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Spain 6-0 Croatia, Poland 1-1 Republic of Ireland: international football – as it happened

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Spain demolished Croatia with a stunning performance in Elche while a late Poland goal pegged the Republic of Ireland back to a draw

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Tue 11 Sep 2018 16.56 EDTFirst published on Tue 11 Sep 2018 13.30 EDT
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Spain have rattled in the goals against Croatia to take charge of their Nations League group.
Spain have rattled in the goals against Croatia to take charge of their Nations League group. Photograph: Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
Spain have rattled in the goals against Croatia to take charge of their Nations League group. Photograph: Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

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Tonight's results in full

Nations League

Spain 6-0 Croatia

Iceland 0-3 Belgium

Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 Austria

Finland 1-0 Estonia

Hungary 2-1 Greece

Moldova 0-0 Belarus

San Marino 0-3 Luxembourg

Friendlies

Northern Ireland 3-0 Israel

Poland 1-1 Republic of Ireland

England 1-0 Switzerland

There you go. The Nations League keeps on giving, today mainly via the medium of an enthralling performance from Spain, who crushed Croatia and seem very much to be *back*. Belgium are on fire too. Northern Ireland beat Israel with some conviction while the Republic were pegged back at the last. This has been Clockwatch, you’ve been lovely – bye for now!

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What went wrong for Croatia then? And what went so right for Spain? It was the exact inverse of both their World Cup showings and leaves Spain in total command of the group. The more I think about it, actually, the more the three-team format may leave a lot to be desire. But anyway – Asensio was marvellous tonight, Saul and Isco too. This *should* be a team that wins big things.

Full-time: Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 Austria

Maximum points from both games for Robert Prosinecki’s side, thanks to that late-ish winner from Dzeko.

Full-time: Spain 6 (SIX) - 0 Croatia

That was quite sensational from Spain. World, take note!

Croatia’s midfielder Luka Modric looks crestfallen. Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images
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Full-time: Iceland 0-3 Belgium

Comfortable for Belgium. The Iceland story might be over, I think. Bring back Heimir Hallgrimsson!

Full-time: Finland 1-0 Estonia

Norwich man Pukki’s goal in the Battle of the Baltic gives the Finns two wins from two.

Spain very nearly score a seventh there – Croatia can’t wait to get off the pitch in Elche, it’s manifestly clear ...

Full-time: Moldova 0-0 Belarus

Moldova missed a golden chance at the death but were battered for much of that. Not the ideal result for group favourites Belarus, there.

Full-time: Northern Ireland 3-0 Israel

Convincing stuff and some real hope for the future in some of those performances

Goal! Poland 1-1 Republic of Ireland (Klich 87)

Ah. I apologise, Ireland fans. I do. This is a very nice, incisive move finished off coolly by Klich, the Leeds midfielder. Marcelo Bielsa would approve. I’ll say sorry again.

Mateusz Klich of Poland scores the equaliser. Photograph: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
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Northern Ireland would be 4-0 up by now were it not for some hectic Israeli defending; the Republic seem to be holding on quite comfortably in Poland ...

Goal! Iceland 0-3 Belgium (Lukaku 81)

Iceland’s goal difference now stands at minus nine. They feel Croatia’s pain. This goal is a really smart little nudge from Lukaku at the near post from a right-sided centre. Cause for Jose Mourinho to smile?

Goal! Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 Austria (Dzeko 78)

It had to be Dzeko, who scores a big, big goal for Bosnia on the day he broke their appearance record!

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s defender Toni Sunjic reacts with joy. Photograph: Roland Schlager/AFP/Getty Images
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@NickAmes82 can’t believe someone took time out to type “how the mighty have fallen” about Modric. He’s been invisible tonight, but he is still a superb player. I bet he’d get in Southgates team

— Fabian Crusoe (@FabianCrusoe1) September 11, 2018

It’s those Fifa awards next week so I did wonder if Charles Antaki was working as a double agent for “Cristiano”.

Rob Marriott has a good point about the Nations League format:

“Very much enjoying the new competition - mine is a little country (Wales) and clearly it works better for the smaller nations. But
watching Spain’s training exercises, I can’t help thinking: isn’t thisthe problem with three-team groups? Croatia’s tournament was done after 35 minutes. They have regular qualifying to focus on, and not much point in trying harder before then. Perhaps future editions would benefit from getting as many four-team groups as possible. Which reminds me, don’t we have a slew of three-team groups to start off the 2026 World Cup? Oh joy.”

Yes, I agree. The three-team format feels a bit half-baked.

“Your Modric-watch entry made me nostalgic,” reports a misty-eyed Matt Richman. “My favourite moment of his came in Euro 2012 against Spain, where he executed a virtuoso, near-solo performance to threaten and hold the then-best team in the world to 1-0. There’s a highlight reel somewhere of all his touches in that game, every one on point. Six years is a long time ...”

On a night like this one must remember the good times.

Good question I’ve just seen on Twitter – has a World Cup finalist ever lost by this much in their next competitive game?

Goal! Spain 6-0 Croatia (Isco 70)

An insight into the “process”: I was typing an update suggesting Spain had decided to chill out a bit at 5-0 just as Isco, receiving a pass inside from the right, got the ball out of his feet with a brilliant first touch before smashing in number six.

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Goal! Northern Ireland 3-0 Israel (Whyte 67)

It’s a debut goal for the Oxford winger Gavin Whyte, who reacts sharply to slot home after a cross runs loose. They’re playing some really nice stuff here.

Northern Ireland’s Gavin Whyte scores their third goal. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
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Not much sign of an Icelandic comeback against Belgium, for what it’s worth. One or two of these groups may look more or less settled before they’ve even got going – England’s the most obvious case in point.

Modric-watch again from Charles Antaki:

“Cigars out for Spain. Modric hasn’t touched the ball this half - though to be fair, few of the Croats have. Four nil and Modric really should be taken off. How are the mighty fallen.”

I’ll forgive him this one match, I reckon. The way in which he dragged Croatia through extra-time against England, while clearly out on his feet, was one of the finest things I’ve ever seen inside a football stadium.

Goal! Spain 5-0 Croatia (Ramos 57)

And there’s the fifth! Left-sided corner, big jump from Ramos, big header down, up and in, and he’s done that a few times before. Luis Enrique immediately dishes out a few tactical instructions on the touchline but on form this irresistible you’d feel tempted just to leave them to it. Croatia have never lost an international by five goals before – they could be about to break the kind of record nobody fancies.

Croatia’s midfielder Ivan Rakitic reacts to is side’s demolition. Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images
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Rodrigo almost bags a fifth, claiming he was fouled in the process of not doing so, and Spain are currently rampant. Where was this three months ago? It could have all been so different.

Goal! Poland 0-1 Ireland (O'Brien 53)

Thats a nice goal! A teasing right-sided delivery from O’Dowda is headed home cutely by Millwall striker, and international debutant, Aiden O’Brien. All smiles in the Ireland camp!

Goal! Spain 4-0 Croatia (Rodrigo 49)

This is looking like a thrashing – Spain are on fire! Rodrigo streaks onto a well-weighted through ball, I think from that man Asensio, and runs clear to score confidently. This is a bit like Spain’s pre-World Cup belting of Argentina.

Rodrigo of Spain scores the 4th goal. Photograph: Paul Currie/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
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Goal! San Marino 0-3 Luxembourg (Sinani 52)

Danel Sinani puts this one to bed with a nice run and left-footed finish. Take it from me that he is a big talent.

The second halves are, with a drip, drip, drip, starting. They’re off already in Chisinau, Belfast and Serravalle.

If relegation is something that worries you, nobody will really want to lose Croatia v England in Zagreb next month.

@NickAmes82 The N.Ireland score bodes well for Scotland too - straw clutching is a national pastime. If Israel are that bad Scotland only have to win 6 games or so over the likes of Israel and Albania to qualify for 2020. Or 16 games. I'm still confused.

— Tony Reekie (@TonyReekie) September 11, 2018

Yes, Scotland also face Israel and that doesn’t exactly look a hardship.

Half-times

Northern Ireland 2-0 Israel

Poland 0-0 Republic of Ireland

Moldova 0-0 Belarus

San Marino 0-2 Luxembourg

Iceland 0-2 Belgium

Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0 Austria

Hungary 2-1 Greece

Finland 1-0 Estonia

And the big one of the night ... Spain 3-0 Croatia.

Goal! San Marino 0-2 Luxembourg (Joachim 22)

Did you now Aurelien Joachim used to play for Burton Albion? Well, he’s just volleyed a second goal for Luxembourg, which bobbled about and should probably have been dealt with better by the keeper.

Goal! Hungary 2-1 Greece (Kleinheisler 43)

You might remember Kleinheisler, now of Astana, as the hero of Hungary’s Euro 2016 play-off. He’s on the rampage again!

Laszlo Kleinheisler of Hungary celebrates. Photograph: Alex Grimm - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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“Both Modric and Isco have been on the invisible side in the Spain-Croatia game, but in one of those cases that hasn’t stopped one team seriously outplaying the other,” writes Charles Antaki. “Three-nil Spain with neither of the worlds’s two best midfielders involved”

Meanwhile Asensio sizes up another spectacular goal from a free-kick but curls way over.

Goal! Northern Ireland 2-0 Israel (Dallas 41)

A fine finish here, Saville crossing from the left and Dallas sidefooting a precise volley back across the keeper and into the net. Two-nil!

Northern Ireland’s Stuart Dallas scores his side’s second goal. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA
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Goal! Spain 3-0 Croatia (Kalinic og 35)

My goodness! Unbelievable! It’s Asensio again, cutting in before thundering a vicious 20-yard strike towards goal ... it comes off the bar and bounces in off the goalkeeper Kalinic, who will be given the own goal here but very harshly indeed. That was more brilliance from a sensational player, and Spain are all over this.

Goal! Spain 2-0 Croatia (Asensio 33)

Oh my. Croatia give the ball away 30 yards out and they are punished! Asensio seizes possession, sizes the shot up and creams an absolutely scorching, oh-so-pure strike into the far corner. Spain have scored two delightful goals.

Spain’s Marco Asensio celebrates after making it 2-0. Photograph: Morell/EPA
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Goal! Iceland 0-2 Belgium (Lukaku 31)

Another Premier League Belgian scores! A corner comes in, a header is saved, Lukaku lashes the rebound towards goal and, while a defender repels it, the ball is already about a yard over the line.

Northern Ireland are still ahead. Davis’s goal, on another viewing, took a deflection – still a great hit though.

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