2021 UEFA Nations League (semifnals)

Okay, I'll be honest: I have no idea what the Nations League tournament is, but this is a brilliant final four, so I'll take it.  This is an in-between World Cups filler event, I suppose? Doesn't really seem necessary as all the continents have tourneys in the interval, but whatever, more top level soccer is fine with me. Two great games, looking forward to two more.

Italy 1-2 Spain

Both teams started off this match in full-on defensive mode, felt like not much was gonna happen. But that dissipated pretty quick when a beautiful cross (breathtaking! Kelly to Reed, Aikman to Irvin, Brady to Moss kinda shit!) found the goal and it was on. Spain connected once more in a lovely series of passes that ended with a killer header back across the goal right before halftime. I thought Italy kinda dominated after halftime but they were only able to cut the lead in half (on a killer breakaway). Hey, man, great game, glad I stumbled on to this. 

Belgium 2-3 France

Unlike the first game, this one was wide open chaos from the get-go. Belgium found the goal first when the keeper got caught leaning the wrong way (like a baserunner getting picked off of first). Belgium connected again right before halftime on a nifty move by Lukaku to get himself open at the goal. (One could argue that the keeper probably should've saved both goals but I'd say the first one caught him off guard and the second one had some serious power on it at point blank range, neither of them were as easy as they may have looked sitting on your couch at home) Mbappe came alive in the 2nd half and found Benzema in the box, who had a perfect off-balance lefty touch in traffic, to get on the board. Then Mbappe scored the PK that tied it up (gotta say: didn't look like foul to me at first but the replay was clear that it was the right call). Lukaku had a goal waived off for off-side late (brilliant finish but he had a step on the defender, didn't he?), then Pogba doinked one off the crossbar soon after, then after all that France found the goal with a nice run up the right side leading to a cross to the other side of the field, which caught the defense all out of shape and that led to the game winner. Started crazy, ended c

crazy, good stuff in between. Another fun game.