Latest news with #NationsLeagueA
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ronaldo breaks another scoring record as Portugal reach Nations League final
GERMANY 1-2 PORTUGAL: Cristiano Ronaldo fired Roberto Martinez's side into the final of the Nations League with a comeback win over hosts Germany at the Allianz Arena Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to a come-from-behind win over Germany to book their place in Sunday's Nations League final. Florian Wirtz had put the hosts ahead with a brilliant header from Joshua Kimmich's delicious chip three minutes into the second-half. But a triple change from Roberto Martinez sparked Portugal into life. It was one of those subs who put the visitors on level terms, with Francisco Conceição driving forward before curling a fantastic effort past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and into the bottom corner. Just five minutes after that, Ronaldo scored what would prove to be the winner. Nuno Mendes burst through the Germany defence before squaring the ball for his captain, who was left with an empty net to tap into. That goal also saw Ronaldo break the record for the most goals in a single Nations League A campaign, having notched seven strikes. That is one more than previous joint-holders Romelu Lukaku and Ferran Torres managed in the 2021/2022 campaign. It is though three less than Viktor Gyokeres managed as Sweden won promotion from Nations League C this year. It is the second Nations League final Portugal have reached. They won the first edition of the tournament back in 2019. Holders Spain and 2018 World Cup winners France will contest the other semi-final, which will be held in Stuttgart on Thursday night. It is the first time Portugal have beaten Germnay in any competition for 25 years. Their performance in the second-half was hailed by former Manchester City star Andy Hinchcliffe. He told Prime Video: "The genius of this goal is its simplicity. It's just pass and move football. Brilliant football to open Germany up. What a response to going behind from Portugal. He's not the attacking power he was but ultimately it looks as if Ronaldo's goal will be the decisive one. "The first half was a pretty even constant - Germany maybe shaded it. In the second half, yes Germany got the goal but it was an attacking flash. It's been a dominant performance from Portugal on and off the ball. "When Germany were 1-0 up, they adopted the right approach. They were looking for a second goal. But the substitutions from Roberto Martinez changed the complexion if the game. It's up to Germany to get a foothold in the game and do to Portugal what Portugal did to them."
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Rangers defender ruled out of Northern Ireland's Nations League clash with Poland
The Rangers Women defender sat out the team's final training session ahead of the Seaview battle and hasn't recovered in time to be included in the matchday panel. Rafferty had come into the international break on a high after helping Rangers win the Scottish Cup last weekend and had been excited to carry the momentum of a hugely enjoyable first season with the Scottish giants onto the international stage, but she will now miss the first match of the double header while also being a doubt for next Tuesday's final game of the campaign away to Bosnia & Herzegovina. The 29-year-old was also forced out of the home and away games against Romania in April through injury and her absence leaves manager Tanya Oxtoby short of experienced cover in the defence ahead of one of the biggest games Northern Ireland have faced since the Women's Euro 2022. Northern Ireland sit three points behind Poland in the group table and are seeking a victory to take the fight for promotion into Nations League A into Tuesday's last round of matches. After losing 2-0 in Gdansk back in February Northern Ireland require a win by three goals in order to overtake the Poles on head-to-head record. Poland, who enter the match on the back of seven wins in their last eight games, have confirmed that Barcelona star Ewa Pajor is fit an available after the disappointment of losing to Arsenal in last weekend's Women's Champions League Final.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Andreatta on 'legend' Corsie, Scotland leadership & squad belief
New Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta has been talking with the media before her first game in charge, the Nations League A visit of Austria to Hampden on Friday. Here are the key points: On captain Rachel Corsie, who retires after the double-header against Austria and the Netherlands: "What a legend! It's been super humbling to to work with her and the professionalism of Rachel is what's really stood out and her willingness to share her experiences with both players and staff." Andreatta adds: "All she's focused on is her role and what the team needs to do to play the way we want to." The Scotland boss believes the loss of Corsie's leadership going forward will tell but says the transition has been "occurring naturally" in her absence: "People have had to step up and there's actually been a lot of support around the leadership group to do that. In their own right they're leaders at club. So they've had a lot of opportunity to lead both at club and country." The former Australia assistant insists Scotland can stay in the Nations League top tier despite a poor run of results. She adds: "I only see opportunity and yes, there's going to be tough times and there's a lot of progress to be made, but we believe we have what it takes and we're going to fight." Andreatta admits it's natural that confidence may have dipped given recent results but the players "believe they can do something and it's just putting all the pieces together in order for us to match that belief with the performance and the results".
STV News
6 days ago
- Sport
- STV News
New Scotland boss Andreatta hails ‘legend' Corsie ahead of retirement
Scotland Women's head coach Melissa Andreatta hailed 'legend' Rachel Corsie as the captain gets set to bring her career to an end next week. The 35-year-old will retire from football after the final two Nations League A games against Austria at Hampden Park on Friday and the Netherlands next Tuesday. Corsie, capped 154 times since making her debut against France in 2009 and who played at Euro 2017 and the 2019 World Cup, has been sidelined for the majority of the season with injury and will bow out after this international double-header. The decision was not a surprise for Andreatta, who will be in the technical area for the first time as Scotland boss on Friday night. 'We had been talking,' she said. 'Rachel Corsie – what a legend. 'And it's been super-humbling to work with her in these past few days. 'And the professionalism of Rachel is what's really stood out and her willingness to share her experiences with both players and staff. 'And I think she's had a really positive impact on the group, on her return to camp and all she's focussed on is her role and what the team needs to do to play the way we want to play.' Andreatta, whose most recent role was assistant head coach of the Matildas, believes there are players in the squad who can take over Corsie's mantle. She said: 'I think what we've seen in the last little while is, in Rachel's absence, people have had to step up, and there's actually been a lot of support around the leadership group to do that. 'And in their own right, they are leaders at clubs. 'So they've had a lot of opportunity to lead both at club and country and I think that transition has been occurring naturally,. 'But of course, everyone, no matter their position within the squad, is excited to have Rachel back.' The Scots are bottom of Group A1, with four defeats in four matches and could be relegated on Friday against Austria, who are three points better off with two fixtures remaining. Andreatta insists preventing the drop to League B is possible, saying, 'we believe we can do that' as she looked for an encouraging performance on Friday night. She said: 'I only see opportunity and, yes, there's going to be tough times, and yes, there's a lot of progress to be made, but we believe in what we have. 'We believe we have what it takes, and we're going to fight. 'What I've learnt about this group, it (results) hasn't affected their belief. 'They believe in here (heart) that they can do something, and it's just putting all the pieces together in order for us to match that belief with the performance and the results.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Press and Journal
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen's Scotland Women skipper Rachel Corsie to retire from football after international double-header over 'chronic' pain
Aberdeen's Scotland women's captain Rachel Corsie has announced she will retire from professional football after the current international camp. Corsie, 35, who led the Dark Blues during their only World Cup campaign, in 2019, currently has 154 caps to her name, but says 'chronic pain' in the wake of her latest knee injury and surgery has brought her to the decision. The centre-back, who left English Women's Super League side Aston Villa at the end of their season, has joined up with new Scots boss Melissa Andreatta's squad for Nations League A games at home to Austria and away to the Netherlands in the coming days. She could add two more caps to her storied Scotland stint during those matches. Explaining her rationale for drawing a line under a career which has also included Scotland's Euro 2017 campaign, Corsie – who battled back from her SIXTH knee surgery to make her Villa farewell on the park prior to end of the club season – told the BBC: 'My body has really wanted this to be my last year. 'Playing in the WSL, playing international football, I think it's the highest level, and to be turning 36 in August, knowing I'm going to stop playing at the highest point, it feels the right place for me. 'Getting back to playing at the end of the season was a really tough ambition and objective, but we got there. 'I was told by the surgeon before having the surgery that there was the option to have it, but the condition of my knee was fairly concerning and that – though surgery would potentially give some relief – there was quite a serious likelihood that the damage that's been done over the course of my career is going to be impactful to the rest of my life. 'I wanted to do the surgery because I knew that I couldn't get back playing leaving it as it was.' Detailing the difficulties of getting fit enough to return to playing at all, Corsie added: 'You have this self-belief, that: 'I've done it before, I could do it again'. 'I basically was just in chronic pain all the time. Walking up and down stairs in the house, sitting in the car for periods of time, getting in and out of the shower and having to climb out over the bath. 'All these little things, the day-to-day things that for me are now not normal. 'It's been a tough journey, but I've made it and it has been worth – I think – all those days in pain.' Former Evening Express columnist Corsie is the great-granddaughter of Aberdeen FC legend Donald Colman. Her first girls' team was Stonehaven Ladies, before switches to Aberdeen Ladies, Glasgow City, Notts County, Seattle Reign, Utah Royals, Canberra United, Birmingham City, Kansas City Current and, finally, Villa in 2022. Corsie wasn't paid to play until she went full-time with Notts County in 2014. A qualified chartered accountant, she had previously worked as an auditor for Ernst and Young. She will retire having captained the Scotland Women's National Team for a remarkable 14 – almost 15 – years.
