Belgium secured their place in League A of the Nations League with a stunning 3-0 home win over Ukraine on Sunday, overturning a first-leg deficit to claim a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Ukraine had a two-goal lead in the tie after their comeback win in the first leg and looked poised to hold on as Belgium struggled to find a way past goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. However, the breakthrough came in the 70th minute when substitute Maxim De Cuyper converted a first-time effort off a quick pass from Jeremy Doku.
Romelu Lukaku then leveled the tie five minutes later with a superb volley from a Kevin De Bruyne cross. Ukraine nearly responded when Artem Dovbyk’s header forced a crucial save from Matz Sels, who replaced Thibaut Courtois in goal for Belgium. Lukaku sealed the comeback in the 86th minute with a low shot past Lunin, taking his international tally to 88 goals and ensuring Belgium’s survival in League A.
Meanwhile, in Dublin, Ireland fought back to defeat Bulgaria 2-1, securing their place in League B with a 4-2 aggregate win. The hosts looked the stronger side early on but fell behind when Valentin Antov capitalized on a loose ball to fire Bulgaria ahead in the 30th minute. Ireland responded through Evan Ferguson, who combined well with Finn Azaz before finishing into the top corner. Substitute Adam Idah then wrapped up the victory in the 84th minute.
Greece booked their spot in League A with a commanding 3-0 win over Scotland, overturning a 1-0 first-leg defeat to advance. Turkey also sealed promotion with a dominant 3-0 win against Hungary, completing a resounding 6-1 aggregate triumph.
Serbia ensured their place in the top tier with a 2-0 home victory over Austria, securing a 3-1 aggregate win. Nemanja Maksimovic opened the scoring in the 56th minute before Dusan Vlahovic sealed the result in stoppage time. Austria’s hopes of a comeback were dashed after Gernot Trauner received a late red card for a foul on Stefan Mitrovic.
Georgia emphatically retained their League B spot with a crushing 6-1 victory over Armenia, sealing a 9-1 aggregate win. Kosovo also secured promotion, beating Iceland 3-1 on the night for a 5-2 aggregate triumph.
Elsewhere, Adam Gnezda Cerin’s extra-time goal handed Slovenia a narrow 1-0 win over Slovakia, ensuring their continued presence in League B.
With several dramatic comebacks and decisive performances, the latest round of Nations League matches saw teams battle fiercely for survival and promotion, setting the stage for even more competitive fixtures in the next edition of the tournament.
