France beat Croatia on penalties to reach Nations League semifinals

DORTMUND, Germany: Germany survived a spirited second-half fightback from Italy, letting a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 in Dortmund on Sunday, before reaching the Nations League semifinals 5-4 on aggregate.
A first-half Joshua Kimmich masterclass, with a penalty and two assists for Jamal Musiala and Tim Kleindienst, had Germany 3-0 up and cruising at the break.
However, injury-hit Italy kicked into gear in the second half, Moise Kean scoring a double to rattle the hosts.
Italy looked on course to level the scores when they were awarded a penalty with 73 minutes gone, but it was overturned by VAR.
Giacomo Raspadori then converted a stoppage time penalty to give Italy a glimmer of hope.
The result not only secured Germany a first-ever Nations League semifinal spot, but it means the remainder of the tournament will be held on German soil, in Stuttgart and Munich in June.
Despite the second-half scare, the victory continues Germany’s resurgence under Julian Nagelsmann.
Germany’s only loss in their past 17 matches came in extra-time at Euro 2024 against eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals.
Nagelsmann said Germany “learned lessons for our development” from the game, adding “we know how well we can play football — but we have to show it throughout the game.
“I’m going home with an understanding of what we’re capable of, but it’s also nice that we’ve got a bit more to do,” he said.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti admitted his side lacked “maturity” and said “you always learn from games like this.”
“The second half was very good, but we were too afraid to play like that for the whole game.”
Italy traveled to Dortmund, the site of their 2006 World Cup semifinal win over the same opponents, with a mountain to climb.
After letting a one-goal lead slip to lose in Milan in the first leg, Italy saw defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Andrea Cambiaso added to an injury list which already included striker Mateo Retegui and left-back Federico Dimarco.
Spalletti spoke pre-match of needing to do “something impossible” and his side were up against it from the get-go as Germany burst out of the blocks.
With Musiala on top form and Nico Schlotterback sending in penetrating passes from the deep, Germany’s breakthrough came from the spot.
Alessandro Buongiorno brought down a surging Kleindienst in the box and Kimmich converted, just the fourth penalty for either club or country in the 30-year-old’s career.
After an acrobatic save to keep out a Kleindienst header by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the quick-thinking Kimmich played the ball fast from the ensuing corner.
The move caught the Italians napping, with Musiala tapping in from close range as the Italian goalkeeper was still remonstrating with the referee.
In the final minute of the half, Donnarumma palmed away a Kleindienst header, but this time could not keep it out, with the home crowd erupting as the referee pointed to his watch to show the ball had crossed the line.
Germany dropped in intensity in the second half and the Italians pounced, Kean latching onto a loose ball and blasting home after 49 minutes.
Spalletti brought on Raspadori and the Napoli man had an immediate impact, threading a pass for Kean to curl a ball past Oliver Baumann’s outstretched arm with 68 minutes played.
The stunned Germans were shocked further five minutes later when they conceded a penalty, but the spot kick was overturned by VAR.
The Italians did eventually get a spot kick in stoppage time, with Raspadori converting, but it was too late as Germany held on to progress on aggregate.

RIYADH: Saudi players Abdullah Adel Al-Butti and Yazid Ali Al-Uthman of Team YO3 made history on Sunday by winning Saudi Arabia’s first-ever Red Bull Padel Dash tournament. 

Their victory secured them a place at the world finals in Madrid later this year, where they will represent the Kingdom on the global stage.

The competition began on March 3, with three teams advancing from both the Jeddah and Riyadh qualifiers, and two from Dammam. The result was a thrilling showdown in the capital.

The unique format of Red Bull Padel Dash saw teams competing simultaneously across four adjacent courts, with just seven minutes to reach ten points.

The first team to hit the target had to sprint out and press the red buzzer, instantly stopping all other matches and securing a “Special Win.”

Now, with their focus set on Madrid, Al-Butti and Al-Uthman are preparing to elevate their game as they take on the world’s best at the Red Bull Padel Dash World Finals.