Nations League: Build-up to Scotland and Northern Ireland's matches plus England reaction

England beat Italy but fail to reach Nations League final four

England beat Italy 1-0 at San Siro on Friday night but failed to reach the Nations League final four after Hungary beat Germany 1-0 in Leipzig.

The Three Lions needed to better Hungary's result in order to top their group and reach the semi-finals, but they were unable to do so despite a spirited performance in Milan.

Gareth Southgate's side took the lead in the 68th minute through Giacomo Raspadori's own goal, but they were unable to add to their advantage and Hungary's late winner in Germany condemned them to second place in the group.

Scotland and Northern Ireland prepare for Nations League matches

Scotland and Northern Ireland will both be in action in the Nations League on Tuesday night, as they take on Ukraine and Greece respectively.

Steve Clarke's side will be looking to maintain their 100% record in Group B1 when they host Ukraine at Hampden Park.

The Scots have won both of their matches so far, and a victory over Ukraine would see them take a major step towards promotion to League A.

Northern Ireland will be looking to get their Nations League campaign back on track when they travel to Greece.

Ian Baraclough's side lost their opening match of the campaign 1-0 at home to Cyprus, and they will be keen to avoid another defeat in Athens.

Northern Ireland are the underdogs against Greece, but they will be hoping to cause an upset and give themselves a chance of staying in League C.

Reaction to England's win over Italy and failure to reach Nations League final four

England's win over Italy was met with a mixed reaction from fans and pundits alike.

Some praised the team's performance and spirit, while others were critical of their failure to reach the Nations League final four.

Gareth Southgate admitted that he was disappointed not to have reached the semi-finals, but he praised his players for their efforts.

"We're disappointed not to have reached the final four, but I'm proud of the players' performance tonight," said Southgate.

"We showed great character and resilience to come from behind and win the game, but ultimately it wasn't enough.

Conclusion

The Nations League has provided some exciting and entertaining matches so far, and the build-up to Scotland and Northern Ireland's matches on Tuesday night is sure to be just as exciting.

England's failure to reach the final four is a disappointment, but they can still take heart from their performance against Italy.

Scotland and Northern Ireland will both be hoping to get positive results in their matches on Tuesday night, and they will be hoping to take a step towards their respective goals in the Nations League.