{"id":21992,"date":"2026-09-27T11:56:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T11:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=21992"},"modified":"2026-09-27T11:56:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T11:56:51","slug":"uefa-nations-league-a-round-2-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/uefa-nations-league-a-round-2-preview","title":{"rendered":"UEFA Nations League A Round 2 Preview: Form, Lineups &amp; Scores"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Matchday 1 shuffled every League A table. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/norway-2376\">Norway<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/portugal-5028\">Portugal<\/a> both opened with wins in Group 4, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/greece-5030\">Greece<\/a> sit alone atop Group 2 after beating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/serbia-2374\">Serbia<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/spain-5050\">Spain<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/croatia-5055\">Croatia<\/a> took care of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/england-5054\">England<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/czech-republic-5040\">Czechia<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/belgium-2373\">Belgium<\/a> plus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/team\/france-5061\">France<\/a> already own Group 1. Round 2 is where those early three-point cushions get stress-tested: eight fixtures across three days, with fitness lists that matter as much as the standings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#league-a-tables-after-matchday-1\">League A tables after Matchday 1<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#round-2-match-previews\">Round 2 match previews<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#denmark-vs-wales\">Denmark vs Wales<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#serbia-vs-netherlands\">Serbia vs Netherlands<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#norway-vs-portugal\">Norway vs Portugal<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#germany-vs-greece\">Germany vs Greece<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#belgium-vs-france\">Belgium vs France<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#turkiye-vs-italy\">T\u00fcrkiye vs Italy<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#spain-vs-croatia\">Spain vs Croatia<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#czechia-vs-england\">Czechia vs England<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-round-2-decides\">What Round 2 decides<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><ul><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"league-a-tables-after-matchday-1\">League A tables after Matchday 1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5047-1024x689.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22004\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5047-1024x689.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5047-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5047-768x517.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5047.jpg 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group 1 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\">Via 365scores<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5048-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5048-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5048-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5048-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5048.jpg 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group 2 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\">Via 365scores<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5049-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5049-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5049-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5049-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5049.jpg 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group 3 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\">Via 365scores<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5050-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22001\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5050-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5050-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5050-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_5050.jpg 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group 4 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\">Via 365scores<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"round-2-match-previews\">Round 2 match previews<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"denmark-vs-wales\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/denmark-wales-5027-5043-7016#id=4672376\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/denmark-wales-5027-5043-7016#id=4672376\">Denmark vs Wales<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>27 September \u00b7 Parken<\/strong>, <strong>Denemark<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Denmark arrive needing a response after a 3-2 loss in Oslo, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/erling-haaland-65760\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/erling-haaland-65760\">Erling Haaland\u2019s<\/a> Norway punched first blood in Group 4. The injury sheet is heavy: Andreas Christensen (thigh), Alexander Bah (shoulder), Kasper Dolberg (knee), and Albert Gr\u00f8nbaek (thigh) are all out, so Brian Riemer\u2019s side lean on a double pivot of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Morten Hjulmand behind Rasmus H\u00f8jlund. Over their last five, Denmark average 2.2 goals scored and 2.09 expected goals, numbers that still scream home control even after the Norway hangover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wales lost 1-0 in Lisbon and sit level on zero points with Denmark. Craig Bellamy\u2019s group is intact relative to Denmark\u2019s absences, with Ethan Ampadu anchoring a compact 4-4-2 and Brennan Johnson plus Daniel James asked to stretch Parken in transition. The professional pattern between these sides is Nordic structure against Welsh verticality: Denmark want territorial midfield control; Wales want early balls into the channels and set-piece chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Denmark (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Hermansen; Maehle, Andersen, Provstgaard, Kristensen; Hojbjerg, Hjulmand; Damsgaard, Froholdt, Dorgu; H\u00f8jlund<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wales (4-4-2):<\/strong> Ward; Dasilva, Davies, Cabango, N. Williams; Johnson, Sheehan, Ampadu, D. James; J. James, Koumas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Denmark 2-1 Wales<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Denmark\u2019s 2.09 xG across the last five dwarfs Wales\u2019 1.5 in the same window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296970007.jpg\" alt=\"Denmark scoring against Norway, UEFA Nations League (Photo by Marius Nordnes \/ Nordnes Foto\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-22006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296970007.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296970007-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296970007-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Marius Nordnes \/ Nordnes Foto\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"serbia-vs-netherlands\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/netherlands-serbia-2374-2377-7016#id=4672377\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/netherlands-serbia-2374-2377-7016#id=4672377\">Serbia vs Netherlands<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>27 September \u00b7 Stadion Rajko Miti\u0107<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Serbia\u2019s home opener ended in a 1-2 defeat to Greece, and the attacking picture worsens without Du\u0161an Vlahovi\u0107 (calf). Luka Jovi\u0107 and Mihajlo Cvetkovi\u0107 lead the line in a 4-4-2, with Sergej Milinkovi\u0107-Savi\u0107 and Du\u0161an Tadi\u0107 still the creative spine. Serbia\u2019s last-five scoring rate (1.2 goals) sits well below the Oranje\u2019s 2.4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Netherlands shared the points with Germany (1-1) in Amsterdam and travel with Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and a midfield of Reijnders, Timber, and Gravenberch. Brian Brobbey and Donyell Malen are missing, so the front three reshuffles around Gakpo, Noa Lang, and Crysencio Summerville. Historically this fixture tilts toward Dutch technical control against Serbian physical duels in midfield; Belgrade\u2019s crowd is the equalizer Serbia will bank on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Serbia (4-4-2):<\/strong> V. Milinkovi\u0107-Savi\u0107; Kosti\u0107, Pavlovi\u0107, Erakovi\u0107, Simi\u0107; Cvetkovi\u0107, Maksimovi\u0107, S. Milinkovi\u0107-Savi\u0107, \u017divkovi\u0107; Jovi\u0107, Tadi\u0107<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Netherlands (4-3-3):<\/strong> Verbruggen; van de Ven, van Dijk, van Hecke, Dumfries; Reijnders, Timber, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Lang, Summerville<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Serbia 1-2 Netherlands<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Netherlands have scored in every one of their last five (BTTS 100%) while averaging 2.4 goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296306696.jpg\" alt=\"Netherlands celebrating equalizer against Germany in the first match of the UEFA Nations League (Photo by Joris Verwijst\/Soccrates\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-22007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296306696.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296306696-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296306696-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Joris Verwijst\/Soccrates\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"norway-vs-portugal\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/norway-portugal-2376-5028-7016#id=4672373\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/norway-portugal-2376-5028-7016#id=4672373\">Norway vs Portugal<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>27 September \u00b7 Ullev\u00e5l<\/strong>, <strong>Norway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Group 4 summit meeting. Norway beat Denmark 3-2 at home; Portugal edged Wales 1-0 in Lisbon. Both sit on three points and a +1 goal difference. Erling Haaland (form rating 9.0 in the probable XI) and Martin \u00d8degaard give Norway a club-level spine few nations can match, with Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb flanking the Manchester City striker. Norway\u2019s last five show goals in every game (BTTS 100%) even if their xG (1.28) lags Portugal\u2019s 1.64.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Portugal are without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/bruno-fernandes-6262\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/player\/bruno-fernandes-6262\">Bruno Fernandes<\/a> (physical discomfort, short-term), so Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, and Jo\u00e3o F\u00e9lix carry more creation beside Cristiano Ronaldo. Ruben Dias and Nuno Mendes keep the defensive floor high. The matchup is pure contrast: Norway\u2019s direct threat through Haaland versus Portugal\u2019s positional patience and wide overloads. Whoever blinks first on transition defense likely drops their first points of the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Norway (4-3-3):<\/strong> Nyland; Aursnes, Heggem, Ajer, Ryerson; Berg, Berge, \u00d8degaard; Nusa, Haaland, Bobb<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Portugal (4-1-3-2):<\/strong> Diogo Costa; Nuno Mendes, R\u00faben Dias, Renato Veiga, Cancelo; Neves; Neto, Vitinha, Bernardo; F\u00e9lix, Ronaldo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Norway 2-2 Portugal<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Norway have seen both teams score in 100% of their last five; Portugal only 20%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296295126.jpg\" alt=\"Portugal celebrating the winner against Wales, UEFA Nations League (Photo by Luis Loureiro\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-22010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296295126.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296295126-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296295126-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Luis Loureiro\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"germany-vs-greece\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/germany-greece-2372-5030-7016#id=4672374\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/germany-greece-2372-5030-7016#id=4672374\">Germany vs Greece<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>27 September \u00b7 WWK Arena<\/strong>, <strong>Germany<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Germany drew 1-1 with the Netherlands and host at Augsburg\u2019s WWK Arena rather than a traditional fortress. The absences bite: Jamal Musiala (thigh), Kai Havertz (knee, doubtful), and Brajan Gruda (muscle) are unavailable, so J\u00fcrgen Klopp\u2019s probable 4-2-3-1 runs through Joshua Kimmich and Felix Nmecha with Kevin Schade and Karim Adeyemi as the wide outlets. Germany still average 2.4 goals across the last five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greece sit top of Group 2 after a 2-1 win in Belgrade. Vangelis Pavlidis and Christos Tzolis give Ivan Jovanovi\u0107 real counterpunch, and a 1.78 xG clip over five games actually edges Germany\u2019s 1.72. The professional storyline is hierarchy versus momentum: Germany\u2019s depth and home platform against a Greek side that has already shown it can punish League A mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Germany (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> N\u00fcbel; Brown, Bisseck, Tah, Treu; Nmecha, Kimmich; Schade, Amiri, Adeyemi; Ebnoutalib<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Greece (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Tzolakis; Tsimikas, Retsos, Ndoj, Vagiannidis; Kourbelis, Zafeiris; Kostoulas, Tzolis, Karetsas; Pavlidis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Germany 2-1 Greece<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Germany average 2.4 goals in their last five despite the star absences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296352110.jpg\" alt=\"Germany national team, UEFA Nations League (Photo by Rene Nijhuis\/MB Media\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-22012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296352110.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296352110-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296352110-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Rene Nijhuis\/MB Media\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"belgium-vs-france\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/belgium-france-2373-5061-7016#id=4672369\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/belgium-france-2373-5061-7016#id=4672369\">Belgium vs France<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>28 September \u00b7 Stade Roi Baudouin<\/strong>, <strong>Belgium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Group 1\u2019s early heavyweight bout. Belgium dismantled Italy 2-0 in Rome; France ground out a 1-0 win in T\u00fcrkiye. Both are on three points, with Belgium holding the goal-difference edge (+2 vs +1). Kevin De Bruyne remains the tactical hub in a 4-2-3-1, though Leandro Trossard is missing with a heel issue. Belgium\u2019s last-five scoring (2.8 goals) is the loudest attack rate on this Round 2 slate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>France travel without Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 (knee), Ibrahima Konat\u00e9 (ligament), and Warren Za\u00efre-Emery (thigh). Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 leads the line with Michael Olise and D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Dou\u00e9 either side, and Mike Maignan plus Dayot Upamecano keep the defensive spine elite. This rivalry has long been about Belgian creativity meeting French athletic structure; without Mbapp\u00e9, France lean even harder on positional control and the Maignan-to-breakout chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Belgium (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Lammens; De Cuyper, Mechele, Ngoy, Castagne; Raskin, Tielemans; Godts, De Bruyne, Moreira; De Ketelaere<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>France (4-3-3):<\/strong> Maignan; Truffert, Lacroix, Upamecano, Kound\u00e9; Rabiot, Kon\u00e9, Cherki; Dou\u00e9, Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, Olise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Belgium 1-1 France<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Belgium average 2.8 goals across their last five, the highest clip among these eight ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"687\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2279536340.jpg\" alt=\"France national team in training (Photo by FRANCK FIFE \/ AFP via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-22013\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2279536340.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2279536340-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2279536340-768x515.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by FRANCK FIFE \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"turkiye-vs-italy\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/italy-turkiye-2375-5047-7016#id=4672368\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/italy-turkiye-2375-5047-7016#id=4672368\">T\u00fcrkiye vs Italy<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>28 September \u00b7 Matli Stadyumu Atat\u00fcrk Spor Kompleksi<\/strong>, <strong>T\u00fcrkiye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both openers ended in blank scoresheets for the hosts\u2019 rivals: T\u00fcrkiye fell 0-1 to France at home, Italy lost 0-2 to Belgium. Zero points each, and a must-not-lose energy already. Vincenzo Montella\u2019s probable 3-4-2-1 features Arda G\u00fcler and Can Uzun behind Bar\u0131\u015f Y\u0131lmaz, with Ferdi Kad\u0131o\u011flu\u2019s carrying threat from left back. Orkun K\u00f6k\u00e7\u00fc is missing (finger); keeper Muhammed Sengezer is doubtful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Italy, under Roberto Mancini, project a 4-3-3 with Sandro Tonali and Nicol\u00f2 Barella in midfield and Moise Kean plus Pio Esposito up top. Federico Dimarco (knee) and Bryan Cristante (back) are out; Nicol\u00f2 Zaniolo is doubtful. Recent underlying numbers are nearly identical (xG 1.46 vs 1.47), and both sides have been low-event lately (T\u00fcrkiye 0.8 goals per game in the last five, Italy 1.2). Expect a cagey, territorial fight between Turkish home intensity and Italian midfield sequencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>T\u00fcrkiye (3-4-2-1):<\/strong> Bay\u0131nd\u0131r; Bardakc\u0131, Demiral, \u00c7elik; Kad\u0131o\u011flu, Y\u00fcksek, \u00d6zcan, Ayd\u0131n; Uzun, G\u00fcler; Y\u0131lmaz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Italy (4-3-3):<\/strong> Donnarumma; Calafiori, Coppola, Mancini, Di Lorenzo; Romano, Tonali, Barella; Cambiaghi, Esposito, Kean<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye 1-1 Italy<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Expected goals are essentially level (T\u00fcrkiye 1.46, Italy 1.47) across the last five.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296559259.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296559259.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296559259-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296559259-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">( Photo by Tomas Sisk \/ Photonews via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"spain-vs-croatia\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/croatia-spain-5050-5055-7016#id=4672358\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/croatia-spain-5050-5055-7016#id=4672358\">Spain vs Croatia<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>29 September \u00b7 Estadio Ram\u00f3n S\u00e1nchez Pizju\u00e1n<\/strong>, <strong>Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spain survived a 3-2 thriller against England; Croatia won 2-1 in Prague. Both lead Group 3 on three points. Luis de la Fuente\u2019s side still look like the competition\u2019s technical ceiling: Rodri and Fabi\u00e1n Ruiz in midfield, Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo in the half-spaces, Ferran Torres through the middle. Pedro Porro is missing and Eric Garc\u00eda is doubtful, so Marc Pubill and Pau Cubars\u00ed help cover the back line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Croatia bring Luka Modri\u0107 and Mateo Kova\u010di\u0107 for control, Jo\u0161ko Gvardiol for progressive defending, and a mixed front of Franjo Ivanovi\u0107 and Igor Matanovi\u0107. Martin Baturina and Josip Juranovi\u0107 are out through illness. The professional matchup is familiar: Spain\u2019s positional dominance versus Croatia\u2019s ability to slow games, steal rest-defense moments, and punish transitions. Spain\u2019s 1.92 xG over five games towers over Croatia\u2019s 1.15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Spain (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Unai Sim\u00f3n; Cucurella, Laporte, Cubars\u00ed, Pubill; Fabi\u00e1n, Rodri; Baena, Olmo, Yamal; Ferran<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Croatia (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Livakovi\u0107; Peri\u0161i\u0107, Gvardiol, Vu\u0161kovi\u0107, Stani\u0161i\u0107; Kova\u010di\u0107, Modri\u0107; Ivanovi\u0107, P. Su\u010di\u0107, L. Su\u010di\u0107; Matanovi\u0107<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Spain 2-1 Croatia<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> Spain have won 80% of their last five; their 1.92 xG nearly doubles Croatia\u2019s 1.15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296742387.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296742387.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296742387-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2296742387-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Michal Cizek \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"czechia-vs-england\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/czech-republic-england-5040-5054-7016#id=4672359\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/match\/uefa-nations-league-7016\/czech-republic-england-5040-5054-7016#id=4672359\">Czechia vs England<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>29 September \u00b7 Fortuna Arena<\/strong>, <strong>Czechia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Czechia lost 1-2 at home to Croatia; England fell 2-3 to Spain in a chaotic opener. Both sit on zero points, and England\u2019s response away in Prague becomes an early statement under Thomas Tuchel. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka headline a 4-2-3-1 that still averages 2.6 goals across the last five despite the Spain defeat. Czechia\u2019s same window shows 0.8 goals scored, 0.79 xG, and a 0% win rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Santi Denia\u2019s Czech side lean on Adam Hlo\u017eek up top with Pavel \u0160ulc and Adam Karabec in the pockets, while David Zima is missing from defense. The historical texture of this fixture is English tempo and individual quality against Czech organization and home stubbornness. On current underlying numbers, England\u2019s ceiling is simply higher, but Fortuna Arena rewards teams that stay compact for 70 minutes and hunt a set piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Probable lineups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Czechia (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Horn\u00ed\u010dek; Sl\u00e1ma, Chaloupek, Hran\u00e1\u010d, Coufal; Sad\u00edlek, \u010cerv; Ambro\u0161, \u0160ulc, Karabec; Hlo\u017eek<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>England (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Trafford; O\u2019Reilly, Gu\u00e9hi, Konsa, Quansah; Anderson, Scott; Gordon, Bellingham, Saka; Kane<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Projected score:<\/strong> Czechia 0-2 England<br><strong>The Stat:<\/strong> England average 2.6 goals in their last five; Czechia have won none of theirs (0%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"748\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297292948.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22016\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297292948.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297292948-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2297292948-768x561.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Mike Hewitt\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-round-2-decides\">What Round 2 decides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Three threads define the window:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Group 4\u2019s early summit.<\/strong> Norway-Portugal is the only Round 2 meeting of two Matchday 1 winners in the same group. A draw keeps the race wide open; a winner grabs sole control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Group 1 pressure on the losers.<\/strong> T\u00fcrkiye and Italy cannot afford another blank if Belgium and France take points off each other in Brussels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fitness as tactics.<\/strong> Mbapp\u00e9, Musiala, Vlahovi\u0107, Bruno Fernandes, and Christensen missing changes shapes as much as scoresheets. Several projected XIs are already Plan B elevens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>League A Round 2 will not crown anyone. It will separate the sides that can absorb Matchday 1 noise from the ones still chasing their first rhythm of the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when-is-uefa-nations-league-league-a-round-2\">When is UEFA Nations League League A Round 2?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>League A Round 2 runs across 27-29 September 2026, with four fixtures on the 27th, two on the 28th, and two on the 29th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-uefa-nations-league-league-a-games-are-this-round\">Which UEFA Nations League League A games are this round?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Denmark vs Wales, Serbia vs Netherlands, Norway vs Portugal, Germany vs Greece, Belgium vs France, T\u00fcrkiye vs Italy, Spain vs Croatia, and Czechia vs England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-is-top-of-uefa-nations-league-league-a-after-matchday-1\">Who is top of UEFA Nations League League A after Matchday 1?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Group leaders are Belgium and France (Group 1), Greece (Group 2), Spain and Croatia (Group 3), and Norway and Portugal (Group 4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-does-uefa-nations-league-league-a-qualification-work\">How does UEFA Nations League League A qualification work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Group winners advance toward the Nations League Finals path, while bottom sides face relegation playoff or drop pressure depending on the edition\u2019s exact format. After one matchday, every League A group is still wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-is-kylian-mbappe-missing-for-france\">Why is Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 missing for France?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mbapp\u00e9 is listed as missing with a knee injury and an unknown expected return, so France\u2019s probable attack is built around Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, Olise, and Dou\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"which-league-a-round-2-match-looks-the-most-evenly-matched\">Which League A Round 2 match looks the most evenly matched?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Norway vs Portugal and Belgium vs France are the clearest even games on paper: both pairs won Matchday 1 and enter level (or nearly level) on points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Matchday 1 shuffled every League A table. Norway and Portugal both opened with wins in Group 4, Greece sit alone atop Group 2 after beating Serbia, Spain and Croatia took care of England and Czechia, and Belgium plus France already own Group 1. Round 2 is where those early three-point cushions get stress-tested: eight fixtures &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":21993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"365scores preview for round 2 of the UEFA Nations League, including predicted lineups, projected scores and an overall review of round 1.","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"UEFA Nations League","rank_math_facebook_image":"","rank_math_robots":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5346,9],"tags":[2817,3571,2816,3563,3572,591],"content-tags":[],"article_type":[3332],"entity_type":[3334],"inspiration":[3340],"class_list":["post-21992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uefa-nations-league","category-soccer","tag-england-football","tag-france-football","tag-germany-football","tag-portugal-football","tag-spain-football","tag-uefa-nations-league","article_type-seo","entity_type-competition","inspiration-relevancy-trending"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21992"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22024,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21992\/revisions\/22024"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21992"},{"taxonomy":"content-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-tags?post=21992"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=21992"},{"taxonomy":"entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity_type?post=21992"},{"taxonomy":"inspiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/inspiration?post=21992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}