International Action Wrap

Smith Rowe


International Action Wrap


By Angus Wright


Goalkeepers 

Bernd Leno (Germany) 

Leno did not manage to get any minutes in either of Germany’s wins as Manuel Neuer and Marc-Andre ter Stegen were selected ahead of the Arsenal keeper in both their 9-0 win over Liechtenstein and their 4-1 win over Armenia respectively. 


Aaron Ramsdale (England) 

The in-form keeper made his England debut and had a quiet night as England ran riot in a 10-0 win against San Marino. He made one simple save but had little to do in his first England appearance. 


Ramsdale


Defenders 

Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan) 

Tomiyasu had a successful international break, keeping two clean sheets in 1-0 victories over Vietnam and Oman. Japan are now in a good position to qualify for the World Cup, sitting second in their group. 


Kieran Tierney (Scotland) 

Tierney played a pivotal role in both clean sheets as Scotland secured a home-leg playoff spot. His goal-line clearance after Craig Gordon’s penalty save in the 2-0 win over Moldova was vital, whilst he played 87 minutes in the impressive 2-0 victory over Denmark. 


Tierney

Sead Kolasinac (Bosnia-Herzegovina) 

Sead Kolasinac was taken off injured in the 39th minute after a horror tackle that earned Finland’s Jukka Raitala a straight red card. Kolasinac took no part in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s loss against Ukraine on Tuesday due to the ankle injury. 

  

Nuno Tavares (Portugal U21) 

Tavares played the whole 90 minutes away in Cyprus before playing 72 minutes in the 6-0 demolition of the Cyprus U21 team at home. 


Gabriel Magalhāes (Brazil) 

Gabriel was an unused substitute in both the Seleçāo’s 1-0 win over Colombia and their 0-0 draw in Argentina. 


Midfielders 


Mohamed Elneny (Egypt) 

Elneny opened the scoring for Egypt in the 2-2 draw with Angola, as Egypt came back from two goals down. He was an unused substitute in Egypt’s 2-1 win over Gabon. 


Albert Sambi Lokonga (Belgium) 

Sambi Lokonga was stuck on the bench for both of Belgium’s games in the break, as they beat Estonia and drew to Wales. 


Martin Odegaard (Norway) 

Odegaard played the full 90 minutes in both the 0-0 draw against Latvia and the 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands. 


Lucas Torreira (Uruguay) 

The on-loan midfielder played all 90 minutes of Uruguay’s 1-0 loss to Argentina. He then was subbed off in the 68th minute of their disappointing 3-0 loss to 10-man Bolivia. 


Emile Smith Rowe (England) 

Smith Rowe had a successful international break, winning his first cap off the bench in the 5-0 win over Albania and grabbing his first goal and an assist in that 10-0 win over San Marino. 


Forwards 

Bukayo Saka (England) 

Saka did not feature in England’s first match against Albania, but he was central to their 10-0 thrashing of San Marino scoring a goal in the 79th minute. 


Saka


Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast) 

Nicolas Pepe made two substitute appearances for Ivory Coast, coming off the bench in both the 3-0 victory against Mozambique and then the 1-0 loss to Cameroon. 


Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) 

Arsenal’s joint top league goal scorer this year picked up a knock in injury time after scoring from the spot in Gabon’s 1-0 victory over Libya. He missed out on their 2-1 defeat to Egypt on Tuesday. 


Folarin Balogun (England U21) 

Balogun made his first start and scored in England U21’s 3-1 win over the Czech Republic U21s. He was taken off early in their 3-2 defeat to Georgia U21s. 

 











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