Italy and security-tight France lock up Nations League quarter-final spots
Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris.
Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in Athens that put his team top of their pool on goal difference.
In Brussels, Italy were economical as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Group A2.
The visitors dominated the early stages and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in.
Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header.
"We showed again that we give it a go and don't just sit back in matches, that's the big change," Tonali told RAI.
At the Stade de France in Paris, tentative France struggled to create and take chances as they drew 0-0 with Israel before a crowd of just under 17,000 in a stadium that holds up to 80,000.
Around 4,000 police and members of the security forces patrolled inside and outside the ground to prevent a repetition of the attacks on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last week.
Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw.
Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away.
On the pitch, it took until the 20th minute for captain N'Golo Kante, jinking into the six-yard box, to force a first save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
France managed 25 attempts on goal but Peretz had to make only two diving saves in the second half, first from Warren Zaire-Emery and then in added time from Christopher Nkunku.
"Anger. Frustration," said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. "The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured."
Italy lead the group by three points but France could still take first when the teams meet in Milan on Sunday.
"We could have done more but we did what we needed to do against an ultra-defensive opponent," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1.
- Kane dropped -
In Athens, Carsley, forced into a string of changes by a flurry of withdrawals from his last England squad, sprung a surprise by dropping Harry Kane.
Ollie Watkins replaced the England captain and took seven minutes to justify Carsley's decision. Noni Madueke raced onto a Jude Bellingham pass and crossed for Watkins to stab home.
As in their win at Wembley in October, the Greeks caused England's inexperienced defence problems in the Group B2 clash.
After 30 minutes, right back Kostas Tsimikas ran into space in the box. Everton's Jordan Pickford hurled himself to his right to turn away a piledriver from the Liverpool man.
England started the second half in control. Rico Lewis forced a save from Odysseas Vlachodimos and Bellingham hit a post with a header before Fotis Ioannidis drew another diving save from Pickford.
Kane came on but another England talisman, Bellingham, forced the goal that put England top of the group after 78 minutes. His shot struck the post, rebounded into the back of airborne Vlachodimos and flew in.
Curtis Jones, on his debut, added the third five minutes later.
England and Greece both have 12 points with one game to go but England's goal difference is three better.
"We're moving in the right direction," Carsley told ITV. "We have a lot of outstanding talent."
The top two in B3 are also separated on goal difference as leaders Austria and pursuers Norway both won.
Austria's Christoph Baumgartner and Michael Gregoritsch scored in the first 25 minutes in Almaty by which time Kazakhstan were down to ten men.
Austria saw out a 2-0 win and lead the pool on goal difference from Norway who won 4-1 in Slovenia with Erling Haaland scoring once.
N.M.Shaw--EWJ
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