Portugal thump Croatia as France win over Sweden

PORTO, Sept 06 (Reuters): Nations League holders Portugal made light of Cristiano Ronaldo's injury absence as they swept aside Croatia 4-1 in their opener in the competition on Saturday.

European champions Portugal, in impressive form on their return to action after a 10-month new coronavirus hiatus, hit the woodwork three times before Joao Cancelo fired them ahead four minutes before halftime in the League A Group Three match.

Diogo Jota and Joao Felix both scored their first international goals in the second half before Bruno Petkovic pulled one back and Andre Silva then added a fourth.

Ronaldo, who is on 99 international goals, was ruled out with a toe infection while Croatia were missing key midfielders Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic after their federation agreed not to pick them before the start of the European club season.

Meanwhile, a slice of luck and a moment of individual brilliance from Kylian Mbappe gave France a gritty 1-0 win away to Sweden in their Nations League A Group 3 clash on Saturday.

Promoted to the competition's top tier following their group victory last year, the Swedes frustrated the world champions for the opening 40 minutes until Mbappe proved to be the difference.

The 21-year-old striker got a fortunate bounce off a defender's legs as he danced through the right side of the Swedish defence before beating goalkeeper Robin Olsen from a very tight angle at his near post.

With the clock ticking up towards 90 minutes, Sweden winger Emil Forsberg forced a fine save from Hugo Lloris and Marcus Berg thumped a shot that was deflected wide for a corner that the Swedes could not capitalise on as France held firm.

In another match, Belgium enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win away to Denmark thanks to a goal in each half from Jason Denayer and Dries Mertens in their Nations League A Group 2 clash on Saturday.

Kasper Hjulmand's reign as Denmark coach got off to a bad start when Jason Denayer put the visitor ahead in the ninth minute after losing his marker to score from close range off Dries Mertens' corner.

The home side pressed high up the pitch and captain Simon Kjaer did a good job of shackling Belgium's target man Romelu Lukaku but, despite decent chances for Martin Braithwaite and Christian Eriksen, it struggled to get many shots on target.

Meanwhile, England's Raheem Sterling converted a 90th-minute penalty to snatch a 1-0 win away to Iceland in their opening Nations League match on Saturday after the home side themselves missed a spot-kick in stoppage time that would have salvaged a draw.

Sterling got the decisive goal from the spot, after a disappointingly drab game when Sverrir Ingi Ingason was harshly ruled to have handled the England striker's shot. Ingason, who had thrown his body at the close-range strike, was also sent off for the handball, leaving both teams reduced to 10 men after England full-back Kyle Walker picked up a second yellow card in the 70th minute.