the line when Wales travel to Turkey on Nov. 16 after the first meeting of the two teams last month ended in a 0-0 draw in Cardiff.
