Nations League roundup: Nathan Collins’ mazy run earns Ireland draw

Nathan Collins scored a sensational solo goal as the Republic of Ireland emerged from their Nations League clash with Ukraine with a creditable draw.

The 21-year-old Burnley centre-half weaved his way through the home side’s mesmerised ranks in the 31st minute before firing past stranded goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk with the outside of his right foot in front of a largely stunned crowd of 10,641 in the Polish city of Lodz.

Collins’s first senior international goal was ultimately only enough to claim a 1-1 draw against the Euro 2020 quarter-finalists, to whom they lost 1-0 at the Aviva Stadium last week, after Artem Dovbyk levelled to ensure his side will sit at the top of League B Group One when they return to action in September.

A largely inexperienced Ireland team – with the notable exception of James McClean, who won his 94th cap – performed admirably at the LKS Stadium, with Collins, Dara O’Shea, Josh Cullen and Jason Knight particularly impressive to provide manager Stephen Kenny with further vindication of his vision.

Ukraine equalised two minutes after the restart when Andriy Yarmolenko found half a yard beyond McClean to cross low and hand Dovbyk the simplest of tasks to level.

In Mönchengladbach, Germany demolished Italy 5-2 with a sparkling display of attacking football for their first Nations League Group A3 win, ending a four-game winless run and stretching their unbeaten streak under their coach Hansi Flick.

In Germany’s best performance under Flick, Timo Werner struck twice after goals from Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gündogan and Thomas Müller had put them in the driving seat. The teenager Wilfried Gnonto pulled one back in the 78th minute and Alessandro Bastoni headed in a second for the visitors in stoppage time.

This was Germany’s first Nations League win in four matches, and the first for Flick, unbeaten in 13 matches since taking over last year, against a top European nation. They had drawn against Italy 10 days ago. Germany are now on six points.

The Germany captain, Manuel Neuer, had promised fireworks from the start and both teams had chances to score in a pulsating beginning. It was Germany who struck first when Kimmich charged into the box and tapped in a David Raum cutback in the 10th minute.

On the stroke of half-time, Gündogan stabbed in a penalty to give them a two-goal cushion.

With the Italy head coach, Roberto Mancini, making two substitutions, Italy looked livelier after the break. Yet the Germans struck against the run of play with Thomas Müller rifling in following a clearance from the Italian defence.

Werner then got on the scoresheet, sliding in to connect with a Serge Gnabry assist in the 68th and then added another a minute later when Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s pass was intercepted.

Gnonto pulled one back with his first international goal, becoming the youngest scorer for Italy at the age of 18, and Bastoni added a second to deny the Germans a record winning margin over them.

In Warsaw, Michy Batshuayi’s diving header in the first half was enough for Belgium to secure a first victory in Poland with a 1-0 success in their Nations League A clash.

Batshuayi stooped to steer Youri Tielemans’s excellent cross into the net on 16 minutes to ensure Belgium scored for a 48th consecutive match, an incredible record dating back to a 1-0 loss to France at the 2018 World Cup.

Roberto Martínez’s side stay in contention for top spot in Group Four as they trail leaders Netherlands by three points with two rounds remaining. They will travel to Amsterdam in their final pool match in September.

The reverse fixture between these two finished 6-1 to Belgium last week, but this was a different kind of contest in Warsaw with both sides showing signs of fatigue after a long season.

The visitors’ lead was deserved, with Batshuayi scoring a 25th international goal in his 45th appearance after a bright start from the visitors. He had another shot deflected just wide just before half-time, while Eden Hazard flashed an effort narrowly off target early in the second period as Belgium dominated the play.

A poor touch from Robert Lewandowski saw him spurn a good chance at the other end, but the best of the opportunities for the home side fell to Kamil Glik when he headed inches wide of the post from a corner.

Edin Dzeko scored twice as Group B3 leaders Bosnia came from 2-1 down to beat Finland 3-2 in Zenica while Stefan Mugosa hit a hat-trick to fire Montenegro to a 3-0 win in Romania.

Kaan Ayhan and Hakan Calhanoglu scored to ensure Turkey maintained their 100% record in Group C1 with a 2-0 win against Lithuania, while Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands played out a 2-2 draw.

In Group D1, Vladislavs Gutkovskis scored both goals as Latvia beat Liechtenstein 2-0, and Moldova edged out Andorra 2-1.