Nations League: Ferguson heads Ireland winner as Tonali strike rocks Belgium

Evan Ferguson scored his fourth goal for the senior international team, leading the Republic of Ireland to a 1-0 win against Finland in the Nations League. Meanwhile, Caoimhín Kelleher made a crucial save from a penalty, helping secure the victory.

The 20-year-old striker from Brighton scored a header in the last minute of the first half, which was just enough to secure three points for his team in Group B2. This victory adds to the points they earned in their previous match in Helsinki last month. The win was made possible after Liverpool's goalkeeper, Kelleher, stopped a penalty kick taken by substitute Joel Pohjanpalo in the second half.

Ireland's head coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, has secured two wins out of the five games he's overseen. However, it's worth noting that Ireland has only managed to win eight times in their last 34 competitive matches. They'll face England at Wembley on Sunday for their last Group B2 game.

Sandro Tonali netted an early goal, securing Italy a 1-0 victory against Belgium and strengthening their position at the top of Group A2. This marked Tonali's debut goal for the national team, and he came close to adding another during a standout display at the King Baudouin Stadium. The match was energetic, with Belgium putting up a strong fight.

In the 11th minute, Tonali capitalized on a pass from Giovanni di Lorenzo, following a mistake by Belgian defender Maxim De Cuyper. This early goal put Italy in the lead, and they managed to maintain it even though the home team made a strong push toward the end.

As a result, Italy accumulated 13 points in the rankings, while Belgium was eliminated from contention for a spot in the quarter-finals in March.

France secured a spot in the quarter-finals from Group A2, even with a disappointing scoreless draw against Israel during their return to Stade de France after a 17-month break.

Returning to the northern Paris venue for the first time since June 2023, Les Bleus didn't deliver an outstanding performance but managed to clinch at least second place. They currently sit in second with 10 points from five matches, trailing Italy by three points. The two teams are set to meet in Milan on Sunday, where the top position will be on the line.

Thursday's match took place with only a small number of spectators and tight security, following recent violence in Amsterdam that involved Israeli supporters. There were brief altercations in the stands during the first half, and the Israeli national anthem was met with boos.

Without captain Kylian Mbappé in the lineup and Ousmane Dembélé sidelined due to a thigh injury, France clearly lacked the usual offensive strength, and it was evident in their performance. The team struggled with creativity and lacked inspiration, as Randal Kolo Muani, who played as the lone striker with Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise on the wings, found it difficult to create any real threats. His first opportunity came in the 19th minute, but his header was comfortably saved by Daniel Peretz.

France was in control and believed they had scored first in the 77th minute, but Peretz made a crucial save to stop Warren Zaïre-Emery from finding the back of the net. Marcus Thuram, who came on in the second half, directed a header right at Peretz, and Christopher Nkunku nearly added to the tally in stoppage time. However, it was all too late for the home team to make an impact.

In a dominant performance, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland added to his tally by scoring for Norway in their impressive 4-1 victory over Slovenia. Meanwhile, in Group C4, the Faroe Islands secured a 1-0 win against Armenia thanks to a penalty converted by Viljormur Davidsen in the 33rd minute. This result propelled the Faroe Islands into second place, even though the Armenian team attempted 27 shots on goal.