Key events<\/p>\n
Jorge Jesus, Portugal manager, speaks:<\/p>\n
double quotation markWhat did I like most? It was the victory, obviously. But I feel the team is improving, game by game, both offensively and defensively, after analysing each previous game. It\u2019s not easy playing Denmark. They are a big team, dangerous at set pieces.<\/p>\n
I liked the way we pressed defensively, and how the players are believing in it. It\u2019s complicated (to do). Three out three (wins), now it\u2019s time to focus on the Drag\u00e3o and the game against Norway. I\u2019ve got a squad of players who believe in my ideas.<\/p>\n
Oooooof, a killer last line, pointed in the direction of You Know Who.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n I can\u2019t show you a video of that first Parrott goal for copyright reasons, but please do seek it out if you can find an official video.<\/p>\n I mentioned that it is a contender, just in terms of technique, as one of the all-time greatest Republic of Ireland goals, but Iain Kelly has just reminded me of Ronnie Whelan\u2019s acrobatics against the USSR at Euro 88.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A word for Wirtz. A goal and an assist for Germany, for whom he was the difference maker against Serbia. The feet he showed in the build-up to Germany\u2019s opener were crazy and his touch and shot for the second were equally good. Now has 47 caps and 12 goals at the age of 23. Could yet be one of the best players of his generation, but needs to start showing more in the Premier League. I bet he wishes J\u00fcrgen Klopp was still at Liverpool!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n To give you some sort of idea about the change of momentum in the Greece 2-2 Netherlands game (Greece went 2-0 up, Dutch came back second half), here\u2019s a good stat from Opta:<\/p>\n Greece attempted two more shots than the Dutch before halftime (seven to five), and the Netherlands attempting 13 more than Greece in the second half (14 to 1). Greece\u2019s only shot after halftime took place in the 63rd minute and it didn\u2019t hit the target.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Joe Ledley, BBC pundit for Wales v Norway, has been talking about Haaland\u2019s performance:<\/p>\n Ledley: \u201cI thought he was shocking. He didn\u2019t offer anything.\u201d<\/p>\n Presenter: \u201cWould you say that to his face?\u201d<\/p>\n Ledley: \u201cProbably not, look at the size of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Dan James, Wales goalscorer and the one that won the free-kick that Neco Williams converted, speaks to the BBC:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe fans were incredible tonight, it really helped us after two difficult games. Norway are a really good team, they have amazing players. They are going to control games, we are always going to suffer. But we came out with our rewards. We have to keep doing that, and we have a really tough game on Sunday [at home to Denmark].<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Three other full-time scores to update you on:<\/p>\n Azerbaijan 0-0 Liechtenstein Share<\/a>Full-time: Greece 2-2 Netherlands<\/p>\n Fair play to the Dutch, they founds a late equaliser through substitute Tijjani Reijnders. It wasn\u2019t the prettiest but the former Manchester City man, now in Saudi with Al Qadsiah under Brendan Rodgers, reacted fastest to a loose ball in the Greek penalty area and lashed a fine finish past Tzolakis.<\/p>\n Tijjani Reijnders fires the ball past Greece keeper Kostas Tzolakism to level the scores. Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockReijnders celebrates. Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.08 EDT<\/p>\n Full-time: Denmark 2-4 Portugal<\/p>\n Four world-class goals against a very, very good Denmark side. Portugal manager Jorge Jesus will sleep easy tonight. I\u2019m not so sure about Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full-time: Republic of Ireland 2-2 Austria<\/p>\n Preposterous, really, but Austria very nearly nicked it at the end. Republic of Ireland should have been home and hosed but could have easily lost it at the end. Kalajdzic had a golden chance to win it but blazed over for Austria in the last moments of the match.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full-time: Germany 2-0 Serbia<\/p>\n J\u00fcrgen Klopp has his first win as Germany manager. This was a confident victory, in which Wirtz was almost unplayable at times.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full-time: Wales 2-1 Norway<\/p>\n Bellamy\u2019s side hold on! A great win against one of the world\u2019s most dangerous sides.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Denmark 2-4 Portugal (Joao Felix 88)<\/p>\n Another incredible goal from Portugal. Dalot releases Trincao with a trivela pass that Queresma would be proud of. Trincao sprints down the right and cuts the ball back to fellow substitute Joao Felix, who strokes an assured finish in from near the penalty spot!<\/p>\n Joao Felix celebrates after scoring Portugal\u2019s fourth goal. Photograph: Ulrik Pedersen\/NurPhoto\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.01 EDT<\/p>\n 85 min: Wales 2-1 Norway<\/p>\n Wales look fairly comfortable against 10-man Norway and are keeping the ball well in the closing stages. The visitors are being given the run around, a little, and it\u2019s interesting that neither Haaland and Odegaard have been removed. They must be knackered. I wonder what Maresca and Arteta make of that.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 80 min: Republic of Ireland 2-2 Austria<\/p>\n Austria have a golden chance to score their third goal inside 10 minutes, as Kalajdzic nods a through ball through to Gregoritsch, but the substitute blazes over the bar! The Republic of Ireland are all at sea, somebody save them!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Republic of Ireland 2-2 Austria (Gregoritsch 77)<\/p>\n The Republic have imploded! The substitute, Gregoritsch, curls a free-kick around the wall and Kelleher\u2019s gamble does not pay off: the Brentford keeper moved to his left, thought it was coming over the wall, and left his right-hand side wide open. Not dissimilar to Neco William\u2019s free-kick for Wales, and Austria \u2013 almost from nothing \u2013 are level!<\/p>\n Michael Gregoritsch fires a free-kick towards the Irish goal. Photograph: Ben McShane\/Sportsfile\/Getty ImagesGregoritsch (centre) celebrates after scoring Austria\u2019s second goal and level the scores in Ireland. Photograph: Evan Treacy\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.42 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Republic of Ireland 2-1 Austria (Prass 71)<\/p>\n Kitching is caught on the ball, and Wimmer pounces, eventually finding Prass at the back post with his low centre. Prass rifles it into the roof of the net! Game on!<\/p>\n Alexander Prass finds the net to get Austria back into the game. Photograph: Ben McShane\/Sportsfile\/Getty ImagesAustria fans celebrate. Photograph: Brian Lawless\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.03 EDT<\/p>\n 77 min: Wales 2-1 Norway<\/p>\n Nusa has made a real difference for the 10-man visitors since coming on, and it is the RB Leipzig that gives Haaland a half-chance at the back post, floating a cross up in the City striker\u2019s direction. Haaland tries to control it, rather than head it first time and he is eventually crowded out by a combination of Ben Davies and Cabango.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 min: Denmark 2-3 Portugal<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a dawn of a new era!\u201d emails Nelson Calvinho. \u201cMark my words, Michael, today is the first day of Portugal\u2019s road to the Euro title!\u201d<\/p>\n As mentioned before, Ronaldo will not be enjoying this, sat at home. Yes, they have had defensive frailties with Denmark scoring twice on the counter attack, but Portugal have scored three excellent goals without Ronaldo in their ranks. Might we have seen the last of CR7 in the red and green?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Denmark 2-3 Portugal (Vitinha 67)<\/p>\n Bruno Fernandes puts it on a plate for Vitinha \u2013 all 5ft8in of him \u2013 who heads the ball past Hermansen from eight yards out. Denmark didn\u2019t look in danger at all, but a run from deep from Vitinha went completely unchecked and Fernandes lofted a brilliant cross over the head of Andersen, where the PSG man made no mistake. Portugal back in front!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Greece 2-1 Netherlands (Van Dijk 60)<\/p>\n The Dutch are back in it, Van Dijk with a irrepressible header from a corner. Netherlands are not playing well, but sometimes a set piece can change the game.<\/p>\n Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk (second left) thumps a header goalwards \u2026 Photograph: Giannis Papanikos\/APAnd gets the visitors back in the game. Photograph: Murad Sezer\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.36 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Germany 2-0 Serbia (Wirtz 61)<\/p>\n Wirtz is a special jugador, just not when he\u2019s wearing the red of Liverpool, apparently. Here he links the play in midfield, pops the ball out wide to Mittelstadt, who saunters forward and finds Wirtz again on the edge of the area. I\u2019m still genuinely still trying to figure out Wirtz\u2019s first touch as he kills the ball dead and sends Gudelj to the shops in one movement \u2013 the best I can describe it as is a backheel feint \u2013 before giving Petrovic the eyes and stroking a finish into the corner. The lad plays with outrageous confidence and looks every inch a \u00a3100m player when he doesn\u2019t play for the Reds. Isn\u2019t it meant to be the other way around?! That the Germany shirt is heavy?!<\/p>\n Germany’s Florian Wirtz scores their second goal. Photograph: Angelika Warmuth\/ReutersWirtz and teammates celebrate. Photograph: Matthias Schr\u00e4der\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.29 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Denmark 2-2 Portugal (Hojlund 55)<\/p>\n Damsgaard is again at the heart of it as Portugal are done once more on the counter-attack. Portugal\u2019s high press doesn\u2019t work and the Brentford playmaker suddenly finds himself in oceans of space in the middle of the field. Having linked the play, Hojlund turns and sprints past Dias, beating the Portugal offside trap and Damsgaard finds the Napoli forward with a sumptuous through ball. Hojlund races through, holds off Dias (who looks like he has lost a yard or two of pace) and dinks the onrushing Costa. What composure! And what a game we have now.<\/p>\n Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their second goal. Photograph: Sebastian Elias Uth\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.20 EDT<\/p>\n Republic of Ireland game interrupted by Palestine protests<\/p>\n 54 min: Republic of Ireland 2-0 Austria<\/p>\n Have to say that Austria don\u2019t look up to much. Their attack is built around the 6ft7in Kalajdzic, formerly of Wolves, and there isn\u2019t much dynamism to trouble Republic of Ireland.<\/p>\n In trying to watch seven games at once, I have to say that I missed this story from the first half:<\/p>\n The Republic of Ireland\u2019s home Nations League match with Austria at the Aviva Stadium was interrupted twice in the first half as a result of a protest involving tennis balls followed by a pitch invader.<\/p>\n Just before the 20th minute, a number of tennis balls wrapped in stickers featuring the Palestinian flag and the text \u2018#StopTheGame\u2019 were launched on to the pitch from the corner to the right of the Austria goal. Then, around the 35th minute, a man ran on to the field of play from the opposite side, carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag, and was immediately tackled by security and carried off. Uefa\u2019s disciplinary body will assess reports from the match before deciding on any potential next steps.<\/p>\n It has been a tumultuous week for the Republic. Their two Nations League fixtures against Israel have divided opinion in the country, sparking protests, including one which took place pre-match outside the stadium, advertised on social media by a campaign group called Stop the Game.<\/p>\n Players voted last Saturday morning to fulfil the following day\u2019s fixture against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, which they won 3-0<\/a>. The Republic\u2019s behind-closed-doors \u2018home\u2019 leg in Backa Topola, Serbia, is scheduled for Sunday, and manager Heimir Hallgrimsson on Wednesday confirmed it was their intention to play.<\/p>\n Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has made himself unavailable for selection for both Israel fixtures<\/a>, but was included in Hallgrimsson\u2019s squad to face Austria at the Aviva. PA<\/p>\n Republic of Ireland and Austria players walk off the pitch after tennis balls with stickers of the Palestine flag are thrown by the crowd. Photograph: Brian Lawless\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.12 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Wales 2-1 Norway (Neco Williams 54)<\/p>\n From the resulting free-kick, Neco Williams curls the set piece into the corner! Nyland is nowhere in Norway\u2019s goal, hidden behind the wall almost as he gambled to his left. Williams wrong-foots the keeper and pops it into the side netting.<\/p>\n A dream scenario for Bellamy and co! Now leading 2-1 and playing against 10 men! Nightmare for Norway!<\/p>\n Neco Williams fires home his free-kick to give Wales the lead. Photograph: Nigel French\/Allstar Picture Library\/SportsphotoWilliams (right) and teammates celebrate. Photograph: David Davies\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.16 EDT<\/p>\n RED CARD FOR NORWAY’S HEGGEM!<\/p>\n A long ball forward from Wales and Torbjorn Heggem is ponderous as he retreats. Dan James, lightning fast, nips in to steal the ball and is hauled to the ground. Heggem is last man, has to go!<\/p>\n Wales’ Daniel James (left) is fouled by Norway’s Torbjorn Heggem resulting in a red card. Photograph: David Davies\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.19 EDT<\/p>\n Peeeeeep!<\/p>\n We\u2019re underway again.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There will always be Hungary, though. Takes some beating for drama, that.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n My apologies to Idah, it was he that got the flick on for Parrott for the Republic of Ireland\u2019s first goal, not Moylan. I cannot really do justice to how good Parrott\u2019s goal is: when he controlled the flick on, the Real Betis striker literally threw up his hands as if to say \u2018where\u2019s the support, lads?\u2019 Spoiler, there was no support, so Parrott did it all on his own. Setting off from just inside Austria\u2019s half, he beat three defenders (including a cheeky nutmeg) and finished like Prime Luis Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n Obviously his goal against Hungary was more dramatic\/important\/iconic, but in terms of technical quality, I genuinely think that has a shout as the best Republic of Ireland goal of all time! Houghton\u2019s thunderbastard against England aside.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time reading:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n You\u2019ll notice from those half-time scores that Greece have doubled their lead against Netherlands. Ruben van Bommel, son of Belgium manager Mark, plays a dreadful backpass which acts as a through ball for Greece. Ioannidis is onto it in a flash, reaches the byline and plays a square pass to Masouras, who steers the ball past Verbruggen from close range.<\/p>\n This is a very good Greece side, by the way, but also a particularly underwhelming Dutch era. Xavi has quite the job on his hands before Euro 2028.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half-time scores!<\/p>\n Wales 1-1 Norway Share<\/a>GOAL! Republic of Ireland 2-0 Austria (Parrott 45 pen)<\/p>\n Republic of Ireland gifted a soft (but probably correct) penalty after Seiwald goes through the back of Manning, who crept up on the Austria defender\u2019s blindside. Parrott, full of confidence, steps up and sends Wiegele the wrong way to score his second of the match!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 42 min: Wales 1-1 Norway<\/p>\n Odegaard is really pulling the strings for the visitors. Wales will be happy to get to half-time all square.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Germany 1-0 Serbia (Bischof 39)<\/p>\n Wirtz just looks a different player when he\u2019s not in a Liverpool shirt and the 23-year-old turns on the style here to inspire Germany. Preposterously quick feet earns Wirtz some room inside Serbia\u2019s box as he somehow ghosts past two defenders before toe-poking a finish onto the foot of the post. The ball rebound out and Bischof is there to crash the loose ball into the roof of the net. The Allianz Arena erupts!<\/p>\n Tom Bischof (left) smacks the ball home to give Germany the lead. Photograph: Harry Langer\/DeFodi Images\/ShutterstockWhich is rather happy about. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.41 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Wales 1-1 Norway (James 37)<\/p>\n Koumas pings it wide to Sorba Thomas and the Hull City winger\u2019s pinpoint cross finds James at the back stick for a tap in! A simple goal, but very hard to defend once Thomas sent in one of his trademark early crosses. Bellamy punches the air, while James is rather more understated with his celebrations. Wales are level!<\/p>\n Wales\u2019 Daniel James sticks the ball past Norway\u2019s keeper Orjan Nyland to level the score. Photograph: Peter Cziborra\/Action Images\/ReutersJames (right) celebrates. Photograph: Kin Cheung\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.38 EDT<\/p>\n 30 min: Germany 0-0 Serbia<\/p>\n This new-look Germany side are struggling to break down a sturdy Serbia team. The home side enjoying lots of possession but no great incision. This is a big night for Woltemade, starting tonight despite just one goal since his loan move to Juventus.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Denmark 1-2 Portugal (Ramos 24)<\/p>\n Ramos on fire! An assist and now a goal! This is not pretty viewing for Ronaldo, who must be sitting at home, while Jorge Jesus looks entirely vindicated in selecting the Milan striker ahead of CR7. Nuno Mendes breaks forward from left back \u2013 he\u2019ll do that \u2013 plays the ball into Ramos\u2019 feet. Ramos backheels it to Fernandes, expertly, and then gets on his bike, bursting into space. Fernandes plays a beautiful first-time return ball to send Ramos through and the striker finishes with ease at the near post. Corrrrrrrr, we\u2019ve seen some goals tonight, I tell you!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Greece 1-0 Netherlands (Ioannidis 23)<\/p>\n This is not a good Dutch side. They are undone by a simple flick on. Ioannidis sprints onto the touch, in the inside left position, and simply curls it into the far corner! Van Dijk just watched him do it, as if he was daring him to shoot. Why didn\u2019t the Liverpool legend make a tackle?! Ioannidis took the invitation and Greece are 1-0 up!<\/p>\n Greece’s Fotis Ioannidis (right) scores the opening goal as Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk looks on. Photograph: Giannis Papanikos\/APIt\u2019s celebration time. Photograph: ANP\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.31 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Denmark 1-1 Portugal (Damsgaard 23)<\/p>\n A classic counter-attacking move, finished off by the Brentford creator! From a quick Hermansen throw, Damsgaard starts the move himself. Denmark flow up field, with Maehle making a lung-busting overlapping run on the left. The ball is cut back to Damsgaard on the edge of Portugal\u2019s area, and he curls it into the top bin!<\/p>\n Mikkel Damsgaard (left) celebrates scoring Denmark\u2019s equaliser with teammate Mohamed Daramy. Photograph: Sebastian Elias Uth\/Ritzau Scanpix\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.26 EDT<\/p>\n 16 min: Denmark 0-1 Portugal<\/p>\n Two thoughts after that fine Cancelo goal: 1) Ramos, Portugal\u2019s centre forward tonight, registered a brilliant assist there. Does Ronaldo play that pass? Not sure he does. 2) Cancelo is on a bit of a run of scoring brilliant goals recently, he scored two worldies against Racing Santander and won La Liga\u2019s goal of the month for September with his first. Oooooof.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Denmark 0-1 Portugal (Cancelo 13)<\/p>\n Moments after Neves hits a post, Denmark half clear the ball to Cancelo. The Barcelona full-back plays a wonderful one-two with Ramos to completely split the Denmark defence in two, and dinks the ball deliciously over Hermansen to give Portugal the lead!<\/p>\n Joao Cancelo, his teammates and the Portugal fans celebrate after he opens the scoring against Denmark. Photograph: Ulrik Pedersen\/NurPhoto\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.25 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Republic of Ireland 1-0 Austria (Parrot 13)<\/p>\n Parrott has morphed into Robbie Keane\/Diego Maradona and scored an absolutely sensational solo goal! Route One stuff from the Republic of Ireland as Kelleher hoofs it to Moylan. The Cardiff City winger flicks it on to Parrott, who collects it, completely isolated, about 45 yards from goal. Parrott then just sets off. He turns his first man easily, swiftly nutmegging Lienhart. Austria are now in trouble, scrambling to get back as Parrott approaches the area. Will he turn back for support? Will he eff! Parrott chops back on the outside, around Affengruber, and finishes low under the advancing Austrian keeper Wiegele! WHAT A GOAL! Genuinely a goal of the season contender. That is absolutely outstanding.<\/p>\n Troy Parrott slots the ball past Austria\u2019s keeper Florian Wiegele after his stupendous run to give Ireland the lead. Photograph: Evan Treacy\/EPATroy Parrott rightfully celebrates his fine finish. Photograph: Stephen McCarthy\/Sportsfile\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.15 EDT<\/p>\n GOAL! Wales 0-1 Norway (Bobb 11)<\/p>\n Pure magic from Odegaard to set up Bobb for the opener in Cardiff! This is textbook play from the Arsenal man, playing a one-two with Bobb and defying his markers to somehow occupying a pocket of space in front of the Wales defence, before laying on an inch-perfect through ball. Bobb gives and goes, before taking a nice first touch and finishing inside the near post. Exactly the sort of goal you could imagine Odegaard setting up for Saka scoring at club level.<\/p>\n Oscar Bobb of Norway fires home to open the scoring in Wales. Photograph: Kieran McManus\/ShutterstockBobb wheels away in celebration. Photograph: Hannah McKay\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.09 EDT<\/p>\n 8 min: Germany 0-0 Serbia<\/p>\n Pavlovic inches wide from giving Germany the lead! From a set piece the ball breaks kindly to the Bayern man on the edge of the area, and he curls it juuuuuuuust wide of Petrovic\u2019s left-hand post. Klopp, as you might imagine, is a picture of calm on the sidelines \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4 min: Denmark 0-0 Portugal<\/p>\n Looks like it is actually Bruno Fernandes who has the armband in lieu of Ronaldo, not Ruben Dias. Portugal are wearing their away kit, that gross white and green number, with Denmark obviously in their red.<\/p>\n \u201cRonaldo\u2019s obsession with getting 1,000 goals is exactly why he shouldn\u2019t be given the opportunity to get them,\u201d emails Dave Estherby. \u201cTen Hag saw through him four years ago just as Jesus has now. Hopefully Big Ange [Postecoglou, at Al-Nassr] has the stones Martinez clearly lacked and elbows him too; parading about like a show pony in a vain attempt at a personal milestone at the expense of your team\u2019s success is about as bad as it gets. No doubt he\u2019ll be giving a sob story on Piers Morgan next week.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 1 min: Wales 0-0 Norway<\/p>\n James makes a trademark burst down the right wing for Wales, but Ajer gets across to make a superb sliding tackle. Corner to Wales, which the home side fumble with some sort of botched short routine.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Peeeeeeeeeeeeep!<\/p>\n We are underway in all of the 7.45pm BST kick-offs!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Republic of Ireland v Austria team news<\/p>\n Republic of Ireland (3-4-2-1): Kelleher, Scales, O\u2019Shea, Egan, Manning, Coventry, Azaz, Abankwah, Moylan, Idah, Parrott.<\/p>\n Austria (4-2-3-1): Wiegele, Mwene, Lienhart, Affengruber, Posch, Schlager, Seiwald, Schmid, Chukwuemeka, Wimmer, Kalajdzic.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Greece v Netherlands team news<\/p>\n Greece (4-4-2): Tzolakis, Tsimikas, Retsos, Mavropanos, Saliakas, Tzolis, Androutsos, Kourbelis, Karetsas, Ioannidis, Pavlidis.<\/p>\n Netherlands (4-3-3): Verbruggen, Van de Ven, Van Dijk, Timber, Dumfries, Timber, Til, Veerman, Van Bommel, Meerdink, Summerville.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cRonaldo is a Gulfstream Jet celebrity who feels a sense of entitlement bordering on megalomania,\u201d emails Gary Stover. \u201cYet, he has a saving grace. He actually wants to play for his country. John Terry said that he played with varying degrees of injury in all but about five of his 717 appearances in all competitions. Now it seems that some players are ready to find excuses not to play for their countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Not sure we should be holding up John Terry as the good guy, but go off, Gary.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Germany v Serbia team news<\/p>\n Germany (4-1-2-3): Urbig, Mittelst\u00e4dt, Thiaw, Anton, Treu, Pavlovic, Wirtz, Bischof, Scherhant, Woltemade, Gnabry. Serbia (4-4-2): Petrovic, Babic, Gudelj, Erakovic, Nedeljkovic, Kostic, Dzodic, Maksimovic, Zivkovic, Tadic, Jovi\u0107. Pressure is on for Klopp, who if Germany fail to win tonight, would become the first manager of the national team to go winless in his first three matches. Jonas Urbig and Derry Scherhant make their debuts, Serge Gnabry returns after his injury and captains the team for the first time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Wales v Norway team news<\/p>\n Wales (5-4-1): Ward, Dasilva, Thomas, Davies, Cabango, Williams, Cullen, Ampadu, James, James, Koumas. Norway (4-3-3): Nyland, M\u00f8ller Wolfe, Heggem, Ajer, Ryerson, Aursnes, Berge, \u00d8degaard, Schjelderup, Haaland, Bobb. \u00d8degaard is fit, and starts. Brennan Johnson only on the bench for Wales.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Denmark v Portugal team news<\/p>\n Denmark (4-2-3-1): Hermansen, Maehle, Andersen, Provstgaard, Nissen Kristensen, H\u00f8jbjerg, Hjulmand, Daramy, Damsgaard, Daghim, H\u00f8jlund. Portugal (4-3-3): Costa; Mendes, Veiga, R\u00faben Dias, Cancelo; Vitinha, Neves, Fernandes; Le\u00e3o, Ramos, Neto. With Ronaldo quitting the squad, Ruben Dias is installed as captain and Le\u00e3o has taken the No 7 shirt!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n More pre-match reading: Craig Bellamy said he didn\u2019t recognise his Wales side in their poor defeat to Denmark. St\u00e5le Solbakken, Norway\u2019s head coach for the past six years, said \u201ceverything\u2019s fine\u201d with Haaland, who has scored three goals in his past two matches, and played down the idea that the City verdict has been a distraction.<\/p>\n \u00d8degaard is a doubt for the Wales game but we\u2019ll have confirmed line-ups for tonight\u2019s matches shortly.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Really enjoyed this piece by Porto-based Miguel Dantas, who sheds some light on how Portuguese media and fans are reacting to Ronaldo walking out on Jorge Jesus\u2019 squad<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ronaldo\u2019s fans are firmly behind him, defending him fiercely on social media. Much of the general public, though, feels the player has turned his back on the national team. That was the message splashed in big letters across the front page of O Jogo, one of Portugal\u2019s leading sports newspapers.<\/p>\n Across the Portuguese media, most newspapers and commentators have sided with the view that Ronaldo behaved selfishly. There are, however, some voices \u2013 particularly in newspapers and television outlets in which Ronaldo is a shareholder \u2013 who have turned their criticism towards Jesus, accusing him of ingratitude and of indefensibly going back on his word.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Quite the maelstrom of international football tonight, with off-pitch drama circling many of the players involved (and one who is not<\/a>).<\/p>\n You have to feel for new Portugal manager Jorge Jesus, a 72-year-old who knows more than most that time waits for no man, but has apparently had a hard time explaining to Cristiano Ronaldo that at the age of 41 and woefully out of form, he cannot expect to start every single game for one of the best international teams in the world.<\/p>\n Jesus has \u2013 at least publicly \u2013 been respectful to Ronaldo, starting him in the win over Wales<\/a> and \u201cresting\u201d the veteran in the impressive 2-1 victory over Norway \u2013 Ronnie\u2019s replacement, Gon\u00e7alo Ramos, scored the winner for Portugal. If that justified Jesus\u2019 decision in many people\u2019s eyes, it certainly didn\u2019t go down with Ronaldo, who has now left the Portugal camp in a huff private jet<\/a> (and which presumably suits Jesus just fine).<\/p>\n Cristiano Ronaldo has not left the Portugal camp. Photograph: Johan Nilsson\/TT\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Now former Portugal manager Roberto Mart\u00ednez made the mistake of staying blindly loyal to Ronaldo, keeping his captain on the pitch for the full 90 minutes in all but one of the five matches at the World Cup, and paid the price in losing his job to Jesus. Save for a couple of goals over World Cup minnows Uzbekistan \u2013 Ronaldo has only managed one goal (a penalty) and received one red card in the eight games since last November. Even if he was involved tonight against a very strong Denmark team, it is likely he would not get any closer to his 1,000 goal target<\/a>. However, if Portugal lose to the Danes, the noise clamouring for Ronaldo\u2019s return will be deafening.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, as the talisman of beleaguered Manchester City, all eyes will be on Erling Haaland to see if his club\u2019s crisis is affecting his football. Wales v Norway is an intriguing game for a number of reasons, but one that Craig Bellamy could really do with winning \u2013 Wales are without a victory in nearly a year.<\/p>\n J\u00fcrgen Klopp\u2019s tenure as Germany manager has gotten off to a rocky-ish start with a draw and Sunday\u2019s home loss to Greece. The former Liverpool boss will hope for better against Serbia tonight but regrettably, it\u2019s off-field issues that have dominated the headlines. Honestly, what is wrong with people?<\/p>\n Sandwiched between two controversial games against Israel, the Republic of Ireland face Austria in Dublin this evening. The 3-0 win over Israel last Sunday<\/a>, went ahead after a majority of their squad voted to play on the eve of the away fixture in Hungary. Media reports indicated that the squad was fractured after the meeting and vote, and that goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu had been insulted by teammates over his decision to withdraw<\/a> \u201cas a person or principle\u201d. The goalkeeper is available for tonight, but will not take part on Sunday in the rematch with Israel, which the Football Association \u200cof Ireland has moved to Serbia behind closed doors.<\/p>\n So, that\u2019s the background \u2013 some of it important, some of it less so \u2013 to at least some of tonight\u2019s games. Let\u2019s see if we can enjoy the footy. Seven games in total. I\u2019ll do my best to keep abreast of all of them, but only have two eyes and two hands to type with.<\/p>\n Wales v Norway Kick-offs: 7.45pm BST<\/p>\n
Israel 0-0 Kosovo
Malta 1-1 Gibraltar<\/p>\n
Denmark 1-2 Portugal
Germany 1-0 Serbia
Republic of Ireland 2-0 Austria
Greece 2-0 Netherlands
Israel 0-0 Kosovo
Malta 0-0 Gibraltar<\/p>\n
Subs: Jeltsch, Engelhardt, El Mala, Burkardt, Dahmen, Baur, Karl, Baku, Conte, Atubolu, Raum, Janelt.<\/p>\n
Subs: Pavlovic, Mimovic, A Stankovic, Joeljic, F Stankovic, Simic, Terzic, Cvetkovic, Kostov, Samardzic, Lukic, Milinkovic-Savic.<\/p>\n
Subs: Cornell, Mepham, Ashford, Burns, Johnson, Moore, Roberts, Norrington-Davies, Harris, King, Sheehan, J Colwill.<\/p>\n
Subs: Bjortuft, Ostigard, Berg, Strand Larsen, Tangvik, Selvik, Blomberg, Pedersen, Sjovold, Aasgaard, Nusa, Botheim.<\/p>\n
Subs: Jungdal, Hogsberg, Nelsson, Froholdt, Isaksen, Jorgensen, Skov Olsen, Bidstrup, Nartey, Gaaei, Hogh, Jorgensen.<\/p>\n
Subs: Dalot, Araujo, Tavares, Palhinha, Bernardo Silva, Inacio, Trincao, Fabio Silva, Soares.<\/p>\n
Denmark v Portugal
Germany v Serbia
Republic of Ireland v Austria
Greece v Netherlands
Israel v Kosovo
Malta v Gibraltar<\/p>\n