Spain and France need penalty shootouts to join Germany and Portugal in Nations League semifinals

Defending champion Spain and France needed penalty shootouts on Sunday to reach the Nations League semifinals, where they were joined by Germany and Portugal.

Spain was pegged back three times by the Netherlands in a 3-3 draw after extra time in the second leg for a 5-5 aggregate score. Barcelona midfielder Pedri scored the decisive penalty kick after Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón had saved Donyell Malen’s effort as the shootout finished 5-4.

France won the shootout by the same score against Croatia after leading 2-0 after 90 minutes to level the tie overall and force extra time, which saw no more goals scored. Dayot Upamecano scored the decisive spot kick after goalkeeper Mike Maignan brilliantly saved from Josip Stanisic.

Germany scored three first-half goals against Italy but then held on grimly for a 3-3 draw to win 5-4 on aggregate. Giacomo Raspadori’s penalty deep into second-half stoppage time of the second leg had put Italy within one goal of forcing extra time in Dortmund.

Portugal beat Denmark 5-2 after extra time in Lisbon after losing the first leg 1-0. Francisco Trincão scored twice for Portugal late on, with Cristiano Ronaldo missing an early penalty.

The semifinals begin on June 4 with Germany playing Portugal in Munich, followed on June 5 with France vs. Spain in Stuttgart.

The final is on June 8.

Mbappe’s drought continues

Kylian Mbappé’s seventh game without a goal for France is his longest drought for the national team and he remains stuck on 48 goals.

Michael Olise got France back into the tie when he curled in a 52nd-minute free kick for his first international goal, then set up Ousmane Dembélé 10 minutes from time to make it 2-2 on aggregate.

Mbappé missed a good chance in extra time but held his nerve to score France’s first penalty in the shootout at the Stade de France.

Resilient Dutch push Spanish all the way

Mikel Oyarzabal’s early penalty put Spain ahead in Valencia but Memphis Depay equalized from the spot in the 54th minute.

Oyarzabal grabbed his second goal midway through the second half following a counterattack but defender Ian Maatsen’s left-footed strike sent the game into extra time.

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal put the Spanish ahead again in the 103rd minute with a neat finish, but midfielder Xavi Simons equalized as the Dutch took Spain to penalties.

Germany stylish, then sloppy

Joshua Kimmich netted from the penalty spot after 30 minutes for Germany and Bayern Munich teammate Jamal Musiala added the second goal six minutes later in unusual circumstances.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had just made a fine save from a header. As he was remonstrating with his defense, Kimmich played a short corner to Musiala and he clipped the ball into the net with Donnarumma stranded.

Striker Tim Kleindienst put the Germans 3-0 up and Moise Kean pulled two second-half goals back for Italy before late drama.

Ronaldo’s soft penalty not costly

Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in men’s soccer, but he saw his tame sixth-minute spot-kick saved by Kasper Schmeichel, who guessed the right way and gathered easily.

Portugal took the lead close to halftime when defender Joachim Andersen clumsily headed into his own net from a corner.

Rasmus Kristensen headed in the right way for the equalizer in the 56th, getting his first Denmark goal in the process.

Ronaldo made it international goal No. 136 when he squeezed the ball in from close range but Christian Eriksen equalized for 2-2 moments later when he turned in a cross, only for Trincão to put the game into extra time and then score again.

Goncalo Ramos added the fifth goal.

Denmark won the first leg 1-0.

Maldini

‘s first start

Daniel Maldini started his first match for Italy, 23 years after his father Paolo Maldini’s last game for the national team. Cesare Maldini, Daniel’s grandfather, also played for Italy.

Greece and Turkey cruise, Lukaku saves Belgium

Veteran striker Romelu Lukaku scored two late goals as Belgium beat Ukraine 3-0 to stay in League A after losing the first leg 3-1.

Greece was promoted to League A after overturning a 1-0 deficit with a resounding 3-0 win in Scotland, with 17-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas among the scorers.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty sent Turkey on the way to a 3-0 victory in Hungary and a 6-1 aggregate victory to gain promotion to League A.

Hungary and Scotland dropped down to League B, while Ireland stayed in League B after beating Bulgaria 2-1 for a 4-2 aggregate win.

Elsewhere, Vedat Muriqi’s hat trick in a 3-1 win at Iceland sent Kosovo into Group B with a 5-2 overall victory. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer