DUSSELDORF: Jamal Musiala scored one goal and set up three more in crushing Hungary 5-0 for a winning start to their Nations League campaign.
The hosts took the lead in their Group A3 encounter with Niclas Fuellkrug’s tap-in from midfielder Musiala assist following a good passing combination in the 27th minute.
With Hungary pushing for an equaliser, Musiala struck on the break in the 58th, completing a quick counter-attack from a visitors’ corner.
Florian Wirtz then drilled in their third after a one-two with Musiala in the 66th before Havertz hit the woodwork once more. Man-of-the-match Musiala then sent through Aleksandar Pavlovic in the 77th to slot in and Havertz also got onto the scoresheet with an 81st minute penalty.
Dutch five
Netherlands endured some nervy moments but in the end proved too strong for Bosnia as they began their Nations League campaign with a 5-2 triumph at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven.
Joshua Zirkzee scored on his first start for the Dutch to give the hosts a 13th-minute lead in their League A Group 3 encounter but they were caught by a swift counter-attack 14 minutes later that saw Ermedin Demirovic equalise.
Tijjani Reijnders restored the home side’s lead on the stroke of halftime and Cody Gakpo made it 3-1 some 11 minutes into the second half.
Veteran Edin Dzeko pulled one back 17 minutes from fulltime to offer Bosnia hope of getting something out of the game but Dutch pinch hitter Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons scored in the closing stages to wrap up the victory.
Georgia thrash Czechs
Georgia thrashed Czech Republic 4-1, firing home three goals in 13 minutes during the second half to cruise to victory in their Nations League Group B1 opener.
The Czechs tested the Georgian keeper early with a pair of headers in rematch of their 1-1 draw at Euro 2024 in June but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute after he was fouled by Ladislav Krejci.
Georgia doubled their lead after the restart on the counter with Giorgi Chakvetadze sliding the ball through the Czech keeper’s legs before Georges Mikautadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili netted three minutes apart in the 63rd and 66th minute.
Lukas Kalvach pulled a goal back for the Czechs in the 80th minute but the visitors failed to conjure much attacking threat despite having the majority of possession. Georgia next travel to face Albania on Tuesday while the Czechs host Ukraine.
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