These two nations are now awaiting the resolution of Group A2, with Portugal and Spain fighting for qualification in the last round, and Group A3 that pits Hungary against Italy.
The Netherlands guaranteed a place this Sunday in the final stage of the Football Nations League and should be the hosts of the competition, in which Croatia also ensured its presence, on the sixth and final round.
The Netherlands team won 1-0 against Belgium and confirmed first place in Group A4, which was previously established as the future organizer of this edition of the ‘final four’, although the UEFA Executive Committee has yet to give ‘ green light’ to that decision.
At the top of Group A1 was Croatia, which with a triumph in Austria (3-1) secured qualification and also saved defending champions France from a surprising relegation to League B.
These two nations are now awaiting the resolution of Group A2, with Portugal and Spain fighting for qualification in the last round, and Group A3, in which Hungary and Italy still have a chance to advance.
In Amsterdam, a goal from central defender Virgil van Dijk, in the 73rd minute, was enough for the Netherlands to beat neighboring Belgium and finish the group with 16 points, six more than the ‘red devils’, seconds, on the day Wales returned to ‘second tier’.
In Cardiff, the Welsh confirmed their return to League B with a defeat against Poland (1-0), with Karol Swiderski, in the 58th minute, scoring the only goal of the match.
With Artur Soares Dias as referee, in Vienna, Croatia secured first place in its group, despite the threat from Denmark, and gave precious help to France, still with the status of champion, which was at risk of relegation, with a defeat in Copenhagen (2-0).
Modric, in the sixth minute, Livaja, in the 69th minute, and Lovren, in the 72nd minute, scored the goals for the Croatians, while Baumgartner, at nine, still gave some hope to the Austrians, who will play in Liga B in the next edition.
Denmark, even with a triumph over the reigning world champions, failed to pass to the next stage, but ended a streak of 12 straight games without losing the Gauls, which could even have dropped if Austria had beaten Croatia.
Dolberg, in the 34th minute, and Skov Olsen, in the 39th minute, led the Scandinavian triumph, in a match in which Bah, Benfica’s full-back, was launched in the home team in added time (90+1).
In League C, although they already had their promotion guaranteed, Turkey was surprised in the Faroe Islands (2-1), while in League D, a Latvian draw (1-1) in Andorra was enough to leave the last European division and move on to League C.
