Top 10 Performances from Around the World for Weekend of Nov. 12-16
European Championships qualifiers, friendly fixtures and more—the latest and last international break of 2014 has brought us the usual clutch of big names and scorelines, with vital points at stake for Euro 2016 in particular.
We've taken a look at all the best performances and results over the long international weekend and rounded up the very best for you with our usual top 10 performances.
Domestic games have been going on in some nations, but our focus is fully on the national team scene this time.
10. Croatia and San Marino
1 of 10
Croatia put in an excellent performance in Milan against Italy and really should have taken all three points, instead drawing 1-1 but certainly showing they have the capacity to top the group.
Both they and Italy are unbeaten with 10 points from four games, but Croatia were comfortably the better side and will have given Antonio Conte and lot of points to dwell on over the coming months ahead of the next international break.
Jointly with Croatia, we applaud San Marino for finally avoiding defeat: They drew 0-0 with Estonia to end a 61-game losing streak, picking up a first-ever point in European Championship qualifying, per BBC Sport.
9. Wales
2 of 10
Another draw to go on with now: Wales remain near the top of Group B and unbeaten after four fixtures, thanks to a hard-fought 0-0 draw away to Belgium, ranked the fourth-best side in the world.
The defensive display was well organised, committed and with a clear goal in mind, to stay above the Belgians in the group. It also allowed for counter-attacking at pace with the likes of Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu and almost brought a victory instead of a draw.
Eight points from four games gives Wales a great shot at making at least a top-three spot their own.
8. Switzerland
3 of 10
Onto the winners now. Switzerland have taken a little while to get going in Group E following Ottmar Hitzfeld's retirement after the World Cup, but they look to be back on track following back-to-back 4-0 wins, the latest coming over Lithuania.
It moves the Swiss to six points, level with both Slovenia and their beaten opponents, and it puts them as favourites for second place in the group, already a long way behind England.
A clinical second-half display saw talented youngsters Josip Drmic, Fabian Schar and Xherdan Shaqiri (twice) all hit the scoresheet.
7. Slovakia
4 of 10
Slovakia come in at No. 7 and take their place as much for consistency as for a one-off good performance.
They travelled to FYR Macedonia on Saturday and claimed another three points with a 2-0 victory, with Juraj Kucka and Adam Nemec the scorers. In a tough group, Slovakia have taken maximum points: four wins from four and they sit top of the pile in Group C ahead of Spain, Ukraine, Macedonia, Belarus and Luxembourg.
More than that, three of their matches have been away from home and one game against each of Spain and Ukraine have been navigated already, with wins. Their next games in 2015 come against Luxembourg and Macedonia, both at home, meaning they could very realistically be going into the tough September 2015 schedule—away to Spain, home to Ukraine—with six wins from six and already very close to an automatic qualification spot, a tremendous achievement.
6. Brazil
5 of 10
Brazil made extremely short work of their international opposition this week, trouncing Turkey 4-0 and taking another step to recovery under Dunga in the process.
Neymar scored another two goals and added an assist to his already huge collection at the international level, while Willian was exceptional all-round and scored a goal of his own.
Brazil continue their European adventure against Austria on Tuesday.
5. Chile
6 of 10
Sticking with big-scoring South Americans, Chile went on the rampage against opponents Venezuela at the weekend, hitting them for five without reply.
In-form Alexis Sanchez got the ball rolling, and the likes of Eduardo Vargas and Jorge Valdivia added to that as Chile ran out more than comfortable winners with an at-times electric display.
Chile's next game is against Uruguay, late on Tuesday, which should prove to be another entertaining affair.
4. Denmark
7 of 10
Denmark had to come from behind to beat Serbia on Friday, but the eventual 3-1 victory was a huge step for them in Group I.
It keeps the Danes top of the group after four games, with Portugal hot on their heels with a game in hand. Having only qualified for two out of the past five major international tournaments, this win gives Denmark a great chance of making Euro 2016 if they can maintain consistency.
Nicklas Bendtner scored twice, and Simon Kjaer added another.
3. Faroe Islands
8 of 10
Faroe Islands!
The Faroes incredibly beat Greece 1-0 in Piraeus, a first competitive win in four years and a first such away win in well over a decade, per Reuters (via the Daily Mail).
Joan Edmundsson scored the only goal of the game as one of the lowest-ranked sides in world football beat the side who were the winners of the European Championship just 10 years ago, moving Faroes up into fifth in Group F and leaving Greece bottom, winless after four games. Manager Claudio Ranieri was sacked following the defeat.
2. The Netherlands
9 of 10
The Netherlands have had a very difficult start to life under Guus Hiddink, but they returned to form and winning ways against Latvia with a 6-0 victory.
Hiddink's side are still well off the pace in Group A, sitting third with six points—just half the tally of leaders Czech Republic—but this at least puts them back into the top three and on the right path toward qualification.
Arjen Robben was the standout performer, scoring twice. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar also hit a brace.
1. Israel
10 of 10
The top performance, result and indeed standing of this international break, has to go to Israel, who swatted aside World Cup qualifiers Bosnia-Herzegovina by a 3-0 scoreline to maintain a 100 per cent record and go top of Group B with a game in hand over most rivals.
Gil Vermouth, Omer Damari and Eran Zahavi all scored in the deserved win, with Toni Sunjic seeing red for Bosnia at the start of the second half as their own qualifying campaign lies in tatters.
Israel, who have not qualified for the World Cup in almost 50 years and never at all for the Euros, sit one point clear of Wales and with a four-point advantage over group favourites Belgium, a tremendous start for the side led by Eli Guttman.
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