Madrid.European champions Spain secured a spot in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals with a dominant 3-0 victory over Serbia on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal were held to a 0-0 draw by Scotland.
Spain, also reigning Nations League champions, became the second team to reach the quarterfinals, joining Germany by amassing 10 points from 12 in Group A4.
Despite the absence of Euro 2024 stars Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, Spain took the lead through Aymeric Laporte’s early header in rainy Cordoba. Captain Álvaro Morata shook off a missed penalty to score a second, and Alex Baena sealed the win with a free-kick. Serbia finished with 10 men after Strahinja Pavlović’s red card.
“We’re in another final phase, and it might seem easy, but we’ve been consistently reaching these phases in recent years, and that deserves credit,” Morata told TVE.
Denmark, best placed to advance with Spain, drew 2-2 with Switzerland, while Portugal dropped points for the first time in Group A1, drawing with Scotland at Hampden. Ronaldo, playing his 216th international match, couldn’t add to his record 133 goals and expressed his frustration with the officials at full time.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez praised Scotland’s goalkeeper Craig Gordon, whose late save denied Bruno Fernandes. Croatia remains second in Group A1 after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Poland.
In League C, Northern Ireland thrashed Bulgaria 5-0, with Isaac Price scoring a hat-trick, becoming the youngest Northern Irish player to do so since DavidHealy in 2007.