Nations League roundup: Norway’s Martin Ødegaard pressured off with damage

The Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard left the pitch in tears after being injured in Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria on Monday evening. The 25-year-old damage his ankle within the second half of the Nations League match and needed to be helped from the pitch as he was substituted within the 67th minute.

Ødegaard is now a doubt for the north London derby on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon, when Arsenal will already be with out suspended midfielder Declan Rice.

“Martin’s damage seemed unhealthy within the dressing room,” the Norway coach, Ståle Solbakken, instructed Norwegian TV2. “I noticed he was sitting with the physiotherapists round him however he had no probability to proceed and we all know it was an ankle sprain.”

The group physician, Ola Sand, stated: “Sure, it’s a sprain, and as these of us who had performed soccer know, with luck it could possibly prove OK if the ligaments aren’t torn. We’ll see, possibly we use ultrasound to take a look at it. If we’re not sure, there might be an MRI tomorrow.”

When Ødegaard left the pitch, Norway have been stage at 1-1 within the Group B3 conflict with Ralf Rangnick’s Austria in Oslo, however Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland got here up with a winner for the hosts with 10 minutes left. The objective places him simply two behind Jörgen Juve’s 33-goal document for Norway.

Norway are actually stage on factors on the prime of their group with Slovenia, who eased to a 3-0 residence win over Kazakhstan, because of a hat-trick by the RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

In Lyon, Manchester Metropolis’s Kevin De Bruyne was seething after France overcame a gradual begin to beat neighbours Belgium 2-0 as Randal Kolo Muani’s close-range strike and Ousmane Dembélé’s left-foot drive handed the French their first factors of the Nations League marketing campaign. It was a constructive response by Didier Deschamps’ facet, who modified eight of the beginning group, together with Kylian Mbappé, after being overwhelmed 3-1 by Italy in Paris final Friday of their opening Group A2 fixture.

However De Bruyne, visibly pissed off throughout the sport, launched an offended tirade towards his teammates afterwards, telling Belgian VTM tv that too many issues had gone flawed. “I can’t say right here what went flawed. I already did that to the group at half-time,” he stated. “I can’t repeat that within the media, but it surely needs to be higher in each means. If the usual we wish to attain is the perfect, however we’re now not ok to get to that stage, then it’s a must to give all the things. For those who don’t even try this, it’s over.

“We’re too many on the again. For those who stick with six on the again, there isn’t any connection. It’s what it’s. It’s not about transition, however about individuals who don’t carry out their duties.”

Kolo Muani gave France a Twenty ninth-minute lead after the Belgium goalkeeper Koen Casteels scooped a one-handed save from Dembélé’s scuffed shot straight into the trail of the Paris Saint-Germain striker. Dembélé at all times seemed harmful and obtained his reward within the 57th minute as he skipped sideways alongside the sting of the Belgium field earlier than discovering house to fireplace an excellent shot previous Casteels.

Mbappé was introduced on within the 67th together with Bradley Barcola, whose transfer to PSG from Lyon final season has not been forgotten and who was jeered by the locals. Mbappé seemed vibrant as he tried so as to add his identify to the scoresheet, lacking narrowly from a decent angle 10 minutes from time and having an effort saved by Casteels within the 86th minute.

Italy received the opposite Group A2 fixture 2-1 towards Israel in Budapest to open up a three-point lead within the standings. Davide Frattesi and the previous Everton striker Moise Kean secured a 2-1 win for Luciano Spalletti’s facet. Frattesi gave the Azzurri the lead earlier than the break when he bundled residence together with his chest and Kean made it 2-0 from a rebound simply after the hour mark.

Israel pulled a objective again within the ninetieth minute by means of Mohammad Abu Fani, who discovered the web from the sting of the field after the hosts, staging the sport in Budapest for safety causes, received a free-kick.

A hat-trick from the Benfica winger Kerem Akturkoglu noticed Turkey transfer stage on prime of Group B4 with Wales with a 3-1 residence win over Iceland. Wales continued their sturdy begin to life below new supervisor Craig Bellamy with a 2-1 win in Montenegro.

Romania made it an ideal begin in Group C2 with their second win from two video games, beating Lithuania 3-1 at residence. In the identical pool, Kosovo went to Cyprus and thrashed their hosts 4-0.