News

Loan watch: Tavares makes Portugal debut

Nuno Tavares Lazio loan

Nuno Tavares made his international debut for Portugal in a 5-1 victory over Poland in the UEFA Nations League.

The full-back, who is having a fine campaign for Lazio in Italy, came on in the 88th minute during the resounding win in Porto. Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto and a double from Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a dominant win for Portugal.

They now face Croatia in their final game of the group stage tonight having already secured top spot in League A, Group 1 and a place in the Nations League quarter-finals in the process.

Elsewhere in the Nations League, Sambi Lokonga was a second-half substitute in Belgium’s narrow 1-0 loss to Israel, winning his first cap in over three years. Sambi, on loan at Sevilla for the season, came on in the 67th minute for Arthur Vermeeren to make his second appearance for the senior side, but couldn’t prevent the Red Devils from slipping to defeat as Yarden Shua bagged an 86th-minute winner. 

The midfielder was an unused substitute in Belgium’s 1-0 defeat at home to Italy last week, and those results meant Belgium finished in third place in Group 2, behind France and Italy.

Fresh from being an ever-present for Real Valladolid, Karl Hein kept an impressive clean sheet in Estonia’s 0-0 draw against Azerbaijan. The goalkeeper helped withstand prolonged pressure from the hosts as Estonia picked up a crucial point in their bid for League C survival.

Hein and Estonia face Slovakia on Tuesday in their final group match of the 2024/25 Nations League, knowing a point will guarantee third place and avoid automatic relegation to League D.

In the Women’s Super League, Michelle Agyemang came on in the second half to help Brighton defeat West Ham United 3-2 in a thriller at the Amex Stadium. The forward replaced Madison Haley as a late goal from Fran Kirby helped the Seagulls pick up all three points and move into third place in the Women’s Super League table.

Teyah Goldie played the full 90 minutes for London City Lionesses but couldn’t help her loan side from slipping to a third defeat of the season against Durham.

Isobel Goodwin bagged a double for the Lionesses but goals from Carly Johns, Millie Lambert and Beth Hepple sealed a 3-2 win, leaving Goldie’s side in fourth place in the Women’s Championship.