Goals

Germany’s inexplicably poor calendar year came to a close today with another bad result — Die Mannschaft drew with the Netherlands 2-2 in Gelsenkirchen after holding a two-goal lead through the 84th minute. 

What’s more, although Germany already knew it’d be playing in UEFA Nations League B after suffering relegation this time around, the final match of the campaign represented an opportunity to deprive the Dutch of a spot in the Nations League Finals, however, Virgil van Dijk’s 91st-minute equalizer sends the Oranje to Portugal next summer.

Iceland and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar played to a 2-2 friendly draw on Monday in Belgium, and the match was highlighted by an exchange of exquisite free kicks between the two nations.

In the third minute, Qatar captain Hassan Al-Haydos (currently number four all-time in goals for his country), hammered a free kick from an acute angle across the face of goal and just inside the far post — a despairing, sprawling Rúnar Rúnarsson could do nothing to keep it out.

England and Croatia played out a testament to the UEFA Nations League in front of 78,221 Wembley spectators with the unique winner-takes-all circumstances in Group 4 making it immensely more enjoyable than a typical November friendly two years before a major international tournament. 

For as young and inexperienced as the USMNT squad is — and for the patience that’s required throughout this painful rebuilding process — it’s a sobering thought that the England side that ran circles around its opponent at Wembley today featured standout performances from Dele Alli (age 22), Ben Chilwell (21), Trent Alexander-Arnold (20) and Jadon Sancho (18).