Nelson Semedo was in from the start on Monday night as Portugal romped to a 9-0 victory over Luxembourg to continue their 100 per cent record in Euro 2024 qualification.
Having come off the bench in Friday’s narrow win over Slovakia, the defender played over an hour of his country’s hammering of the European minnows three days later.
Semedo was one of seven Wolves players whose countries were in action over Sunday and Monday, and wolves.co.uk rounds up the action, as well as looking ahead to today’s international fixtures which could feature the Old Gold.
Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Toti, Pedro Neto | Portugal 9-0 Luxembourg
Semedo was the only Wolves player to feature last night against Luxembourg, which means the wait goes on for both Jose Sa and Toti to make their senior international bow. The pair were unused substitutes in both of Portugal’s matches this period, as they have been in the past, although the fourth member of the Old Gold Portuguese quartet this break, Pedro Neto, did get minutes under his belt last time out against Slovakia. But on Monday, it was only the right-back who put on the red and green of his country, playing the opening 61 minutes of a contest which was over by half-time. Two goals a piece for Goncalo Inacio and Goncalo Ramos meant the game was put to bed going into the break. Former Wolves forward Diogo Jota found the net before Semedo made way for Joao Cancelo just after the hour mark. Portugal added another three goals inside 90 minutes to ensure they go into October’s international break top of qualification Group J with six wins from six and a goal difference of plus-24!
Matt Doherty | Republic of Ireland 1-2 Netherlands
Semedo’s fellow right-back, Matt Doherty, was back in the Republic of Ireland’s side after serving the second game of his two-game suspension in last week’s loss to France, but he was unable to help the Boys in Green to a much-needed three points in Euro 2024 qualifying as they lost out to the Netherlands in Dublin on Sunday night. Adam Idah had given Ireland the perfect start as he netted from the penalty spot on four minutes following a Virgil van Dijk handball, but when Gavin Bazunu tripped Denzel Dumfries in the box, Cody Gakpo levelled the game. Ireland tried to get back ahead, but Wout Weghorst’s goal for the Dutch secured the points for the visitors. Doherty would last 87 minutes of the contest, before being replaced late on by Festy Ebosele, and the defeat leaves Ireland with an almost impossible task to reach Euro 2024, having earned just three points from their opening five qualifying matches.
Hugo Bueno | Spain U21 1-0 Scotland U21
There was a debut for one Wolves player this international period as Hugo Bueno made his Spain under-21 bow in their Euro 2025 qualifying victory over Scotland on Monday night. With just one international cap to his name before yesterday – for Spain’s under-18s back in February 2020 while he was playing for Wolves’ youth side – the academy graduate doubled his tally as he played the whole 90 minutes for Spain at left-back. Having got their qualification campaign off to a great start with a 6-0 hammering of Malta last week, it was a much tighter contest against the Scots. Despite Bueno putting dangerous crosses into the box, his side had to wait until the 83rd minute to find their way to goal, as Benat Turrientes headed home late on. Spain top U21 qualification Group B and Bueno will be hoping to add to his caps next month when the under-21s face Kazakhstan before taking on Hungary and Belgium in November.
🎥 | RESUMEN | La @SEFutbol sub-21 se impone a Escocia en un Estadio de La Victoria lleno a rebosar.
— Selección Española de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) September 12, 2023
⚽ 🇪🇸 1-0
ℹ Fase de clasificación para el Europeo de 2025.#U21EURO pic.twitter.com/tW1wrd8Ts6
Elsewhere…
Another Wolves player still waiting for their senior debut for their country is Tom King, and the goalkeeper was once again an unused substitute as Wales took on Latvia in Euro 2024 qualifying. Goals from Aaron Ramsey and David Brooks made the evening a much more difficult one for the Welsh then they’d have liked, but the result leaves King’s side in fourth place in Group D, but just three points behind leaders Croatia and second-placed Turkey who are separated by goal difference.
Coming up…
Five members of Gary O’Neil’s Wolves squad could be in action over the next 24 hours with Fabio Silva hoping to add to the goal and assist he earned for Portugal under-21s against Andorra last time out when his team take on Belarus in an U21 Euros qualifier from 2pm today.
Hee Chan Hwang and South Korea face Saudi Arabia at Newcastle’s St James’ Park in a friendly at 5.30pm before Rayan Ait-Nouri’s Algeria go head-to-head with Senegal in a friendly fixture from 8pm.
Santi Bueno and Matheus Cunha could represent their countries in CONMEBOL’s 2026 World Cup qualification later tonight as the South Americans are in Uruguay and Brazil’s squad respectively. Bueno and Uruguay are taking on Ecuador from 10pm while Cunha’s Brazil face Peru at 3am.
