Belgium is the new leader of group a2 in the Nations League. Roberto Martinez’s team won on Wednesday evening thanks to two hits from Romelu Lukaku in Iceland, while England simultaneously lost to Denmark at home. The team of national coach Gareth Southgate played with ten men for almost an hour after two silly yellow cards for Harry Maguire. Belgium leads the dance with nine points from four duels; England and Denmark follow with seven points. The duels Belgium – England and Denmark – Iceland are on the program in a month.

England 0-1 Denmark
After the halftime signal had sounded, the faces of the English internationals and Southgate were on a storm. With the already second red card in the last five international matches, England equaled the number of red prints in the 101 previous international matches. Maguire actually got away well in the opening phase when he was not red but yellowed for a charge on Yussuf Poulsen, but after half an hour of play the arbiter had no choice but to draw a second yellow card when Kasper Dolberg was the victim of a clumsy foul of the defender. A few minutes later, Denmark struck. After a duel between Kyle Walker and Thomas Delaney, the latter went to the ground and it was Christian Eriksen who shot the ball from eleven meters behind Jordan Pickford: 0-1.

Denmark was on the field with one man more, but Kasper Hjulmand’s team did not look comfortable and England had some good phases. After more than an hour of play, it was thanks to Kasper Schmeichel that the 1-1 did not appear on the scoreboard. After a corner from Kalvin Phillips, Mason Mount headed on goal, but Schmeichel stood in the way of the equalizing goal. Fifteen minutes before the end, the 0-2 almost fell after a three-against-two situation. After a pass from Eriksen, Pione Sisto shot on target and it was Conor Coady who changed the direction. In the final phase, Simon Kjaer prevented in the goal mouth that a header from Coady still meant the 1-1.

Iceland – Belgium 1-2
Martinez’s team had anything but an easy first half in Reykjavik, but the visitors still went into halftime with a minimal lead. After less than ten minutes of play, Lukaku broke the spell: the attacker received the ball with his back to the goal, was not pushed off the ball and shot hit. Belgium’s advantageous margin stood for less than ten minutes. After a great through ball from Runar Mar Sigurjonsson, Birkir Mar Saevarsson made no mistake face to face with Simon Mignolet and placed the ball in the short corner: 1-1.

In the remainder of the first half, Belgium tried, but the pace was not high enough and in the end the 1-2 came through a striking penalty kick. After a charge by Holmar Örn Eyjolfsson on Lukaku, it was the attacker himself who sent Runar Alex Runarsson in the wrong corner. The second half was nothing to write home about on either side. Although Belgium could hardly convince from an offensive point of view, came the Red Devils barely in trouble against the inoffensive Icelanders.