At the end of September, the main stage of the League of Nations ends, following which the four best teams will be determined, which will play the main trophy next June, as well as there will be transitions between divisions (there are four of them, I remind you). So it will not be superfluous to recall the layouts in the groups and highlight the most significant matches.
RUSSIAN TEAM
Let’s start with the fate of our national team, suspended from official international matches after the draw of the tournament. Having not played a single match, she automatically receives a zero in the “points” column and takes the last place in the group, which means she is relegated to League C.
It is interesting, by the way, what would happen if Albania lost all their matches and ended the group stage with the same zero points and a negative goal difference. Would the Russians take third place and keep their registration?
LEAGUE A
Group 1
A very unexpected alignment, because the favorite of all tournaments, the French team scored only two points in four rounds and now thinks only about survival, while Denmark and Croatia will play for first place.
Today, Thursday, the teams will play the decisive matches. Didier Deschamps’ men without Hugo Lloris, Luca and Theo Hernandez, Ibrahim Konate, Presnel Kimpembe, Luca Digne, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, Boubacar Kamara, Kingsley Coman and Karim Benzema will take on two points more Austria, while those behind by distance arm outstretched Croatians will play first place with the Danes.
If the hosts win both games, the intrigue will spin to the limit by the final round, because on the last day Denmark will host France, and Austria will host Croatia.
Tournament position: Denmark – 9, Croatia – 7, Austria – 4, France – 2.
Key matches: 22.09. Croatia-Denmark and France-Austria.
Group 2
Here the picture is more predictable, but no less interesting, because the teams lagging behind by one point will take on direct competitors in the final round: Portugal will play with Spain, and Switzerland with the Czech Republic. However, if on September 24 the Czechs suddenly beat Cristiano Ronaldo and company at home, these games will no longer matter.
Tournament position: Spain – 8, Portugal – 7, Czech Republic – 4, Austria – 3.
Key matches: 27.09. Portugal – Spain and Switzerland – Czech Republic.
Group 3
The main sensation in the elite division is the leadership of the Hungarians in the group with Germany, Italy and England. And even defeats in the remaining matches threaten them with only a minimal risk of relegation to League B, which means that a sad fate will surely await one of the giants.
In this regard, the next round seems to be fateful, in which the Germans can bypass the leader in a personal meeting, and the British will try to take three points away from the team of Roberto Mancini. If they don’t succeed, Gareth Southgate may not make it to the World Cup in Qatar.
Tournament position: Hungary – 7, Germany – 6, Italy – 5, England – 2.
Key matches: 23 September. Italy – England and Germany – Hungary.
Group 4
In this quartet, the maximum gap between first and last place is nine points, so the tasks of the teams are determined – the Netherlands and Belgium will play for first place, while Wales and Poland will determine the loser. Face-to-face meetings await these teams in the final round.
Tournament position: The Netherlands – 10, Belgium – 7, Poland – 4, Wales – 1.
Key matches: 25.09. Netherlands – Belgium, Wales – Poland.
LEAGUE B
Group 1. Having defeated the houses of the Ukrainians, the Scottish team overtook a direct competitor and perched on the first line, but in the final round they will have a return match. On the same day, Armenia will try not to be relegated, which will require three points in Dublin.
Tournament position: Scotland – 9, Ukraine – 7, Ireland – 4, Armenia – 3.
Group 2 For the Israelis to enter the elite, it is enough to deal with Albania at home. Otherwise, Iceland will have a chance, in the final round going to Tirana.
Tournament position: Israel – 5 (3 matches), Iceland – 3 (3), Albania – 1 (2), Russia – 0.
Group 3. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which agreed to hold a friendly match with Russia in November, will take on the closest pursuer in the face of Montenegro tomorrow, while the Finns will try to beat the Romanians at home. In this case, the final round will become a formality, but if the hosts do not succeed, the intrigue will start to spin seriously.
Tournament position: Bosnia and Herzegovina – 8, Montenegro – 7, Finland – 4, Romania – 3.
Group 4 The top scorer of the stage Erling Haaland (5 goals in 4 matches) drags the Norwegians up. To succeed in this, it is enough to defeat Serbia in the final round. And the unexpectedly weak Swedes on the same evening will try at least not to lose at home to the even more dull Slovenian team.
Tournament position: Norway – 10, Serbia – 7, Sweden – 3, Slovenia – 2.
Key matches for promotion to League A: 23.09. Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro. 24.09. Israel – Albania. 27.09. Ukraine – Scotland and Norway – Serbia.
LEAGUE C
Greece, Turkey and Kazakhstan have all but resolved their issues of qualifying from the groups, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and teammates will play a match of life against North Macedonia on Friday. A win automatically takes them to League B, and in case of a draw, it will be enough not to lose away to Gibraltar, who scored only one point in four rounds.
Key matches for promotion to League B: 22.09. Turkey – Luxembourg and Kazakhstan – Belarus. 23.09. Georgia – North Macedonia. 27.09. Greece – Northern Ireland.
LEAGUE D
Here, in two groups, the Balts rule the ball. Latvia is already five points ahead of Moldova, so a draw will suit it in a face-to-face home game (in Chisinau they won 4:2), and Estonia, with equal points with Malta, has the best goal difference and a match in reserve, so it’s enough not to lose to a competitor on his field, and then – in San Marino.
Key matches for promotion to League C: 22.09. Latvia – Moldova. 23.09. Estonia – Malta.
Source: Sovsport
