Nations League matchday 1, Friday: Belgium win in Rome, Mbappé settles it in Türkiye, and Northern Ireland score in the 99th minute

Friday's eight matches produced thirteen goals, and the two League A results both went to the away side. Belgium beat Italy 2–0 in Rome, ending Italy's three-match unbeaten run in the fixture; France beat Türkiye 1–0 through Kylian Mbappé, their first win in the fixture after two meetings without one. Northern Ireland won 1–0 in Tbilisi with a goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, after Georgia had missed a penalty. Sweden beat Romania 2–1 with all three goals before half-time, Ukraine won 1–0 in Budapest, Montenegro came from behind against Cyprus, and Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina played the first goalless draw of the campaign. Four of the seven winners were away from home.

The early kick-offs

Georgia 0–1 Northern Ireland in League B, Group 2 was decided in the 99th minute. Georgia had 62 per cent of the ball and nine corners to one, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a penalty on 65. Shea Charles scored the winner on 90+9 from Trai Hume's pass. Both sides had five shots on target.

Armenia 2–0 Latvia in League C was Armenia's night from the start: Georgiy Harutyunyan scored on 31 from Eduard Spertsyan's pass and Artur Gharibyan on 75 from Zhirayr Shaghoyan's. Armenia had fourteen shots and ten corners; Latvia had five shots and one on target.

The evening

Türkiye 0–1 France turned on one pass. Michael Olise set up Mbappé on 54 minutes, and France, with 64 per cent of the ball, held the lead; the two sides had twelve shots each. Türkiye's goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off on 87. Türkiye had not lost to France in the previous two meetings.

Italy 0–2 Belgium was the night's biggest result. Mika Godts scored on 20 from Kevin De Bruyne's pass and Dodi Lukebakio on 69 from Charles De Ketelaere's. Italy had 56 per cent possession and 21 shots to eighteen, but put six on target to Belgium's eight. Italy had not lost to Belgium in the three previous meetings, all in this competition. France and Belgium lead League A, Group 1 on three points; Italy and Türkiye have none, and the two winners meet on Monday.

Hungary 0–1 Ukraine at the Puskás Aréna was settled by Danylo Sikan on 42 minutes from Heorhii Sudakov's pass. Hungary had 57 per cent of the ball and seventeen shots, four on target, and could not find an equaliser; Ukraine's Oleksandr Nazarenko was sent off on 90+2. Ukraine and Northern Ireland lead League B, Group 2.

Poland 0–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw was the round's first draw without a goal. Poland had thirteen shots and four on target, Bosnia nine and one, and the referee showed eight yellow cards, five of them to Bosnia.

Sweden 2–1 Romania was over by the interval. Alexander Isak scored on 20 from Yasin Ayari's pass, Dennis Man equalised on 29 from Andrei Rațiu's, and Viktor Gyökeres scored the winner on 43. Romania managed one shot on target all night and took no corners; Sweden had 60 per cent of the ball. In League B, Group 4, Sweden lead on three points, Poland and Bosnia have one each and Romania none.

Montenegro 2–1 Cyprus went against the run of play first. Marcus Edwards put Cyprus ahead on 55 from Nicholas Tsaroulla's pass; Nikola Krstović equalised from the penalty spot on 66 and then set up Milutin Osmajić for the winner on 86. Montenegro had 64 per cent possession, nineteen shots and eight corners to one.

Numbers to know

• Thirteen goals in eight matches, seven winners and one draw. Three home wins, four away wins.
• Both League A matches were won by the visitors without conceding: France in Izmit, Belgium in Rome.
• The latest goal of the round so far: Charles on 90+9 in Tbilisi, long after Kvaratskhelia's penalty miss on 65.
• Two red cards, both late: Türkiye's goalkeeper Çakır on 87 and Ukraine's Nazarenko on 90+2.
• Three sides had the majority of the ball and lost: Italy on 56 per cent, Hungary on 57 and Georgia on 62.
• Across Thursday and Friday: sixteen matches, thirty-four goals, fourteen winners, two draws.

Next up

Saturday closes matchday 1 with ten matches, from Slovenia v Scotland at 13:00 UTC to England v Spain, the rematch of the Euro 2024 final, and Czechia v Croatia at 18:45. Matchday 2 begins on Sunday; the preview has all 26 matches. The full round is on the Nations League page.