Ligue des Nations : l’Allemagne bute sur l’Italie, le Portugal domine, l’Espagne et la France assurent !

The quarterfinals of the Nations League provided an exhilarating spectacle, with drama unfolding across multiple venues. Germany, despite building a commanding three-goal lead, found themselves pegged back by a resurgent Italy before eventually securing qualification. Spain edged out the Netherlands in a nail-biting penalty shootout, while Portugal displayed their dominance over Denmark with a resounding victory.

Germany, fresh from their 2-1 triumph in Italy, came into the second leg in a strong position. Playing at Borussia Dortmund’s home ground, they looked to finish the job against the Azzurri. The first leg had seen Italy strike early through Sandro Tonali, but goals from Tim Kleindienst and Leon Goretzka had put Germany ahead. With a semi-final place at stake, the return leg was expected to be a tense affair.

The match began with a relatively cautious approach from both sides, but Germany was handed an opportunity to seize control when Alessandro Buongiorno conceded a penalty in the 29th minute. The infraction came after a reckless challenge on Kleindienst, who had been released down the right flank by Goretzka. Stepping up for his 99th international cap, Joshua Kimmich calmly converted the spot-kick, sending Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way to make it 1-0.

Buoyed by their breakthrough, Germany quickly doubled their advantage. Italy’s defensive frailties were exposed once again when Kimmich took a quick corner, catching the opposition off guard. Jamal Musiala, left completely unmarked, pounced on the loose ball and fired a clinical finish past Donnarumma at the near post, extending the lead to 2-0 in the 36th minute.

Just before halftime, Germany landed what seemed like a decisive blow. A well-worked move saw Goretzka once again provide the assist, this time for Kleindienst, who made no mistake in heading home Germany’s third goal. At 3-0, the contest appeared to be over, with Italy staring at an uphill battle in the second half.

However, Italy refused to surrender without a fight. Just five minutes after the restart, Moise Kean capitalized on a defensive lapse, intercepting a weak back pass before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Oliver Baumann to reduce the deficit. This goal reignited the Italians’ belief, and they began mounting relentless attacks.

Kean continued to be a thorn in Germany’s defense, and in the 69th minute, he struck again. This time, the Juventus forward found space inside the box and unleashed a powerful right-footed effort that left Baumann with no chance. With the score now at 3-2, the momentum had completely shifted in Italy’s favor.

As Germany desperately tried to hold on, Italy pressed for an equalizer. Deep into stoppage time, their persistence was rewarded. A clumsy challenge inside the box saw the referee point to the penalty spot, giving Italy one last lifeline. Giacomo Raspadori held his nerve, converting from twelve yards in the dying moments of the game to complete an astonishing comeback.

Despite the dramatic 3-3 draw, Germany advanced to the semi-finals on aggregate, thanks to their 2-1 victory in the first leg. While the result was far from ideal for Julian Nagelsmann’s men, they had done just enough to progress.

Meanwhile, in another gripping quarterfinal, Spain faced off against the Netherlands in a contest that ultimately had to be settled by penalties. The first leg in Rotterdam had ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving everything to play for in the return fixture.

Spain got off to a dream start when Mikel Oyarzabal found the net in the eighth minute, giving La Roja an early lead. However, the Dutch responded strongly, earning a penalty in the 54th minute after Memphis Depay was brought down inside the box. Depay himself stepped up and sent an unstoppable shot into the top corner to level the score.

Spain regained the lead in the 68th minute through Oyarzabal once again. The forward showed great composure to head home from close range after his initial effort had been saved. But the Netherlands refused to back down, and Xavi Simons’ pinpoint cross was met by Ian Maatsen, whose stunning finish in the 79th minute made it 2-2.

With no winner emerging in regulation time, extra time saw further drama. Lamine Yamal produced a moment of magic, curling a left-footed effort into the far corner to give Spain the lead once more. But just minutes later, Xavi Simons struck again for the Dutch, forcing a penalty shootout.

In the end, Spain prevailed, winning the shootout 5-4 after a nervy series of spot-kicks. Their victory set up a highly anticipated semi-final clash against France.

Portugal, meanwhile, had no such problems in their quarterfinal tie. Having suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in the first leg against Denmark, they responded emphatically in the return match, producing a stunning 5-2 victory.

Cristiano Ronaldo, ever the talisman, played a pivotal role in Portugal’s triumph. Despite speculation surrounding his international future, the veteran forward delivered a vintage performance, scoring a crucial goal and assisting another.

Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leão also found the net in a commanding display, as Portugal overwhelmed the Danish defense with their attacking firepower. By the final whistle, Denmark had been outclassed, and Portugal secured their place in the Final Four in style.

With Germany, Spain, Portugal, and France all advancing, the Nations League semi-finals promise to be an unmissable spectacle. The competition is now set to intensify as Europe’s elite battle for supremacy.