Round-up of the international break

CONSTANCE PICAUD / ELISA DE ALMEIDA / SAKINA KARCHAOUI / JADE LE GUILLY / GRACE GEYORO / SANDY BALTIMORE - FRANCE

A France side featuring Paris's Constance Picaud, Elisa De Almeida, Sakina Karchaoui, Jade Le Guilly, Grace Geyoro and Sandy Baltimore took part in a double header with Norway in the UEFA Women's Nations League group stage over the international break, with Les Bleues running out 2-1 winners in the first game on Friday at Oslo's Ullevaal Stadion before the two nations were forced to settle for 0-0 draw four days later at the Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims. Picaud, De Almeida, Karchaoui and Geyoro played the entirety of both matches, while Baltimore, who came on as a substitute in the first fixture, started the second encounter. Hervé Renard's players remain top of Group A2 with ten points from four games, three ahead of Austria.

JACKIE GROENEN / LIEKE MARTENS - NETHERLANDS

A UEFA Women's Nations League double header was also on the agenda for Jackie Groenen's and Lieke Martens's Netherlands, this time against Scotland. De Leeuwinnen earned a 4-0 win at the Goffertstadion in Nijmegen on Friday, followed by a 1-0 win at Glasgow's Hampden Park four days later, with the Rouge et Bleu pair starting both games. These two victories meant that Andries Jonker's players moved into top spot in Group A1 with nine points from four games, two ahead of Belgium.

AMALIE VANGSGAARD - DENMARK

Paris Saint-Germain striker Amalie Vangsgaard's Denmark also came out on top in their two Nations League matches during the international break. De rød-hvide recorded a 1-0 win over Iceland in Reyjavík on Friday and then a 2-1 win over Wales in Viborg four days later, with the Paris player shining particularly brightly, as Vangsgaard, who played the entirety of both games, scored the winning goal in the first game before opening the scoring in the second. This pair of victories meant that Andrée Jeglertz's side remained top of Group A3 with four wins in as many matches and three points ahead of Germany.

VIOLA CALLIGARIS / RAMONA BACHMANN - SWITZERLAND

Viola Calligaris's and Ramona Bachmann's Switzerland were another side facing the prospect of a Nations League double header over the past week, with La Nati falling to two defeats: 1-0 against Sweden in Gothenburg on Friday and 7-1 against Spain in Zurich four days later. Calligaris played the first hour of the second game, while Bachmann took part in the first 65 minutes of the opening encounter before featuring for the entirety of the second. Following these two setbacks, Inka Grings's side remain bottom of Group A4 with four defeats in as many games.

KATARZYNA KIEDRZYNEK - POLAND

Paris Saint-Germain keeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek's Poland also had a Nations League double header ahead of them, this time against Serbia. The Bialo-Czerwoni ran out 2-1 winners in Tychy on Friday before sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw in Stara Pazova four days later – a win and a draw that meant that Nina Patalon's players took top spot in Group B3 from the Serbs and now sit on ten points after four games, three ahead of their opponents over the international break.

CLARE HUNT - AUSTRALIa

The second qualifying round for the Paris Olympic Games 2024 was on the cards for Clare Hunt's Australia during this international break in Perth. In Group A of the Asia Zone, the Matildas beat Iran 2-0 on Thursday at HBF Park, the Philippines 8-0 on Sunday at the Optus Stadium, and Chinese Taipei 3-0 on Wednesday. After staying on the bench for the first encounter, she played the full 90 minutes in the following two, picking up an assist in the final outing. This run of wins sees Tony Gustavsson's side finish top of their group and qualify for the next round. They will now face one of the winners of the two groups, or one of the runners-up in a two-legged tie in February, to determine which two countries from the confederation will travel to France next summer.

NICOLE PAYNE - NIGERIA

Nicole Payne’s Nigeria also took part in the qualifiers for the next Olympic Games (African Zone) during this international break, with a double header against Ethiopia on the cards in Round 2. The two nations drew 1-1 on Wednesday at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in the first leg in Addis-Abeba, before the Super Falcons ran out 4-0 winners six days later at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. Payne started both encounters as Randy Waldrum’s side qualified for the next round, where they will face Cameroon, who secured their spot in the draw against Uganda.

OCÉANE TOUSSAINT / THINIBA SAMOURA / LAURINA FAZER - FRANCE U23

Two friendlies were on the France U23s’ schedule with Océane Toussaint, Thiniba Samoura and Laurina Fazer all joining up with their compatriots for this international break. Les Bleuettes drew 1-1 with the Netherlands on Thursday in Montmorency, then were beaten 2-0 by Sweden four days later in Eskilstuna. The three members of the Rouge et Bleu squad played the entirety of the first match. Captain of her side in both matches, Fazer also played the full 90 minutes in the second match, while Samoura coming on at the break.