Wales win automatic promotion in the Nations League - live

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On Tuesday night in Cardiff, Wales secured a 4-1 victory over Iceland, topping Group B4 of the Nations League and earning automatic promotion.

Wales football - Figure 1 — Photo The Independent

The home team got off to a sluggish start and fell behind quickly when Andri Gudjohnsen scored by converting the rebound from Oskarsson's header.

However, Craig Bellamy's team eventually found their rhythm and staged a comeback. The turning point came from a cross by Brennan Johnson, which was headed in by Liam Cullen at the far post.

After that moment, Wales took control of the game and, even though they had to rely on a bit of luck at times, their strong performance resulted in a quick counterattack that ended with Cullen scoring, tapping in the rebound after Dan James' shot was saved.

The second half began on a high note for the home team. While both teams had their opportunities to score, it was Wales that found the net once more when Johnson capitalized on a swift counterattack.

Not long after, word came in that Turkey was trailing Montenegro 3-1, and things only improved from that point. Harry Wilson quickly seized on a loose ball and unleashed a powerful shot from distance, capping off a night to remember in the capital.

Stay tuned for all the newest updates, information, and responses right here:

Liam Cullen Guides Wales To Exciting Nations League Win

Wales secured their promotion in the Nations League after Liam Cullen scored his first two goals for the national team, leading them to a 4-1 win against Iceland.

This likely secured Wales a spot in the World Cup play-offs as a backup option if they don't automatically qualify for the 2026 tournament.

Chris Wilson, November 19, 2024, 10:06 PM.

Northern Ireland Secures Nations League Promotion Despite Draw With Luxembourg

Northern Ireland watched as their two-goal advantage vanished in just three minutes, but their 2-2 draw against Luxembourg in the Nations League was sufficient for Michael O’Neill's team to secure promotion, finishing first in Group 3C.

Northern Ireland seemed to have the match under control when Isaac Price scored in the 19th minute, putting them in the lead. Conor Bradley then extended their lead shortly after halftime. However, in the 72nd minute, Seid Korac pulled one back for Luxembourg, and just a short time later, Gerson Rodrigues leveled the score.

The finale at the Stade de Luxembourg was intense, but Northern Ireland managed to hold on until the end. Their point, alongside a 1-1 tie between Bulgaria and Belarus, allowed them to secure the top spot in the group by a two-point margin.

Chris Wilson, November 20, 2024, at midnight.

Scotland's Nations League Ends Dramatically With Robertson's Late Goal

Andy Robertson celebrated his 80th appearance for the national team by scoring a stunning last-minute goal in Poland, keeping Scotland's chances alive of remaining in the top tier of the UEFA Nations League.

A 2-1 win in Warsaw propelled Scotland past Poland into third place in Group A1 and secured a two-leg playoff in March against one of the second tier's runners-up, determining who will remain in the top tier.

John McGinn gave Scotland an early lead just three minutes into the match by scoring his 20th goal for the national team. This achievement moves him ahead of Ally McCoist, placing him fifth on the list of Scotland's all-time leading scorers.

Wales football - Figure 2 — Photo The Independent

Chris Wilson on November 19, 2024, at 11:30 PM

England's Firsts Highlight Lee Carsley's Impact

Sir Alf Ramsey is still the sole England manager to have secured a World Cup victory, a distinction he might hold for many more years. However, Lee Carsley can leave his role as interim manager with a remarkable achievement of his own. He is the first England manager to achieve promotion. While this is partly due to the relatively new format of the Nations League and the fact that Gareth Southgate, despite an otherwise successful tenure, faced relegation, Carsley has managed to avoid a playoff situation for Thomas Tuchel in his early matches. He can exit with an impressive 83 percent win rate. Under his leadership, the team recorded their largest win against the nation he represented on the field 40 times.

Ireland suffered a devastating defeat in just eight minutes when their earlier stubbornness didn’t matter anymore after they went down to ten players and allowed three goals. Before halftime, Carsley’s squad lacked inspiration, but they then demonstrated an impressive ability to take advantage of Ireland’s collapse. "I aimed for the England team to be thrilling and offensive," he stated. Therefore, achieving victories of 3-0 and 5-0 in November, even with the number of player absences exceeding ten, stands as a personal success for him.

Harry Kane experienced an unusual international break, but it concluded on a positive note. After being left out of the match against Greece, he faced a challenging first half where he was booked for a tussle with Jayson Molumbuy. However, he bounced back by setting up the first goal with an impressive pass and then confidently scored from the penalty spot. He might have highlighted to the players who chose not to join the squad that this is the kind of reward that comes from committing to the England team.

Chris Wilson, November 19, 2024, at 11:00 PM

Nations League Draw: Date, Time, And Play-Off Details For Scotland And Ireland

This season, the Uefa Nations League has been updated to include quarter-finals in the knockout stage, along with promotion and relegation play-offs at the end of the initial phase.

Andy Robertson's thrilling last-minute goal in Warsaw has secured a spot for Steve Clarke's team in a two-legged play-off against one of the second-place teams from League B in March, as they aim to maintain their position in the top tier.

At the same time, Spain is the current Nations League champion and will be looking to keep their title as they compete against teams such as France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands in the finals of the Nations League.

The lottery will happen this week, and here’s all the information you need.

Chris Wilson on November 19, 2024, at 10:45 PM.

Wales player Brennan Johnson also had an interview with Sgorio.

"I believe it demonstrates the unity among the guys that we've had for the past few years," he stated.

"I truly believe that, given our strategy and the way we play, none of the players lost their morale when we fell behind 1-0."

"We didn't kick things off as smoothly as we'd hoped, which was a bit frustrating. However, once we found our rhythm, it seemed like everyone felt more assured, and all the goals were executed effectively."

Chris Wilson, November 19, 2024, at 10:25 PM

Harry Wilson is also chatting with Sgorio, and he shares that "it's yet another fantastic evening."

"We didn't get off to a great start by allowing a goal, but we were confident that if we adhered to our strategy and continued to play the style of football we've been displaying in recent matches, we could find a way to turn things around."

"Scoring again so soon after allowing a goal was really beneficial, and I thought we took control of the match from that point on."

“They had opportunities, but given the talent we possess in the attacking positions, we felt assured that we could turn things around.”

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Cullen: "This Is A Dream Realized"

Liam Cullen is the first to respond, sharing his thoughts with the Welsh channel Sgorio. He expresses that “it’s a dream come true.”

“Before the game, I was aware that I would be in the starting lineup, and I felt it was finally my moment to score my first goal for the national team. Fortunately, I ended up scoring twice and also assisted Brennan [Johnson] during the match.”

When discussing the promotion, he stated, "it's something we aimed to achieve."

"We understood that we had no influence over the events in the Turkey match, but we were eager to make our mark in this game and secure a clear victory. We're really pleased that we accomplished that."

Regarding Craig Bellamy, he said: "I believe it’s a testament to him and his team for all the effort they put in every day and during the breaks between camps. They truly deserve it. They make the experience really enjoyable for us."

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This outcome means that Wales will avoid having to compete in a play-off match in March, allowing them to kick off their World Cup qualification process during that month instead.

They aren't aware of who their rivals will be in that qualifying round yet, as the draw for the campaign is scheduled for December.

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