UEFA Nation’s League: France held by Croatia; Denmark edge Austria
Andrej Kramaric scored a late penalty as Croatia salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to world champions France on Monday that left both teams still chasing a first win in the Nations League.
Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot fired France ahead on 52 minutes in Split as coach Didier Deschamps selected an inexperienced side without star forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
Croatia equalised seven minutes from time when Andrej Kramaric won and converted a spot-kick.
France and Croatia have just one point apiece in League A, Group 1. France were beaten 2-1 by Denmark in their opening game at home last week, while Croatia crashed to a 3-0 loss to Austria.
Denmark top the section on six points after defeating Austria 2-1 in Vienna in a game that was delayed Monday by an hour and a half because of a power outage.
On a night Luka Modric earned his 150th cap for Croatia, Deschamps handed a number of fringe players the chance to make an impression before the World Cup starts in Qatar in November.
But it was experienced defender Presnel Kimpembe who raced back to block as Ante Budimir hesitated to shoot with teammate Lovro Majer also in position for a tap-in.
Christopher Nkunku, coming off a brilliant season with RB Leipzig, dinked the ball home over Dominik Livakovic but was adjudged offside on the half-hour.
Moussa Diaby was then denied by Livakovic as he burst towards goal down the right, with Aurelien Tchouameni’s long-range drive punched away by the Croatia goalkeeper.
Rabiot broke the deadlock when he was played in by a superb ball from Wissam Ben Yedder, sweeping clinically inside the near post for only his second international goal.
Substitute Antoine Griezmann saw a shot repelled by Livakovic shortly before Croatia were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after it was initially overruled for offside.
Mike Maignan saved at the feet of Luka Sucic, but Jonathan Clauss caught Kramaric from behind, the Hoffenheim striker calmly rolling in from the spot after a lengthy wait to review the incident.
Nikola Vlasic threatened to snatch a first win for Croatia over France in nine attempts, but Maignan got down sharply to turn behind.
Griezmann was then unable to take advantage of a miskick by Josip Juranovic in the closing moments as he dragged wide.
Denmark made it two wins out of two in the Nations League as Jens Stryger curled in a classy late winner to earn his side victory in Austria.
Having secured impressive victories on Matchday 1, both sides looked in confident mood during an opening period scant on chances in Vienna.
That would change when Christoph Baumgartner collected a raking pass from home captain David Alaba and crossed for the unmarked Sasa Kalajdzic in front of goal, the Stuttgart forward going agonisingly close to prodding the opener.
Austria would rue missing that chance when a neat passage of Denmark passing gave Rasmus Kristensen a crossing opportunity from the edge of the penalty area, the ball deflecting into the path of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who swept his side ahead with a ruthless finish.
Yussuf Poulsen would have made it two but for a smart close-range save from debutant Patrick Pentz, and Alaba almost scored directly from a corner, Schmeichel tipping his vicious effort over the crossbar.
Ralf Rangnick made three changes at the break in a successful effort to threaten Denmark more, sending on Marko Arnautović for his 100th cap in a bid to provide more presence inside the penalty area.
The changes paid off when fellow substitute Michael Gregoritsch pounced on uncertain defending and allowed Arnautović to tee up Xaver Schlager, who fired a clinical equaliser.
Denmark almost regained the lead when Christian Eriksen hit a post via Pentz’s fingertips with a spectacular long-range effort, and Arnautović also had a shot denied by the woodwork three minutes later.
There was no such frustration for Jens Stryger, who curled a superb winner beyond Pentz from distance with six minutes remaining to send Denmark three points above their opponents at the top of Group A1
