Here’s our report from Cardiff.

Reuters take on that Croatia win in Austria.

Croatia qualified for the Nations League semi-finals next year as defender Dejan Lovren marked his return to the team with a rare goal in a comprehensive 3-1 victory over relegated Austria in Vienna.

Lovren, playing his first international in almost a year, scored the third goal for the visitors, who topped League A Group 1 with 13 points from six matches, one point ahead of second-placed Denmark. Austria finished bottom.

Luka Modric gave Croatia an early lead with his 23rd international goal as he took a touch to control Nikola Vlasic’s pass and fired low into the net. That joy was short-lived as Austria equalised three minutes later when Christoph Baumgartner glanced Marcel Sabitzer’s cross into the net with a deft header.

But two goals in three minutes midway through the second period sealed the points for Croatia as Marko Livaja headed home at the back post after a cross from Ivan Perisic, before Lovren was left free by the home defenders to score with a header from Lovro Majer’s cross. Despite the loss, it was a special night for home forward Marko Arnautovic, who won an Austrian record 104th international cap and moved past Andreas Herzog at the top of the country’s list of most appearances.

Reuters take on the Netherlands, who are on their way to the Nations League final with Croatia.

Captain Virgil van Dijk netted a second-half winner as the Netherlands beat neighbours Belgium 1-0 on Sunday to ensure top spot in their Nations League group and a place in next year*s finals tournament.

Van Dijk powered home a header from a corner in the 73rd minute at the Amsterdam Arena on Sunday to ensure the Dutch finished runaway winners in League A Group Four. They finished with 16 points, six more than Belgium who had a chance to leapfrog their neighbours, and take first place, but needed to win by three goals or more on Sunday to do so. Any hopes of a goal feast were quickly stymied, however, as the two sides effectively cancelled each other out in a tight tactical battle.

The Dutch pressing game frustrated Belgian efforts at building up attacks, while a five-man defence for the visitors meant there was little room for the home strikers.

Reuters on France’s loss to the Danes.

Nations League holders France lost 2-0 to Denmark in their final Group 1 game but salvaged their place in the top tier at the end of a dismal campaign on Sunday.

Didier Deschamps’s side, who will face Denmark in Group D at the World Cup in November, conceded first-half goals by Kasper Dolberg and Andreas Skov Olsen to finish third in their Group with five points from six games.

Austria were relegated to League B after a 3-1 home defeat in Croatia left them bottom of the group on four points. Croatia qualified for the final four with 13 points, one ahead of Denmark, who burst into life against France after being dominated in the first 20 minutes.

Austria 1-3 Croatia
Denmark 2-0 France
Faroe Islands 2-1 Turkey
Netherlands 1-0 Belgium
Luxembourg 1-0 Lithuania

Not the way Wales would like to sign off ahead of going to Qatar but this was a young, inexperienced team, with Gareth Bale playing only for match fitness, and who failed to make much of a free-kick in the dying embers. Much to admire in the performance of Brennan Johnson, but for now, Wales have been relegated from the elite section of the Nations League. Now for the next 58 days, and Team USA in Doha.

90+3 min: Wales push on and on, Brennan Johnson in the middle of it. Then Sorba Thomas takes the corner, and that’s cleared. Moore heads down, and there’s a claim for a handball, only for the Moore to be booked for his challenge on Krychowiak.

90+2 min: Bale heads against the crossbar! This time, Sorba Thomas’ cross is perfect and Bale powers the ball beyond Szczesny and off the bar.

90+1 min: It’s full-time as Denmark have beaten France 2-0.

90 min: There will be five minutes on, and Wales are at least pushing hard.

88 min: Wales waste a free-kick as Sorba Thomas, usually so good at these moments, especially for Huddersfield, just lumps the ball into the wall.

86 min: Thomas is now on for Roberts for Wales. Colwill, all bouffant hair and youthful promise, escapes down the left-hand channel. Johnson is waiting in the middle, and he can’t be found. Szczesny has been a safe pair of hands tonight.

84 min: Score correction: it’s actually Luxembourg 0-0 Lithuania. Must have been a VAR.

83 min: Poland making a series of subs now as they attempt to further run down the clock.

82 min: Matt Dony gets in touch: “Bergkamp-esque. Except, Lewandowski meant it. (Tin hat: On)“

Peter Oh: “I’m having a hard time keeping things straight. Tell me if I’ve got it right: England are poor, Scotland are good, and Wales are mediocre.”

Alexander McMillan: “Seems to me, it depends on who you think football is for. If you think it’s for the serial winners (big clubs and major nations) then you probably don’t like it. But if you think it’s for everyone, and that all nations deserve the chance to progress and play against opponents of a similar level, then you’ve got to be all for it. Lots of the ‘lower’ standard European sides showing massive improvements.”

80 min: Wales’ attacks have been rather less than fluid, with the Poles sat deep in numbers, and Bale, somehow still on the field, struggling to impose himself.

78 min: Scoreflash: Austria 1-3 Croatia, goals from Marko Livaja and Dejan Lovren are good news for France who are now likely to stay up.

77 min: Szczesny makes a fine save – again – James whipping in the ball from the left, and the Polish goalkeeper dived late to force it away from danger. Kieffer Moore might have been on the crime scene there.

76 min: Scoreflash: Netherland 1-0 Belgium and Virgil van Dijk got it.

75 min: It’s getting even more bitty, with Poland running down the clock, they have plenty of experience in their team. Lewandowski buys time off a Cabango foul.

72 min: On comes Rubin Colwill, and off goes Levitt. That would seem to have left just Joe Morrell as a Wales central midfielder.

70 min: All huff and puff for Wales, who Poland are keeping at arm’s length here.

68 min: Bogdan gets in touch: “Tell me honestly what do you really think about this Nations league project, is it good or bad for football? I just don`t know, in some way for me it has improved the international football since there are no meaningless friendlies but, on the other hand, there are more difficult competitive matches and the players get more tired playing not-so-important games?”

I am torn, I have to say. I sigh each time the Nations League comes around then enjoy some of the games. So it’s better than friendlies, but then it’s not the Premier League or a major finals. Hmm.

65 min: Scoreflash: The Faroe Islands are currently leading Turkey 2-0. The only other goal other than Swiderski’s here is that putting Luxembourg 1-0 up on Lithuania.

64 min: Poland change: off goes Karol Świderski, the goalscorer, and on comes Krzysztof Piątek of Salernitana.

62 min: Wales staring down the barrel of relegation, and paying for not being able to take their chances and suffering for having Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey on the bench.

60 min: Szczesny makes a great save, as Brennan Johnson comes in from the left, and the ball was arrowing in, only for the Juventus goalkeeper to make the save with his fingertips. Good football all round.

59 min: And as that goal went in, courtesy of a piece of Bergkamp-esque skill from Lewandowski, on comes Moore, and off goes Norrington Davies.

That man Lewandowski at the heart of it. Krychowiak’s pass goes to Lewandowski whose flick takes out two Wales defenders and Swiderski smashes home.

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57 min: James seems to be the furthest man forward, and is having real problems holding it up. Bale surely to go off?

55 min: Yes, Moore is coming on, after a discussion with Rob Page, who has clearly seen enough.

53 min: Kieffer Moore is imminent for Wales, and they could really do with a focal point up front. Arwel Jones gets in touch: “Bale looks like an old man lost in the park.” Yes, a little bit.

51 min: More groans for the officiating as Glik smashes into James, and somehow that’s not given as a foul. It looked a forearm smash.

48 min: Neco Williams is booked as Bartosz Bereszyński took a smashing, and comes back on the field to roll around. The referee rather awarded that one blind.

47 min: A slow start to this half, and will we see more of Bale who has a free role as ever.

46 min: Back underway in Cardiff. with Poland getting it launched to the back stick from the kick-off.

Austria 1-1 Croatia
Denmark 2-0 France
Faroe Islands 0-0 Turkey
Netherlands 0-0 Belgium
Luxembourg 0-0 Lithuania

As it stands, Wales will get relegated from the Nations League top tier. They finish the half with Szczesny making brave save from Gareth Bale, and the two share a handshake as the whistle goes. Dan James had the best chance of the game, and perhaps stopped Brennan Johnson having a better one. Still, an inexperienced Wales team is holding its own.

45+1 min: Bednarek is not booked when James looked to have escaped at the halfway line. Lucky boy. That’s a yellow in the Barclays. Three minutes added on here.

45 min: Wales have been a bit better as this half has gone on, without ever throwing much in the way of passing together. Brennan Johnson, who is so lively, is caught offside.

43 min: Norrington-Davies is booked, having smashed into Lewandowski, who does take his time coming back up. He’s still wiping his brow as he gets up.

42 min: So close for Wales. Brennan Johnson speeds forward, unleashes a shot and it might well have been going in, only for the ball to come off Dan James and go wide.

40 min: Scoreflash: Denmark 2-0 France; Andreas Olsen has got it.

39 min: Almost a horror moment, for Wayne Hennessey, who almost did a Peter Enckelman, a Scott Carson, a David de Gea, from a back-pass from Norrington-Davies, I think – Rodon maybe. Hennessey makes amends by making a save soon after.

38 min: Szczesny has to come out and stop Gareth Bale, who had just escaped after a throw-in. The LA king has been quiet, it has to be said.

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36 min: West Brom and PSG legend Grzegorz Krychowiak is booked for a foul on Morrell, wrapping his arm around the Portsmouth man, and shunting him to the ground.