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Portugal, France lose perfect records; England beats Belgium

Daniella Matar

Associated Press

Tags: Romelu Lukaku, Sports
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France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris makes a save in front of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Belgium's Romalu Lukaku scores the opening goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Belgium at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Neil Hall/Pool via AP)
Scotland's John McGinn, center, and Slovakia's Robert Mak, right, battle for the during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Scotland and Slovakia, at Hampden Park, in Glasgow, Scotland, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Steve Welsh/PA via AP)
Italy's Andrea Belotti, left, cheers Poland's Karol Linetty end of the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Poland and Italy at Energa stadium in Gdansk, Poland, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Austria's Christoph Baumgartner, left, vies for the ball with Northern Ireland's Craig Cathcart during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between Northern Ireland and Austria in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Belgium's Toby Alderweireld jumps above England's Marcus Rashford during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Belgium at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Ian Walton, Pool)
France's Kylian Mbappe and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, right, greet each other at the end of the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
France's Kylian Mbappe and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, greet each other at the end of the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo attempts a shot at goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
France's Kylian Mbappe challenges Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, left, during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
England's Marcus Rashford scores his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Belgium at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Michael Regan/Pool via AP)
Belgium's coach Roberto Martinez, left, and England's coach Gareth Southgate stand on the touchline during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Belgium at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Neil Hall/Pool via AP)
England's Mason Mount, center, celebrates with England's Declan Rice after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and Belgium at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (Neil Hall/Pool via AP)

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris makes a save in front of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Portugal at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

MILAN – Portugal and France lost their perfect records in this season’s UEFA Nations League after playing out a 0-0 draw against each other on Sunday, and Belgium saw its 13-match unbeaten run ended by a 2-1 defeat against England.

Two of the sport’s best forwards were kept quiet at a chilly Stade de France.

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Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo had a good chance in the second minute of injury time, but goalkeeper Hugo Lloris palmed away his angled shot from the left. France’s Kylian Mbappe was substituted near the end after having failed to make an impression against the Nations League champion’s resolute defense.

Portugal stays top in Group 3 of League A, ahead of France on goal difference, with both teams on seven points.

Third-place Croatia has three points after beating Sweden 2-1. Substitute Andrej Kramarić scored the winner in that match, nine minutes after coming off the bench.

ENGLAND COMEBACK

England came from behind to beat Belgium and move top in Group 2 of League A.

Marcus Rashford’s penalty canceled out Romelu Lukaku’s spot kick in the first half before Mason Mount’s looping, deflected shot clinched England’s first victory over a top-ranked team in nine years.

England moved a point ahead of second-place Belgium and three above Denmark which beat Iceland 3-0.

STALEMATES

Italy was held to a 0-0 draw against Poland but remained top of its group after the Netherlands drew by the same score against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The match was supposed to pit two of Europe’s top goalscorers against each other in Robert Lewandowski and Ciro Immobile. However, Italy coach Roberto Mancini surprisingly left Immobile on the bench.

Italy is a point above the Netherlands and Poland in Group 1 of League A. It plays the Netherlands on Wednesday.

HAALAND HAT TRICK

Erling Haaland netted a hat trick to help Norway thrash Romania 4-0 and assuage its European Championship playoff disappointment.

Alexander Sørloth scored Norway’s other goal. Haaland already has six goals in the competition.

Norway lost a Euro 2020 playoff to Serbia on Thursday.

Norway is level on six points with leader Austria in Group 1 of League B.

Austria beat host Northern Ireland 1-0.

OTHER MATCHES

Finland beat Bulgaria 2-0 in Group 4 of League B and Ireland drew 0-0 against Wales.

Also in League B, it was: Israel 1, Czech Republic 2; Scotland 1, Slovakia 0; Russia 1, Turkey 1; and Serbia 0, Hungary 1.

There were four draws in League C: Armenia 2, Georgia 2; Estonia 3, North Macedonia 3; Kazakhstan 0, Albania 0; and Lithuania 2, Belarus 2.

Also, Greece beat Moldova 2-0 and Slovenia won 1-0 in Kosovo.

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Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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