The UEFA Nations League kicked off with a bang, as England, Germany, and the Netherlands all secured impressive victories in their respective matches.
England, under interim manager Lee Carsley, began their campaign with a convincing 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. Former Ireland players, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, who now represent England, were met with boos from the home crowd but silenced them with goals in the first half. Rice opened the scoring with a powerful strike in the 11th minute, while Grealish netted his first international goal since the 2022 World Cup. Carsley praised his team’s performance, highlighting their attacking verve and clean sheet.
In League A, Germany and the Netherlands showcased their attacking prowess, scoring five goals each in their opening fixtures. Germany dismantled Hungary 5-0 in Duesseldorf, with creative duo Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala leading the charge. The young forwards combined to set up Niclas Füllkrug for the opening goal, with Musiala adding the second shortly after. Wirtz later extended the lead before Aleks Pavlovic and Kai Havertz completed the scoring.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands overcame Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-2 in Eindhoven. Joshua Zirzkee made a memorable debut, scoring his first international goal within the first 13 minutes. Cody Gakpo, Tijjani Reijnders, and Wout Weghorst also found the back of the net for the Dutch, securing a comfortable victory.
Georgia continued their strong form from the Euros, defeating the Czech Republic 4-1 in their League B clash.
These opening weekend results suggest that the Nations League will be a thrilling competition, with several teams looking to make a statement and impress on the international stage. The clash between Germany and the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Tuesday promises to be a particularly exciting match.
