Nations League round-up: Kylian Mbappe rescues point for France against Austria but winless run continues

Kylian Mbappe's late goal earned France a 1-1 draw with Austria in Vienna, but keeps up the World Cup holders' winless start to their Nations League group; Croatia picked up a first win of the tournament by beating Denmark 1-0 in Copenhagen

Image: Kylian Mbappe's 27th international goal could not earn France more than a point against Austria

France's winless start to the Nations League continued as they needed substitute Kylian Mbappe to rescue a 1-1 draw against Austria.

Bristol City striker Andreas Weimann netted the opening goal of the game in Vienna, finishing off a slick forward move with one-touch build-up from Marko Arnautovic and Conrad Laimer teeing up the 30-year-old to net his first international goal on his 17th appearance for his country.

France dominated as expected in the Austrian capital but were off-colour again and did not burst into life until the second-half introduction of Mbappe and Christopher Nkunku.

The two combined to level with Mbappe laying off a ball to the RB Leipzig forward on the halfway line, before an inch-perfect through ball found his strike partner on the edge of the box. Two touches later and he had rifled the ball inside Patrick Pentz's near post for a stunning equaliser.

It threatened to get even better late on as the two combined again, with Mbappe denied by a superb stop from the in-form Pentz, tipping his low effort onto the bar and away to safety, with the Rapid Vienna goalkeeper doing his hopes of retaining the No 1 shirt no harm at all with a superb showing between the sticks in his home city.

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Image: Andreas Weimann scored his first goal for his country in his 17th international game

That late equaliser denied Austria a chance to go top of their group but Denmark's 1-0 home defeat by Croatia keeps Ralf Rangnick's side in touch with the Euro 2020 semi-finalists.

Former Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasilic grabbed the only goal of the game, scrambling the ball home from a corner to end the hosts' perfect start to their Nations League tournament, and lift Croatia off the bottom of the group at France's expense.

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Elsewhere, Shakhtar midfielder Manor Solomon was at the double as Israel recorded their first win of the tournament in Group B2, beating Albania 2-1 in Tirana.

Chelsea forward Armando Broja put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in first-half injury time before Solomon struck a second-half double to earn Israel their first win of 2022, lifting them above Iceland and into top spot while Albania remain bottom.

Kazakhstan were denied a third straight victory to continue their perfect start to life in Group C3 as Belarus snatched a late equaliser to draw 1-1 in Minsk.

Abat Aimbetov fired the visitors into an early lead but seven minutes from time, Vladislav Malkevich levelled from a corner to earn the hosts a second point from three games.

In Group D1, Andorra earned only their fourth competitive win since 2017 as two goals in the final 12 minutes were enough to beat Liechtenstein 2-1 at the Estadi Nacional.

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