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A very good night for Newcastle United goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Whilst his club career remains up in the air after the PSR double deal that saw him and Elliot Anderson swap clubs this summer, the keeper continues as Greece number one.
Picking up his 43rd senior cap, Odysseas Vlachodimos kept a clean sheet on Saturday night.
Greece kicking off their Nations League group with a dominant 3-0 victory.
Ioannidis scoring in the 23rd and 76th minutes, with an own goal from Finland in between in the 37th minute.
This victory as easy as England’s in Dublin, earlier on Saturday.
Only one round of games played, but it looks all but certain that if there is going to be any threat to England dominating this Nations League group, it will be Greece providing it.
Whilst England host Finland on Tuesday, Greece travel to play the Republic of Ireland.
Greece actually topping League B Group 2 of the Nations League ahead of those games, above England.
On 10 October England host Greece in the third group game but by then it is widely expected Odysseas Vlachodimos will have joined another club on loan. Nick Pope is clear number one at NUFC with Martin Dubravka as number two, then John Ruddy next. Vlachodimos reportedly set to move out to a club in another country where their transfer window is still open, though claims of that being Anderlecht haven’t proved correct, as the transfer window closed on Friday in Belgium.
This is the September 2024 international schedule for Newcastle United players:
Thursday 5 September
Azerbaijan 1 Sweden 3
Alexander Isak on fire in this Nations League match. Scoring the first two goals and then bizarrely denied his hat-trick.
Alexander Isak winning the penalty but instead of the Newcastle United striker taking the spot-kick to finish off a great personal match, it was Gyokeres who took the 80th minute spot-kick to put Sweden 3-0 up. The home side getting a consolation goal late on.
Estonia 0 Slovakia 1
Martin Dubravka getting a morale boosting clean sheet as the Newcastle United number two keeper helped his country to an opening Nations League group win, the winner coming on 70 minutes.
Friday 6 September
France 1 Italy 3
A stunning international comeback for Sandro Tonali.
France taking the lead after only 12 seconds but the Newcastle United midfielder superb, as he and his international teammates came back and blew the home side away in Paris. A very much deserved win for Italy and this Nations League victory set in motion with a stunning equaliser on 30 minutes, a sublime flick by Sandro Tonali followed by an arguably even better volley from Dimarco.
Uruguay 0 Paraguay 0
A great result for Miguel Almiron and his teammates in this World Cup group qualifier against the team that is second top. Paraguay restricting Uruguay to just one effort on target and Miggy playing 82 minutes before becoming one of a number of players subbed off late, as the visitors ran the clock down.
Brazil 1 Equador 0
A massive result for Bruno Guimaraes and his Brazil teammates, after they had lost their last three World Cup group qualifiers.
Ecuador had lost only one of their last five group qualifiers and were a tough nut to crack in a very dour defensive contest. Only five efforts on target between the two teams and Brazil winning thanks to a shot by Rodrygo on 29 minutes that deflected past the visiting keeper and went in off the post.
A good shift from Bruno in his more defensive midfield role than we see for Newcastle United, good to see the Brazil boss looking after him, as Bruno was one of a couple of players taken off after 62 minutes, leaving their teammates to see out this dour victory.
Northern Ireland U21s 0 England U21s 0
A drab game in Ballymena ended goalless, Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall coming on in the 69th minute of this U21 Euros group qualifier.
Turkey U21s 0 Republic of Ireland U21s 1
A really good result for the Republic of Ireland in this U21 Euros group qualifier, winning with an 84th minute goal. Newcastle’s Alex Murphy not in the matchday squad though, for unknown reasons.
Iceland U21s 4 Denmark U21s 2
It only took Will Osula 16 minutes to open the scoring in this U21s Euros group qualifier, however, the home side bouncing back to win 4-2 in the end.
Saturday 7 September
Republic of Ireland 0 England 2
The easiest of wins for England, going 2-0 up inside 26 minutes and then cruising the rest of the match, though still creating a lot of chances that if taken, could/should have heaped further humiliation on the home side.
A really refreshing change though compared to the misery of watching Southgate’s ultra negative football, as England looked to attack from the first whistle.
Nick Pope and Tino Livramento remained on the bench but Anthony Gordon was excellent. The only minor criticism was that he didn’t finish it himself when on 11 minutes his brilliant run in behind was found by Trent Alexander-Arnold. I reckon nine times out of ten he would score that for Newcastle, rather than giving the keeper a chance to save. However, Gordon showed great composure to seize upon the ball when Kelleher saved, he played it across to Harry Kane who didn’t make the most of it, but it fell kindly to Rice to lash home.
Gordon was one of England’s best players alongside Grealish and Rice, with the Arsenal player getting the second goal to wrap the victory up with only 26 minutes on the clock. The Republic of Ireland unable to handle the pace and trickery of Gordon, nor the Man City player.
Greece 3 Finland 0
(Odysseas Vlachodimos) Nations League
Sunday 8 September
Sweden v Estonia (Alexander Isak) Nations League
Slovakia v Azerbaijan (Martin Dubravka) Nations League
Monday 9 September
Israel v Italy (Sandro Tonali) Nations League
England U21s v Austria U21s (Lewis Hall) U21 Euros group qualifier
Tuesday 10 September
England v Finland (Nick Pope, Tino Livramento, Anthony Gordon) Nations League
Republic of Ireland v Greece (Odysseas Vlachodimos) Nations League
Paraguay v Brazil (Bruno Guimaraes, Miguel Almiron) World Cup group qualifier (UK time, kick-off early hours of Wednesday)
Denmark U21s v Czech Republic U21s (Will Osula) U21s Euros group qualifier
Republic of Ireland U21s v Latvia U21s (Alex Murphy) U21 Euros group qualifier

 
