Two of the world’s biggest superstars fell victim to the international break — both picking up serious injuries which puts their club football in doubt.
Meanwhile, late drama saw a new Italian hero emerge and a Portuguese villain sent from the field.
Here’s a wrap of all the international action!
BRAZIL 1-0 CAMEROON
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READ NOWNeymar could be an injury doubt for Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with Liverpool next week after limping off during Brazil’s 1-0 friendly win over Cameroon in Milton Keynes on Tuesday.
The forward suffered an apparent groin problem and was replaced after eight minutes, to boos from a record Stadium MK crowd.
Everton’s Richarlison, Neymar’s replacement, headed in on the stroke of halftime for his third Brazil goal on his sixth appearance to secure victory for the Selecao.
ITALY 1-0 USA
Late substitute Matteo Politano scored an injury-time winner to lift a new-look Italy to a 1-0 win over the United States in an international friendly in Genk on Tuesday.
Roberto Mancini’s side had looked set for another goalless draw after crashing out of the Nations League with a 0-0 stalemate against Portugal in Milan on Saturday.
But Politano came on three minutes from time and slotted home in the 94th minute.
It got Italy belatedly off the mark in a match they had dominated but which demonstrated Mancini’s side’s difficulty converting opportunities into goals.
SOCCEROOS NEWS
FRANCE 1-0 URUGUAY
A shoulder injury to Kylian Mbappe overshadowed France’s 1-0 friendly win over Uruguay at the Stade de France on Tuesday as Didier Deschamps’ world champions ended the year on a high note.
After the disappointment of seeing the Netherlands pip them to a place at the Nations League finals with a late Virgil van Dijk goal in Germany on Monday, Olivier Giroud’s 52nd-minute penalty gave France victory in a repeat of the two teams’ World Cup quarter-final meeting in Russia.
PORTUGAL 1-1 POLAND
Portugal finished off their successful Nations League group campaign with a 1-1 draw against Poland in Guimaraes on Tuesday, while Sweden earned promotion to the top division.
The European champions appeared to be in control, but the game changed when Danilo Pereira was harshly sent off and Poland were awarded a penalty.
The referee gave the Porto midfielder his marching orders after Arkadiusz Milik tumbled to the floor under his challenge, despite appearing to win the ball cleanly.
The Napoli striker picked himself up to slot the ball past Beto in the Portugal goal and level for the visitors with quarter of the match still remaining.
OTHER RESULTS
Sweden 2-0 Russia
Montenegro 0-1 Romania
Malta 1-1 Faroe Islands
Kosovo 4-0 Azerbaijan
Scotland 3-2 Israel
Serbia 4-1 Lithuania